Letting Go This Holiday Season

Year after year, it seems as if this season brings about the same emotions. For me, these emotions are: fear, anger, and sadness. Why? I have no idea. Is it rooted in some unpleasant childhood holiday experience? Is it because it’s dark outside by 4:30 p.m.? Or is it due to the fact that while the back-to-back upcoming holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) are respites from work and distractions from our normal routine, they can also impose upon us incredible stress and pressure.

We may ask ourselves: “How am I going to afford Christmas presents this year?!” or “How will I get everything done before the holiday?”

Whether these questions are conscious or not yet realized for you, it’s important to think about the kind of stress you feel during the holidays. Are you a host or hostess for a holiday event? Are you alone during the holidays? Do you dread being around certain family members? Whatever the case may be, it’s helpful to think about how to LET GO during this time of year.

How do we do that? How do we let go of our fears, stress, anxiety, or sadness? In The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, letting go of these toxic emotions is necessary to live our lives differently and view events with a more peaceful and optimistic outlook. Imagine going through the holidays without worrying! Yes, it is possible. Or at least I’m hoping it is.

There’s no manual on how to let go, but here are a few simple suggestions:

1. Breathe. Every day, be conscious of how you are breathing.
2. Do something unreasonable. If you’re always early, show up late. Or if you’re always late, surprise them by showing up early.
3. Stop planning so much. You do not have to be master of the universe; the world still functions without your control.
4. When angry, be conscious of keeping your heart wide open. It will not hurt. Instead, how it changes things will surprise you.
5. Listen to music and get out of your head.