Do you feel like the holidays slip by too fast? Do you wish you could slow things down and make the holiday season last longer?

Picture this: you are looking over your holiday bucket list and wondering how you can possibly complete the items you missed before the season ends. And you are wondering how the past couple of weeks slipped by so fast, despite your best intentions to slow down and appreciate every moment.

I feel you.

I love the holiday season. I love the coziness, the traditions, the family time, the lights, the music, the flavors, pretty much everything about the season. 

That said, I know that every year, I find myself navigating how distressed and emotional I can get at how quickly this time of year comes and goes. I often wish I could hold onto the holidays and extend the traditions just a little bit.

And while we cannot alter time (nor would I actually want to), we can implement practices and mindsets to help us slow down and savor the holiday season.

Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

Tools to Help You Slow Down and Savor the Holidays

Mindfulness

Do you experience racing thoughts? I know I do. I spend more time in my head engaging with thoughts and not being present than I would like. Which is why I decided to strengthen my mindfulness skills by catching myself when my mind starts racing and bringing my attention back to what is in front of me. 

How Does Mindfulness Help You Enjoy the Holidays?

Spending time living in the present moment through practicing mindfulness helps us to slow down and counteract the feeling that time is flying by. 

I am suggesting we enjoy the holidays by making the most of and appreciating every moment. It might sound cliche, but many studies actually show that we feel happier when we spend time living in the moment. 

My goal is to stay present as much as possible, because I would much rather focus on appreciating this time with my family than wasting time focusing on anxious thoughts.

Not to mention that many people experience increased anxiety and stress during the holidays. Luckily, mindfulness practices can help you manage these stressors by helping you feel more relaxed.

I want to share a strategy that I learned from Lexie Lombard, host of the @Lexie podcast. Lexie mentioned that, when she gets caught up in her thoughts, she asks herself: “Where are my feet?”

This is such a simple reminder that can help you stay grounded in the present moment. 

Once you answer the question, put your focus on whatever it is you are doing.

Example:

Q: Where are my feet?

A: On an airplane, while I write this blog post.

Photo by Taryn Elliott: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mug-of-marshmallow-drink-and-gingerbread-6259278/

This reminds me to focus on the activity at hand and to let go of everything else. Another tip, if you want to spend more time enjoying the present moment, is to give yourself physical reminders to do so. I set my watch to give me a mindfulness reminder every hour. And the Headspace app also gives me daily mindfulness and positive mindset reminders. These mindfulness practices help me manage my mental health, especially toward the end of the holiday season when I start getting emotional because I know I will be leaving my family and returning to “life as normal.”

Meditation

Meditation is probably one of the most well-known mindfulness techniques (but definitely not the only one). 

I notice a difference in my mindset on the days I don’t meditate versus the days I do take time to meditate. 

I try to start the day with a short meditation to clear my mind, as well as take deep mindful breaths throughout the day. This helps me stay grounded and reduce my anxiety plus helps me improve my focus.

 I typically do a 10-minute guided meditation through YouTube, but if you are pressed for time, you can find 5-minute, 3-minute, and even 1-minute guided meditations!

The Box Breathe is one of my favorite simple breathing techniques. 

How to Practice the Box Breathe

⟡ Breathe in for four counts

⟡ Hold for four counts

⟡ Breathe out for four counts

⟡ Hold for four counts

⟡ Repeat

Try this breathing technique for a simple way to relax.

I feel the need to give a disclaimer anytime I mention meditation to dispel some myths. Meditation does not mean having a completely clear mind with no thoughts. The goal is just to calm your mind and learn to manage your thoughts.

Breathwork

If you are wondering, “what is the difference between meditation and breathwork?” just know that I have wondered the same thing. It turns out breathwork and meditation are not the same thing.

Breathwork involves actively changing the way you breathe, such as changing how long your inhales and exhales are. Practicing breathwork can give you many health and wellness advantages, including increased relaxation and increased self-esteem.

Meditation involves noticing your breath, but the goal is to help you clear your mind and get centered in the present moment.

Check out these easy beginner breathwork practices.

Focusing on my breathing helps me slow down my thoughts and stay grounded throughout the day.

Gratitude

Gratitude is one of my favorite tools for living a more positive life. Acknowledging and giving thanks for all the blessings in my life really helps me shift to a positive mindset. 

I keep a gratitude journal and write down things I’m grateful for every night before bed. Items I often include are:

⟡ My family

⟡ My friends

⟡ My health

⟡ Having a roof over my head

⟡ Anything special that made me smile that day

Anytime I feel down, spending time thinking about the things I’m grateful for helps to pick me up. I challenge you to take time to identify at least 3 things you are grateful for everyday. 

Photo by Işıl: https://www.pexels.com/photo/burning-candle-candy-cane-and-gingerbread-cookie-15145828/

Coziness

Coziness is one of the best parts of the holidays. Spending time with loved ones doing cozy activities, like watching movies and looking at holiday lights, with loved ones brings so much joy and happiness into life.

Cozy Holiday Activity Inspiration

Now that I’m home with my parents, we love getting cozy, turning on our Christmas lights, lighting the fireplace, and spending quality time together.

Savoring

I’ve become interested in the lifestyle concepts of slow living and savoring. What is savoring? Savoring means slowing down and taking time to appreciate the little things. According to Bryant and Veroff (2007) savoring means “attending, appreciating, and enhancing positive experiences in one’s life.” Savoring is a way for us to place increased attention on positive experiences and the positive emotions they bring up. Intentionally appreciating life’s positive and enjoyable moments can increase our overall well-being.

Photo by Ioana Motoc: https://www.pexels.com/photo/still-life-with-a-cup-of-coffee-and-golden-christmas-decoration-19149305/

Rituals

I was having a conversation recently with someone in my life about the benefits of creating rituals. What I love about rituals is that they give you something to look forward to every day.

What is a ritual? Simply put, a ritual is a repetitive act. Many people associate rituals with religious rituals, but that doesn’t have to be the case. We can create rituals in our daily lives.

Rituals offer so many positive benefits, from providing structure to our daily lives to helping us connect with seasons.

One of my favorite rituals I have created is playing holiday jazz and lighting a Christmas candle at night while I eat dinner. These simple details make me so happy. It is important to find opportunities to bring these joyful moments into your lifestyle.

My parents and I are doing the New York Times Connections every night, which is very cozy and wholesome family fun.

I suggest you come up with some seasonal rituals to help you enjoy the holiday season even more. Below are some suggestions, which you can tailor to include activities that feel nourishing to you in your self-care practice.

Photo by Nubia Navarro (nubikini): https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-lighted-candle-714898/

Holiday Season Ritual Ideas

Make yourself a holiday-inspired coffee in the morning and enjoy it slowly. I have been enjoying Trader Joes’ Gingerbread Coffee.

Romanticize your life by playing holiday jazz in the background. I love doing this while I work and while I’m hanging out.

Watch your favorite holiday movies with comfy clothes and a cozy blanket. I look forward to watching holiday classics with my family every year.

Light candles in your home for a cozy vibe.

Check out this blog post for more ways to practice self-care during the holiday season.

I hope this post inspires you to try out some of these tips to slow down this holiday season. My goal with this blog is to provide you with advice on lifestyle topics that I also deal with. So you are learning alongside me as I learn how to navigate life the best I can. 

That said, I hope these tools help you enjoy the holidays as much as possible!

Do you have your own holiday rituals or tips for living mindfully during the holidays? Let me know in a comment how these help you prioritize your mental health and well-being during a busy season.

And make sure to follow me on social media (links below)) to receive more content to help you become the best version of yourself. Thank you so much for being part of this community!

Featured Image: Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Sources
Bryant, F. B., & Veroff, J. (2007). Savoring: A new model of positive experience. Erlbaum Associates.