“Quiet the mind and the soul will speak.”
-Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Happy December, my Sweet Friend!

Can you believe we are here?! I’m feeling the combination of “How the heck did THAT happen?” and “Wahoo it’s FINALLY Christmas time!” I love the holiday season so much. I love preparing and looking forward to all the amazingness that is to come.  I love enjoying the lights, food, fun, togetherness, nostalgia, and constant opportunity to make new memories! I love the jolly, the merry, and the bright! 

Let’s just call it what it is, in an among all this, tis the season of LOUD!

In all the holiday cheer, things can feel noisy, busy, and rushed. And as I continue taking steps along my life journey, I am starting to realize how IMPORTANT it is for me to find the QUIET in this season of loud! 

I’m actually an outgoing introvert- so I’m the first one to welcome you to a party with a squeal, a hug, and a glass of champagne.  Totally my jam.  However, I’m also the first to leave the party so that I can get back into the quiet (and back into my yoga pants) to recharge.  

It is SO important to honor your energetic needs, especially over the holiday season. And even if you are an outgoing extrovert who loves the loud and could be around people all day and night long, we ALL need a little quiet time to recenter and get back into personal focus.  

Everyone needs quiet time.

So, I figured I would give you some tips on how to find the quiet and what to do with it! 

I totally recommend getting up early.  
I know, I know, none of us get enough sleep… but trust me on this.  If you spend every waking moment of this season being surrounded by the swirl, you are going to feel weak, edgy, and won’t be able to full enjoy it.  And that is NOT because you didn’t get enough sleep, my friend.  It’s because you have spent all your awake time giving to others- your time, your money, your thoughts, and your energy.  When you wake up earlier in the morning, you have the opportunity to reflect and recognize YOURSELF in the space that you are in.  

Remind yourself to take five.  
Getting quiet and finding alone time probably isn’t on the to-do list at all right now, so what do you usually do when you are bringing something new into the mix? You remind yourself! If your child has a doctors appointment, you set a reminder in your phone, right? It’s time to treat QUIET TIME with the same respect.  Put a reminder in your phone and when that alarm goes off, stop what you are doing and get quiet with yourself for 5 minutes.  Do this as many times a day you would like.  You are worth the reminder!

Go INWARD when you transition!
We transition between tasks all day.  Take a second to think about the bigger transitions you have and use that space between tasks to give yourself a quiet moment.  For example, instead of working until the last possible second before you have to go pick up the kids, give yourself a few minutes grace in between to get quiet and just be with YOU.  

Now, what can we do during this quiet time?
Journal
meditate
pray
sing
listen to music
run
draw
make lists
stretch
visualize
clear your mind… the options are endless… but I would recommend picking SOMETHING.  

Mindfully going into your quiet time knowing what you are going to do is the key… why? BECAUSE YOU WILL LOOK FORWARD TO IT! Pick something that feels enjoyable and allow for yourself to do it, peacefully and quietly.  

I like journaling (and if you want to give journaling a try, please, check out my True You Self-Discovery Journal for the Curious Heart… in it I TEACH you how to journal as well as give you prompts to write about).  Getting my thoughts and feelings out of my head and onto the page calms me.  

I also enjoy running.  I run to clear my mind and moving my body allows for me to physically get out and take the space I need!

I also really like repeating affirmations during those transition moments throughout my day.  They bring me back to a centered place and help me stay intentional about all I do. 

The things I do may be just right for you, or not! Try out your own quiet time activities and keep trying until you find the thing that FEELS good! 

Remember… you GET to be the calm in the swirling season of loud IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE.  Do it for yourself.  I promise, if you give yourself the grace, space, and time to get quiet, the rest of the holiday season will be an amplification of peace and love- no matter how loud it is! 

Own your energy this holiday season, friends! 
With abundant sunshine!