This Christmas won’t be like the others. For many it can be a time of loneliness and sorrow as it will not be possible to be surrounded by all the people you love and cherish.
We’re ending this year in an unsurprising way given everything that has happened in the past nine months. But the quietness also offers us a few opportunities.
When we slow down and have more time to sit still, we can all go within.
And on a silent night around Christmas this stillness can offer us the chance for a deep introspection.
With its many challenges this year has also stripped us from our masks (pun intended), from the superficial roles we sometimes play. It has shown us so clearly who are the people we can trust and rely on as never before.
And while it has taken a lot from us, this year has maybe given us something very valuable – clarity.
Clarity about the real friendships and close people in our life. Clarity about our priorities. Clarity about the real intentions that people have. Clarity about our values and our gifts. Clarity about what are the most important things for us.
We have all been reminded about the importance of our health. Have we taken the steps that can lead to its improvement?
We have also been reminded about our basic rights and freedoms. Have we taken the time to think about what they all mean to us?
In times like these when everyone is struggling and fighting to either keep their job or their business afloat, we tend to see the real faces of people. How we handle crisis situations shows a lot about our character. It has been quite the revelation in many aspects.
Let’s take the time for some introspection in these final days of 2020.
What has this year thought you? What was your biggest revelation? What have you discovered for yourself as being your non-negotiable, your foundation?
My hope for you is that you spend some quiet and cosy time with your inner circle of most loved and trusted people. Taking more time for some slow activities, for bonding, playing games with your children, baking, decorating, singing and going for hikes in nature. Most of all, focus on what brings you true fulfillment!
This is what I have been focusing on.
We have decorated our house earlier this year, as we really wanted to feel more festive and slowly ease into this cosy season.
Every weekend we bake, we light the fire, sip on hot tea and play some instruments or tell stories. It has been a really nice time. It has increased so much my love and appreciation for my family. But equally so for the people, who are there for you, for the simple messages from friends asking “How are you?”.
As I am also entering my 9th month of pregnancy, the anticipation is growing, but also the need to slow down, relax and surround myself by people who only want my best.
This year I have become much more aware of people’s energies, and they affect me deeper than ever. Maybe it’s the pregnancy, or maybe the sign of the times we live in, but in any case, there has been a certain purging that I have been unconsciously involved in.
Have you felt this too? How do you feel about this Christmas season?
