by Jeanne Takenaka, @jeannetakenaka
I’m just going to say it. Christmas can be crazy.
Stressful.
Life-draining.
For me, I want to be all in every moment with my family. I want to do it all. Decorate the house so it’s beautiful. Send out amazing Christmas cards and photos to the 100+ people on our list. Buy the perfect gifts for the people in my life.
And be everything to everyone.
And have time for writing, because this is something that fills me.
Let’s face it. This might be the tiniest bit unrealistic. In the past few years, God has challenged me to evaluate what’s most important. For my well-being. For the important people in my life.
And though I want to give of myself to others, I also need to give certain gifts to myself. Perhaps some of these gifts are ones you need also.
- Time with Jesus. The only way we’ll walk well through the holiday daze is to first be filled up by time spent with the One we’re celebrating. When we do have moments for writing, He can fill the creativity bank. If we try to do everything in our own strength, we’ll end up depleted and worn down by December 25th.
- Give ourselves grace when things don’t come together as we hoped, or when life prevents us from keeping to our plan and timelines. Sometimes we need to just be like Elsa and let it go.
- Self-care. Especially during busy seasons, getting enough sleep, enough water, and enough good-for-us food is essential. These things help our bodies and minds tackle the many demands placed on us.
- Saying no to certain things to alleviate stress. We may need to choose to forgo doing something simply because we’ve always done it. Sometimes, to open up time for ourselves to do the things we want to do, we must say no to something else.
This year, I said no to sending out Christmas letters. As much as I love preparing and sending them to people we care about, I had to choose how to best spend my time. And I really need to finish a book. So . . . we will send out a super-great Christmas card next year. And this year, I’ll enjoy some freed-up hours with my characters.
Saying yes to enjoying moments with those we love. People are our priority. If my boys want to talk with me, I’m going to sit and chat. If a friend invites me to coffee, I’ll be saying yes. As much as possible, let’s savor time, focus on, and slow down to engage with those we care about.
Laughter. When we laugh, we release endorphins, which leaves us feeling lighter. Happy. They refresh our perspective and enable us to enjoy life.
As we head deeper into December, let’s give ourselves a few presents. And these gifts won’t leave us feeling guilty.
Q4U: How do you care for yourself during the Christmas season?
Award-winning aspiring novelist, Jeanne Takenaka, writes contemporary inspirational fiction that tackles real life issues with a heart to draw women closer to God and those around them. She lives near the mountains in Colorado with her amazing husband and two exuberant boy-men. She loves being God’s girl—always learning about His grace, hanging out with friends and enjoying a great cup of coffee. When she’s not writing you can find her with a camera in her hand, looking for #alittlebitofpretty in her days. You can connect with her on her blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter