9 Ways to Stay in Your Authentic Power
This article originally appeared on Yoganonymous.com.
Photo via Google Images
The holiday season is one time of the year that tends to wear us down.
You might not be waking up feeling like the fresh flower you were in the spring—and that affects your mood, your work, your health, and your wellbeing. It may sound daunting, but at the beginning of the holiday season, it’s incredibly important to make more time for yourself.
In doing so, you will avoid compulsive shopping (I know, the deals look so great), lashing out on your family and friends, and over-extending yourself.
During the holidays we tend to say yes to the strange, often times daunting, requests of our family members—even when it doesn’t make sense. So, tune in to you, so that you can respect your boundaries and only say yes to the things that work for you and with you.
By taking some “you” time, you might be able to say no to the excess sugars and candies that seem to pop up everywhere, and say yes to the jolly laughter and friendship of the holiday season. It might be a challenge, but you go this.
Here are nine tips to keep you in your center through the new year.
9 Easy Ways to Stay in Your Authentic Power During the Holiday Season
1. Start each day with an intention
Example: “My intention is to be peaceful today.”
When you start your day with a precise intention, you have a grounding point to return to (if and when you feel like you’ve been thrown off balance).
When you’re overwhelmed by all that’s going on, check in. Are you staying true to your intention? If not, hit pause, down a glass of water (to get your body energized and moving), and write your intention down on a post-it note. Keep this post-it on your desk, on your door, on your phone (maybe have Siri remind you of your intention at 2 p.m.)—whatever works for you. Just do it.
2. Take some alone time
Alone time gives you space to clear your head and recharge your batteries. Even just 30 minutes of alone time once a week will uplift your mood and help you understand your deeper feelings.
Plug your alone time into your schedule. It’s a non-negotiable commitment to yourself, so stick to it. You’ll be a cheerier person, and you’ll enjoy the presence of others much more than you would if you did not embrace your “alone time.”
3. Meditate
Sit in your body and listen. Forget your agendas, let go of your thoughts, and give yourself time to just be.
If your mind is racing, check out a guided meditation on YouTube, or focus on a breathingtechnique, like alternate nostril breathing. Plug in ten minutes or more each day, and you will notice a palpable difference.
4. Cultivate happiness by doing something you love
Doing what you love, makes you happy. This can be treating yourself to a coffee, wearing clothes you like or giving your loved one a huge hug. Making an effort to cultivate happiness makes you a do-er, a mover, a shaker, and a party maker (in the best of ways).
Be that ray of sunshine, as the sunlight starts to fade and winter sets in—people need that! You need that! Go there.
5. Allow yourself to feel genuine emotions
Do some people or situations just annoy the sh*! out of you? If yes, don’t avoid your feelings, avoid them. If you can’t embrace your anger, your annoyance, or your feelings of sadness, how will you ever move past it? The only way to get past it, is through it—so try this simple two step process:
Step 1: Embrace those things and situations that make you happy.
Step 2: Rework or let go of situations that don’t bring you joy.
6. Ask yourself: “What are my dreams and aspirations?”
Discover the things you want for yourself and your future, and set a detailed plan to make them happen in the next 18 months.
As you build this out, it will give you perspective on what matters to you, and what doesn’t—having this knowledge surrounding who you are and where you want to go will make you an effective and productive human being!
You’ll be so “on-it” that you’ll be borderline super-human. And the result? You won’t be thrown off by the little things. You’ll feel like you have more purpose, and that will give you more drive to make the best out of what you have right in front of you.
7. Take care of yourself
If you take the best care of yourself, you give yourself permission to function at your best.
Eat well, dress well, take a hot bubble bath, or go to the spa. Take some time to pamper yourself with the little things, like placing cucumber slices in your water, or just treating yourself to your favorite tea blend. When you feel like you’ve been treated luxuriously, you feel more relaxed—which makes you feel calmer, and more like the best version of yourself.
8. Know your boundaries and enforce them
If you’re a giver, don’t get taken advantage of by others. Enforcing your boundaries comes from a place of self-love. When you respect and enforce your boundaries, others will respect them (and you) as well.
It can be hard to say no, but as long as you set your boundaries up front, you won’t feel guilty about letting someone down. The first step is the hardest, so just stay true to you as best as you can, and remember: “When you do what is best for you, you do what is ultimately best for others as well.”
9. Play!
A serious life is a dull one. Make time to play, laugh, and have fun—it’s just as important as working hard in life. Turn on a funny video, play with your kitty cat, or just hang out with someone who makes you smile and laugh.
If you’re really feeling grumpy, dull, or over-worked—go get a freshly squeezed juice that includes a little bit of ginger in it. The antioxidant boost and the zing of the ginger will help open up your cells, and will leave you feeling a little drunk off of the juice (without the ugly hangover). It’s a great way to replenish the minerals in your body, and get a great laugh.
Keep it authentic, bae.
