Holiday Cheer, Fear & Beer

For whatever the reasons, it seems a holiday has more significance than just an ordinary day. It kind of intensifies whatever else we've got going on. Things like Cheer, Fear & Beer.  I hope in your world, you're experiencing a whole lot of cheer!  And if not, let's see what's possible, and there are possibilities! 

Cheer:  It might be annoying in the midst of feeling broken to hear there's always something to be thankful for.  So let it be annoying, and let yourself seek something to be thankful for also.   Even when you might be feeling like things are pretty dark, we can find light, we can even choose to be a light in the world, choose to seek The Light of the World. Been there, it is definitely a choice, and well worth it!  Yes, it's ok to feel, please do.  Your feelings and the reasons for them are valid and should be embraced.  AND invite and embrace looking for some beauty and good in your world, in you, from you. Because when you do, you will find it, and can feel into it. Start with any of the five senses, any part of your health and working body - no small things!  Maybe it's the miracle of the sun and moon doing their thing for us, a flower, a tree, nourishing rain, a warm blanket, a stranger holding the door open, you offering a smile to a stranger and it's received - see where I'm going with this?  Go! 

Fear:  One of my fave topics.  Talk about embracing it!  We all experience fear.  It shows up as worry, anger, guilt, all sorts of imagined scenarios past and future.  Notice. Ask. Discover.  Is what you're thinking and imagining absolutely true?  Can you really know?  Is it happening in the now or in your imagination?  Breathe back into now. What has worked for you to tame the fear beast?  If it's not true, then what happens?  What changes in you, about you if what you're thinking and imagining isn't even true?  This is not at all to minimize things that happened or could happen but sweetheart, embrace the now and the truth that for now you might just be ok.  Maybe it can be ok to just not know?  There's sooooo much we can't know, don't know.  Maybe that's kinder than the scary imagination?  Being in truth and in the now is where you want to be. Go there! 

Beer:  Let's say any substance or thing that acts as an escape, something that will get you to numb out, avoid, ignore.  This is a tough one too, because the truth is those things work and can work fast and reliably.  So now what?  If you can, as best you can, when you can, take just one minute to pause AND ask yourself if that's the thing you really, really want.  And do it again for another minute, and again.  See how many minutes you can collect and see if you really, really want that thing anymore.  Maybe you want something different, something deeper?  Maybe you want to connect with a friend and reach out to them instead, take a walk, write a seething or sorrowful note on paper to get it out of your system?  Maybe you can tolerate having less of that thing?  Maybe you can postpone or just not buy the thing you want to avoid so it's not in the house and easily accessible?  Maybe you choose to be safer about using substances, or eat just a little differently, or you ask for help, change your environment?  Maybe you're willing to just try on one new idea and see what happens?  Maybe you go in that direction?  Go! 

Give yourself tons of grace, compassion, forgiveness - we ALL need it and would benefit from it.  None of us are exempt from these human conditions.  Life gets complicated sometimes, and our thinking goes right along.  Notice you've been doing hard throughout your life, even on holidays. It's not true that they're supposed to be the most wonderful experiences ever, because in reality for many they are not.  Let that be, and drop the false stories and see what you can do in the reality you have.  Pick one small thing and try to make the hard a bit less hard.  It's a tall order sometimes and really the world will continue to spin, so no one and no thing needs you to meet its expectations and assumptions. Notice the pull to meet some assumed expectations and notice if you really, really want to.  The world will move on if you don't.  It's far more important to take care of you! Go there too! 

I hope you give yourself full permission to meet your own needs, especially when others can not or will not.  I'm pretty sure you've had to many times throughout your life, so you can do it again, and again.  Look for how it is possible to create these possibilities.  Not forever, just for now.  

Create some moments to not just get through but to go through, creating something that touches your heart.  And breathe that in to your heart, feel your heart.  That's the truest YOU, no matter what!  You dear heart, sweet heart, you are the holy in a day. 

Have the holidays you have, no matter what they hold, it will all pass. Enjoy them thoroughly and/or have a thoroughly expressive cry.  Through any of it, may you create some moments of peace and joy to fill your heart and feel the light and love that awaits you, that is available for you now, and the next now.    

Blessings,

Joanne

https://www.joannerichards.life