Let Go to Fill Up This Holiday!

Holidays bring more of everything—more parties, shopping, food, drink, and expectations. We don’t actually need more to fill us up. With more time,we would probably just add more activity. More money doesn’t fill us up either, because once we have our basic needs met, more does not bring peace and joy. And contrary to TV commercials and catalogs, fulfillment doesn’t come from more things to buy.

What we really need is more space—to breathe, connect, appreciate and celebrate and remember what is most important. To create this space, we can practice Letting Go of anything that no longer serves us, including the shoulds, guilt, worry, and longstanding traditions that have lost their meaning.

Here is my list to let go to fill up this Holiday:

1. Sending Christmas Cards with the loooong letter
2. Obsessing over TV commercials, catalogs, and biggest sale of the year…
3. Baking for cookie exchanges or anything else (this helps with #4)
4. Overindulging in sugar, wine or shoes because “It’s the holidays”
5. Attending more than one social event in a day (or night)
6. Trying to keep spending equal when giving gifts
7. Waiting until “after the holiday” to take good care of yourself
8. Wishing things were the way they used to be
9. Scheduling too much in the next 30 days
10. Waiting for the pony

At first glance, this may sound like a list from the Grinch who stole Christmas. But the truth is, when you can personally decide what no longer serves you and let it go, you fill up and have more to give to what matters most. And that is what really brings you peace and joy.