The holiday season has arrived quicker than saying “Merry Christmas” and with it comes, the busiest time of the year for many of us. Isn’t it so interesting how one of the seasons that is meant to be the most joyful, can easily become the most stressful? Planning meals, buying presents, visiting relatives, decorating and making sure that the elf is on the shelf (or under the table) every morning can all get in the way of us enjoying this time fully and creating spaces for rest. Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are fun and needed, however if you are like me, after doing all the things on the to do list , you realize there is no time left for yourself, or to take a couple of minutes to enjoy a hot cup coffee(without having to heat it up 5 times) .
Through this week’s post we just want to take some time to invite you to create space for rest. Sometimes this means literally scheduling and intentionally making it a part of our long to do list. Whether you are a parent, a caregiver, an employee at a corporation or a student in school, rest is never at the top of our lists it’s at the bottom. Rest is not about taking a nap (although that is always a brilliant idea) it’s more about finding little pockets of peaceful silence and stillness, not only physically but within our emotions and our souls. Is about being present with ourselves and with others. One friend shared with me once in order to experience real rest we need to learn to be seated on the inside. This is a posture of peace and rest, where we can remind our souls that the most important aspect about this season is that our Savior was born and that we get to live the life we have because of that little baby that brought joy and salvation to us.
One thing we value greatly at The City Kids School is family time. And so, we do things like sitting with the students during snack time to connect and be with each other. That’s the key right there, “being with each other”. The holiday season can quickly become this fast paced, jammed packed time where we are just going from one place to the next and at the end, we feel tired and worn out. I’m not saying that you should not fly across country to visit Grandma Annie or drive down south to see Aunt Liz but amid your holiday planning would you also consider making time to just be with each other, and to be with yourself? What is one thing you can do today to take some time to rest? Maybe reading a book, going on a walk, listening to that podcast you have been wanting to get to, or maybe sitting in your favorite coffee shop and just take-in the life that is around and in you. Whatever resonates with you, may you be reminded today that your soul, your body and your mind needs rest and that your kids will forgive you if you forget to move the elf one night, or if those ginger bread cookies are not homemade but you get them at QFC. I invite you today to schedule rest, you deserve it and you need it. Self-care is not selfish, it’s actually the most selfless thing you can do for you and your family, because a healthy you is more likely to be able to take care of others.
