For the past several days I’ve had “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” stuck on repeat in my head.
And I do love Advent! All the colored lights and candles to fill the darkness of cold, long winter nights…and the anticipation of it all.
AT THE SAME TIME we know the holidays can be difficult. Some of us struggle with feeling sad, depressed, and anxious. The added pressure to feel happy all the time, plus the added time constraints during Advent and Christmas, sometimes make us feel worse; pressure to be happy all the time can have the opposite effect.
Where do you find you true and lasting happiness, even amid the ups and downs of life?
I just read an article in Psychology Today about a big study on what interventions brings the most consistent, long-term happiness to people, at work and home?
They had 7 categories, but found 3 that work best:
- Cognitive-behavioral techniques
- Mindfulness interventions
- Resiliency trainings
I’m not a therapist, so I don’t really do cognitive-behavioral techniques; but mindfulness and resiliency are both outcomes that happen automatically when people learn Centering for Wisdom.
AND I know that Centering for Wisdom goes even deeper than mindfulness alone, because I’ve seen people like Toni show up confidently taking on new leadership roles in her life, as Communications Director for an investment group.
I’ve seen Debbie learning where her optimal edge is – where she can back off from doing more, get re-centered, and find that she’s accomplishing her goals as a founding partner at her law firm more quickly by working fewer hours, expending less energy on tasks, and having more time to be with her husband on nights and weekends!
We need a practice that expands our minds and our hearts so they’re big and open enough to hold it all – to hold the moments when we feel sad or anxious, and to hold the moments of joy; to be overwhelmed sometimes, but then know that with practice we will find our center again.
Happiness doesn’t come from eliminating all the bad feelings – we’re human after all, we don’t need to be perfect – it comes from holding it all, including our selves, others, God, and all of creation – in a space of Love….
And knowing that God is holding us in an Infinite space of Love at the same time.
So, if you find yourself suffering under the pressure to be happy during “the most wonderful time of the year,” and you want to break up that pattern and try something new, then I can help!
Centering for Wisdom works! And it can work for you – no matter who you are, what kind of professional work you do, and regardless of your age, education level, etc.
It’s just a matter of following a proven system, and I’ve spent over 20 years honing it down to this simple process.
If you want to have a free conversation about how you can get out of overwhelm and connect with what truly makes you happy (even if you don’t know what this is yet), then I want you to book a free Breakthrough Session with me by clicking on the link below.
Advent and Christmas truly can be the most wonderful time of the year – and so can any time – that’s the honest truth. We just need a way to allow that happiness to unfold without needing to “make” ourselves happy.