This is a re-gifting of previously written/recorded content. It still applies! :-)
Here's my gift to bring to the holiday feast of our human family. Please enjoy hitting the pause button with this 5 keys audio and two powerful pause practices. You can use these to set up proactive resilience as well as an inner shift tool if you get triggered or contracted (during the holiday) and want an efficient reboot.
These are just headlines for 5 keys explained in the audios:
1) There are no have to's. You always have the power to be at choice.
2) A Stress Sandwich strategy; what is the difficult person/ situation you might consciously choose to be with (once upon a time it was a stepmother for me), and what is the "bread" positive nourishment on either side of that to prevent further injuring yourself or others. This helps you come from your best self reserves rather than on your last nerve.
3) Come home (inside to your grounded, best self, to your home-base) before going home for the holidays. Rinse and repeat throughout.
4) Watch out for those second helpings. Yes, food and wine may be obvious. And there's another kind of helping to be very aware of. We challenge "When to give or not to give" and what's driving that behavior to help you sustain healthy, authentic contributing that does not deplete you.
5) How to practice Proactive Resentment Prevention & Proactive Exhaustion Prevention.
Please comment & add your learning/wisdom for how to pause to deal with stress for a better holiday for everyone. :-)
Here’s an introduction and teaching overview to a great Pause “inner shift” practice to use if you are triggered or contracted or any oogly feelings and want an effective reboot:
You may also wish to experiment with your own longer version of this practice for a deeper reboot and inner reprogramming over time. Finally, you can also use this tool for a very short pause and just breathe, name the feeling, have compassion and a quick disruption reboot to get back in the game more able to come from best self. The micro pause will be more readily available to you and effective in short spurts if you have previously done a longer practice.
I woke up inspired (the next day) to add this paragraph:
Perhaps that is the true secret sauce for your best possible holiday; compassion. Yes to cranberry sauce and a fantastic hollandaise. And, keep pouring on a generous, curious, open compassion; first for yourself and then for everyone. No matter how it looks, they might be doing the best they can in that moment with whatever inner programming is running them. If you feel up to it, go for being your Mahatma (great soul) self this holiday. You can be the source of compassion that shifts the energy for the whole party, like perfuming the air. Without a big fuss or even a need to outwardly say anything; like dogs sniff fear, your compassion will be felt. Let me know how your experiment goes!
A final dollop of wisdom whipped cream; please enjoy this 2 min video about Gratefulness and Thanksgiving.
What are your brilliant ways to pause to prevent holiday stress? Please do share here so we can all fuel each other's chances for a nourishing rather than nerve-racking holiday. :-) Cheers!
More articles/ audios here : marianbaker.com/article-audio-archive