mindful monday

image + intention article courtesy of the detox diva

happy monday and welcome to another brand new week. and what a week it will be. the hollydaze. 

while chatting with a friend last night about her disappointments around past hollydaze, it reminded me how let down we can feel when ours don't look like the norman rockwell paintings or even the facebook posts that come across our feed. the holiday cheer can turn into a letdown if we don't balance our intentions and expectations in a self-preserving way.

this brings me to a quote i shared yesterday when announcing the winter online book club pick. the reminder to ask yourself, "what do i most want to see happen from this?" when approaching your in-law's stoop, boarding a plane home, or sitting around the dinner table, check in with yourself. notice the sensations in your body, get clear on what you want, practice compassion for yourself and those around you, and give the gift of presence. our greatest gift of all.

le beau and our furry family have a tradition of curling up at his cabin in the woods for a few days around the hollydaze. we sleep in. we have stockings for our 4-legged sons. we savor roaring fires. we read for hours. we enjoy his fragrant tree. we await santa's arrival. we eat lots of frozen pizza {my fave}. we adjust our plans to our energy levels. this year we may even hit a matinee on christmas. just because. 

while this may not be everyone's idea of a happy holiday, it works for us. i encourage you to explore what works {and doesn't work} for you. tune in. ask yourself what you want to see happen over the hollydaze. give yourself ample down time. and let your hollydaze unfold to your quirky liking. 

they are yours after all. bisous. x

{to explore mindfulness further, join the "mindfulness: tranquility within" e-course}