Finding Your North Star this Holiday Season

You are not alone if you are thinking, “It’s that time of year again!” Yes, the holidays are upon us. Christmas trees are being put up, dreidels are being spun, the gift lists are being prepared, and Starbucks is dispensing peppermint mochas at a rapid rate.  

The holidays can be joyful, exciting, and exhausting, all at the same time.  In general, many people have very active and intense daily schedules. While many people thrive on this type of lifestyle, some of the occasional costs are the inability to fully enjoy experiences in the present and the failure to notice the things that are most important to them at that time. Upon these realizations, people sometimes find themselves saying, “Oh well, maybe next year!” With that said, there is no time like the present to be ahead of the game and to set some intentions for this holiday season. And to do that, I recommend you read this question and observe your immediate response(s):

“What is most important to me this holiday season?”

What does your true self desire? Connection with friends and family? Focusing on your faith? Baking cookies for your loved ones? Smelling the scents of the season?  Your automatic answers are the ones that are true for you at this time. These are personalized to you and there are no right or wrong answers. Now that you have your answers, it is time to set an intention for this holiday season.

Setting intentions gives us a North Star to follow this holiday season. It allows us to be conscious of what we desire and affords us the opportunity to plan how we may fulfill this intention. For example, if you desire connection with your friends, you may want to schedule time with the people who are most important to you or share a holiday activity with others that brings you joy.  Whatever they may be, I recommend that you write out your intention(s) and keep this paper in a very visible place to reinforce and remind yourself of what you truly desire. Lastly, I recommend you notice your inner reaction as you complete your intentions. Most of the time, we feel a sense of harmony when we are acting in congruence with our true selves.  

Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season.

-Lauren Fisher, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist