Talking about how to actually take a break this holiday season

At the beginning of 2020, I bought a paper planner. I picked it up the other day for the first time since March. I had written intentions for this year and the words I had chosen were silence and stillness. I craved spaciousness.

Little did I know that a year later, we’d be here—right where we are. At the end of what has been the hardest year for many of us. Whether you have been in endless video calls or if you’ve been out of work or if you have been sick or caring for others. We’re done. We’re exhausted. 

Today, I want to talk about a concept that you know if you’ve worked with me—I call it Magnetic Opposites. This is a tool I need because I’m not great with gray area or the in-between. Balance just doesn’t come naturally to me. So, if there’s a behavior I want to change, I identify my innate tendency (what comes naturally to me in that situation), I accept it as a given and I then play the opposite. When I do this, I end up somewhere in the middle because I will always go back to my innate tendency. And when I do, I reset again to the magnetic opposite.

Here’s an example: If you’re someone like me who leans in when you speak, makes yourself small or speaks fast, accept that as a given and fully play the opposite. Lean back and take up space.  This is another one of my favorite tools which you know if you’ve worked with me.

Today, we’re approaching this very strange holiday season, where it will look different than what we might have otherwise expected.  For me, I’m going to be here in my new house with my husband and my kid. We’re going to have really quiet holidays and some of you may even be alone. It’s a lot. Space and silence are scary, they are not championed by our society and we avoid them like the plague (now that we all know what it’s like to avoid a plague). But I’m going to take a break over these next two weeks. Just a little one. And I’m going to play my magnetic opposite and lean into silence and space and doing nothing. Really giving myself permission to put less effort into my daily life.

That’s what I’m going to do. I invite you to do the same.

(I want to acknowledge the people who can’t take a break right now. The essential workers and medical professionals, the scientists who’ve been working tirelessly to save so many lives. Thank you.).

My words for 2021? Ease and Execution. This year has not been easy. Next year likely won’t either. So let’s cultivate the magnetic opposite together.

How are you planning on resting and recharging after the most stressful year without a doubt (in what will continue to be a challenging time)? Comment and let me know!

This holiday season, at the end of this really hard year, I am wishing you rest, replenishment and restoration. We’ve had enough resilience. I hope that you can rest.