Hello Lovely!

If you reckon your holidays are not looking like a greeting card, don’t worry… Hang in there! Neither does hardly anyone’s I’ve spoken to!

There are dark things happening and we sensitive souls feel it, don’t we? Heinous political/environmental activities are piling up by the day, reported in an excited fashion and touted as ‘news’. Sometimes the most rebellious, courageous, difficult thing is to stay in our own light – to nurture ourselves and our precious hearts, ready to start afresh in the new year with hope, once again feeling empowered.

With great effort I’ve adopted taken a baby step towards adopting a new holiday time attitude! Here is an incomplete collection of new/old learnings.

Live Bold List 37: 20 Tips to Soul Sanity this Silly Season

1. Remember: I Am Enough. Repeat often. This is a picture of my I Am Enough talisman from Liz Lamoreux (see below for link) as a double exposure. It’s been a wonderful touchstone for me this year. The pic itself has been my phone background. ‘Specially important to come back to this centreing thought amidst the holiday mayhem.
   
2. Minimize watching the “News”. You’ll hear about major things you need to know about via other means.
3. Keep hydrated (Southern hemisphere) or warm (Northern).
4. Prioritise Love and Kindness over Stuff and Expectations. Great Christmas time mantra! I am giving a few small gifts, trying to keep them thoughtful and meaningful.
5. Get *Prioritise* plenty of sleep. Scientists agree that “Sleep is magic”. (This picture is number 21 of my 50 Birthday Bold Art Project ones… will be in upcoming blog post. Which I’m *not* going to try to write before Xmas!)
   
6. Be far from perfect – heh, in your own mind, I mean … You actually *are* already perfect :)
7. Exercise. Hold back a bit on your usual intensity so it doesn’t add to that Pushpushpush feeling, but Go Every Day. I’m talking about the humble walk, people. Rhythmic movement. Fresh air if possible.
8. Don’t try to do every single thing you can think of for Xmas (if you do Xmas of course) – enjoy half doing the things, or doing half the things. It’s kind of freeing!
9. Drive safely, *please*. The roads are full of other humans who are also distracted.
10. Play. I’m currently obsessed with a phone game, Dr Who Legacy. Colour me intrigued: do you play games on your phone (haha, it helps that my children are grown up and I occasionally have time to “be lazy”/have some downtime)?; Do you like Dr Who? Haha, even better play something that doesn’t involve a screen!
11. Appreciate little things. Like seasonal flowers that are purple and lush
    
12. When you feel powerless and ‘down’, sometimes it’s good to do small helpful things for others, too. If you’ve got cash, donate to a cause you like. Otherwise, do the classic: smile and/or say ‘hello’ to someone when you’re out walking. A returned smile is heartening!
13. Pat a cat or other appreciative beastie. (Timorous or otherwise!) Their rumbling purrs heal us right back.
14. Plant a seedling. Water it. Look after it.
15. Be ‘slack’ about the tasks. Be imperfect deliberately. Or accidentally. (You know I don’t mean not to take care of your kids or pet, here. Take care of them. *And* take care of you too.)
16. Sternum to ceiling. Relax shoulders down. Breathe into all that space you just opened up. Repeat.
17. Plan lovely self care for the new year. Some of the resources I like are listed below.
18. Do a collage. Write down your achievements and feelings from this past year, and collage your intentions for next. I will be doing this. Historically I’m unreliable at blogging these, but know there will be magazines, scissors, cardboard and cut out heart-centred headlines in my life in the week after Christmas! (I’ll blog them if I can, but see aforementioned: be ‘slack’).
19. *Ugh* Don’t make the holiday season a sugar fest. Sugar is poison, sorry to say :( Here are a bunch of Xmas sugar-free recipes. It’s totally do-able without sugar.
20. Have you any other tips you can share? I’d love to hear in the comments. Let’s do this together!

So I’m leaving this far from perfect, far from comprehensive, to keep things sweet and simple! To model what I’ve learned I’m learning.

If you like my art and attitude, you may like my monthly newsletter. Go here to sign up – there’s a Holiday one coming out in a day or two.

If I don’t see you beforehand, have an imperfect, happy holiday season. Peace & everything else you could wish for in 2015.
Love,
Meg x o

PS Other general happy recommendations

If you’re struggling with the season – many do – the Black Dog Institute offers these ways to less stress this Christmas. Seek help if you need it.

Suggested and recommended courses and products for the new year:

1. Vivienne McMaster – selfies as self awareness, care, love and growth – *so* recommended!
2. Leonie Dawson’s guided re-cap of the current year, then dream and plan next year
3. Here Pace and Kyeli have a chat about choosing a word of the year and the value of doing so
4. Liz Lamoreux’s talismans – there are many more than my I Am Enough one in the top photo
5. If you run your own business you’re going to have a better handle on it with some planning, here are some of Michelle Nickolaisen’s tools for doing so
6. Peace Day was great back in September – how about every day?
7. If you enjoy my art or attitude, here’s some of my artwork  – an good fit for foodies, gardeners, cat lovers! As you know, I send a percentage to humanitarian aid.
8. Have a look at to my pinterest gift board too – it’s a fun, somewhat random, collection that might sprout an idea for someone you’re thinking about
9. Special mention goes to to Punjammies… get cute pyjamas for yourself or a friend the purchase of which also does a whole lot of good. Read more at the link <<<