Finding Your Joy through the Holidays- Here we go!

The wind is howling, it's the night before Thanksgiving, and the Holidays are about to get into full swing.
How am I preparing? Well, not as well as Mark is.
See I wasn't the person I wanted to be these last two days and I'm not sure why. I was short-tempered,  very weepy, and angry with myself.
After my brief pity party last night, I simply stopped, looked at Mark and said "I need to snap out of this, I have so much to be Thankful for".

Tonight at yoga during meditation I began to think about the people in my life and as I would think about each one I would say to myself "I am thankful for you because....." and I would fill in the blank for the person I was thinking of.

Mark has a plan for the holidays. See after his stroke, he has a hard time in crowds and places where there is multiple conversations going on. He has a real hard time. His family Christmas is the hardest. There are over 30 people. We try to be one of the last people there, enjoy the time and leave when he needs to. If he has a problem, he knows the places he can go to get away. Past that, we keep things pretty quiet. I'm an only child, so our Christmas isn't as busy. It's my mom and dad, us, Nate, Paige and Jared.

Keep being thankful, make a plan, and do the things you enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving and #Findyourjoy

Finding Your joy through the Holidays- help others

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own worries(I know I do), that we forget about the fact that there are many people out there with far less than us.

I was watching CBS This Morning and there was a segment on about a restaurant that Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorthea started. There are no prices on the menu. There is a suggested donation of $20.00 per diner if you are able to pay that. If you can pay that, you have bought your dinner and the dinner of someone who couldn't. As you look through the room, you cannot tell who paid and who couldn't. Dorthea explained that it's because those that are hungry are not who you would necessarily think. It's not something you can "see". These are people who you sit next to in church, or families at school.
They also cooked using farm to table ingredients which helps the local community, and if patrons can't pay, they can volunteer to help in the kitchen. Maintaining one's dignity is huge!

This blew me away. Coming together as a community to lift each other up, and feed people. I would eat there in a minute.

Helping others, the true meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas!

#Findyourjoy

Finding Your Joy through the Holidays- keep writing them down

This time of year can be chaotic even when you try to slow it down. So, in that case I'm going to tell you again......

WRITE THOSE JOYS DOWN!

Find just one joy every single day, and write it down.

There are so many days I wake up, and think" Can I really get out of bed without pain? and That would make my day a good one". Then I get up, and I'm in pain. 

I could just moan and groan about it, but that wouldn't do any good. It's not going to change the fact that I have students who are counting on me, and colleagues that are counting on me as well. 

I can't control whether I wake up with a little or a lot of pain, but I can control my attitude. 

So, I write a joy down. 

I could write:

"I woke up today"

"I can fill my lungs with air"

" I can walk, many people cannot"

"I have my husband right next to me"

"I have children who love me"

" I have my friends who care about me"

" I have my community"

I could go on and on.

Writing them down makes them tangible and real.

So if the Holidays are getting you a little crazed....write down your joys. Make the commitment throughout the Holidays to do this.

#Findyourjoy

Finding Your Joy through the Holidays- expectations

I have been dealing with the expectations that I have for the Holidays.
For instance, how I move through the holidays really depends on how Mark is doing.
Today, he is having a bad day. He had a bad night of restless legs, and he is tired, and that affects him greatly. It increases his moments of "spells", and just makes it so we have to hunker down and stay home.
That's ok, but what it means is that we have to be flexible and plan accordingly.

Don't set your expectations for the Holidays so that if things don't happen that way you are disappointed. In fact, under plan instead of over plan. Pick the things that mean the most to you and do those.
Here's a list of possibilities of things to do that don't require advanced planning or firm commitment on your part:

Drive around looking at Christmas lights

Pop some popcorn and watch a favorite Christmas movie

Put on some Christmas music and sing and/or dance

Write a Christmas letter to someone you haven't seen in awhile

Read a Christmas Story

Cozy up in pajamas with hot chocolate and just look at your Christmas Tree



Maybe you will have to say no, or maybe to a few things, but that's ok. Your friends and family will understand.

Most of all, find the things that give you joy and keep your activities to those things.

#Findyourjoy

Finding your Joy through the Holidays- Breathe

This was not a good week. I haven't had the right mindset. I haven't been the person I want to be or should be. I need to stop and breathe.


In the hustle and bustle, things get out of hand. Our time, our money, our sense of how others are feeling, and our own feelings. They get wound up wound up wound up and then SNAP......


How do I combat this? Hopefully I realize it before the snap happens, but this week that wasn't the case. I extend grace and I stop and BREATHE.

We carry our breath everywhere with us, so you don't have to formally sit on your yoga mat and go through an hour session, you can stop for even one minute and breathe.

For one minute, sit still, breathe slowly, intentionally, fill your belly up and let it release. Control your breath so it is full, and even. Try to empty your mind. If you can't start counting your inhale and exhale. Make them the same length.

Just one minute of this will calm you, lower your blood pressure(I'm proof of that!), and help you move on with your day.


So breathe. #Findyourjoy

Finding Your Joy through the Holidays- one day at a time

Yes, my next 6 weeks are super busy, and yes I have my lists, but it is super important for me to remember to take ONE DAY AT A TIME!

It's my mantra for the next few weeks. I'll say it everyday....."Kim, stay in the present moment"

If I don't, I'll miss the beauty of the season. I have my lists, things won't be forgotten. I don't need to wonder and worry about them getting done.

Make your lists, but don't dwell on what is coming. Live in the moment. Stay in the present.
Make it your mantra. Write it where you can see it. Tell your community to help you remember this.
Then sit back, relax, and find your joy in this Holiday season.

#Findyourjoy

Finding Your Joy through the Holidays- Keeping lists

As I look at my calendar for the next two weeks, it looks a little daunting. I have a few meeting after school, a concert, two doctors appointments, the pie pick up, and we will be moving into our new music room and office. Whew! How will I be able to Find my Joy?

So, I have to stay organized. I also have to segment my life a little bit.
I have a school list at school. Those things can be done there. I also have a home list. That list entails a cleaning schedule, dinner menu etc. I also have a personal list. That includes this blog, my 30 hour course, and my Perfectly Posh business.

Having the lists, and checking things off as I complete them makes me feel like I can make it to Thanksgiving. Luckily Paige is hosting Thanksgiving and we are bringing pies which are Mark's specialty!

So..... keep lists and segment you're life. The things will get done, and if they don't, Oh well! extend yourself some grace!

Finding Your Joy through the Holidays

This will be multiple posts. Now that Veterans Day is here, things really start to ramp up for the Holidays.
This year, Thanksgiving is late so there are less weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 How do we maintain our Joy through the busy Holidays?
I have a few ideas, so be watching for my posts!

Today, let's pause to honor our Veterans. Everyone knows someone who served or is currently serving.

We are able to freely celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas and every other holiday because we live in a country that allows us too. This was possible and is possible because of the service of so many unselfish men and women of the armed services.

So, let's start our holiday season out by pausing, and thanking a veteran. #Findyourjoy