Christmas Traditions……..

Do you find yourself looking forward to the holidays?  Do the traditions that you celebrate fill you with joy and good feelings?  Or do you feel a heavy “dread” with the thoughts that “oh, this is expected of me once again”.

We have been exploring these ideas this last month in the Member Ship Program.  In the process, the participants  have come to some deeper understandings of themselves.  They are reflecting on  how they can  stay more aligned within their own values and feel authentic in the midst of it all.  It’s been a very rich conversation.

Some of the things that participants explored:

The holidays!

1.  What do the holidays mean to me?

2.  How would I really love to celebrate them?

3.  What is the most important part of the holidays to me?

4.  Am I present and engaged or am I just trying to get through?

To change a holiday tradition can feel like getting the Titanic to turn before it hits the iceberg………..no small feat.  But sometimes  just getting really clear can make a big difference and that will give us a new perspective.

Something that was discovered as well was that “if I can be free to just have part of what I really value I will then be more open to the rest of what is going on”.   It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  If we can honor some of our deeper needs we may then  find we can feel more open to other areas.

We thoroughly enjoyed  sharing special childhood memories of the holidays.  We were all smiling and  filled with warmth as we listened to each person share those special moments.

What were your special memories?  How can they be re created now?

If you have chosen to live a life with consciousness then it will feel uncomfortable when you are involved with things that are pure obligation.  You will not feel authentic and in the end who wins if that is the case?

As you find the courage to express your feelings or desires you may find others in full agreement with you.  Sometimes it just takes that one person to create a needed change.

Traditions can be rich and beautiful creating connection throughout the years.  We can also grow out of some traditions and then it is time to create something new.

With change, we may experience some loss and some sadness around that.  And yet, you will still feel more authentic and more fully present in the newly formed traditions.

Life changes.  Sometimes our traditions may need to change to reflect that.

Many blessings.  May your holidays be filled with warmth and love,  melaniej