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A Brief Reminder for the Holidays

November 15, 2013 By Elaine 2 Comments

Originally published in Comfort Zone Newsletter: November 2013

You know what you have to do:

  • Fight the commercialization, which affects you as it creeps in, presenting things you can feel expected to do because everyone else does. Think consciously and deliberately how you will make this a meaningful time for you and others.
  • At the same time, watch your expectations, fueled by memories and media (and me) that this should be a wonderful family time or especially meaningful spiritually–it may not be possible to find meaning right then, given the stress of the season.
  • If you aren’t religious, think about the symbolic/archetypal meaning, always there, in this season of darkness turning to light and the birth of hope.
  • Don’t take on too much, especially if you are already doing all you can in the time you’ve got. Make a budget for gifts and food, and stick to it. Again, foil the ones who commercialize this season, hoping to get you to buy what they need to sell.
  • Order online and from catalogues to avoid crowds. Or shop early, in stores you are familiar with and like.
  • Plan to be riled up by some feelings from the past and see what you can learn from them.
  • Give your body a gift. Take some extra down time. Really. Eat moderately, get your sleep, and enjoy yourself your way, an HSP way.
  • P.S. to parents: Do even more of the above. Your family will enjoy the holidays more if you “put your oxygen mask on first.”

Filed Under: Old Comfort Zone Articles

Comments

  1. gedalia goldstein says

    December 19, 2022 at 9:27 am

    Well done- it is important that we recognize and appreciate what makes us uniquely us. You help us do that. Thank you and God bless you. gedalia goldstein- Jerusalem.

    Reply
  2. Gram says

    December 19, 2022 at 9:52 am

    Thank YOU for sharing your personal awareness with us – your HSP family. It makes a huge difference to KNOW ‘you’re not alone, and you’re not crazy’.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family.
    Happy sailing!

    Reply

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The quarterly Comfort Zone ended in 2014, partly to give Elaine more time to write, but also because a blog seemed more up-to-date and flexible, allowing her to write new posts based on the interests of readers. If you've signed up for her list, you will be notified when she has posted anything new. Comments: While she will not answer every comment, she will read them all and, again, may be inspired by some comments to write another blog post. You will also receive emails of any important announcement rather than these showing up only in the quarterly issue. Old Comfort Zones: The many emailed Comfort Zones are still very timely. To make full use of the extensive Comfort Zone archives, the Comfort Zone section has a Google search that will find old Comfort Zone issues as well as topics in the blog posts.

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