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It’s the season of giving, eating, and spending time with family and loved ones. But alas, it can also be the season of too many obligations, too much running around, financial stress, and in some cases, family drama.
So how do you come back fresh and excited to start 2010 rather than run-down and ready to crawl back into 2009?
Make it your intention to give more to yourself.
If you had a knee-jerk reaction here, “There isn’t enough time,” for instance, it might be time to take a step back and evaluate how you spend your time. Everything you do is a choice and a matter of how you choose to prioritize. What if you chose not to surf the internet or watch TV or anything else habitual you do, for even an hour. What a perfect time to go on a walk in Golden Gate Park or around your own neighborhood, light a candle and take a bath, or head over to take a Restorative Yoga class at Bend SF.
“It’s selfish to do things for myself when I should be spending time with…(insert relevant person(s) or task here: my children, my partner, my family, my parakeet, my work).”
In our culture, the word “selfish” often gets a bad rap. Many people think it is the “right” thing to do to think of others before you think of yourself or to give more to others than you give to yourself.
Give yourself permission this holiday season to think of yourself first and by doing so, you will have a lot more to genuinely give others.
No matter what your situation, try beginning with an hour of “me-time” per week. You can then build up to more days per week or even have a full day for yourself. It might be a work in progress, but eventually it might even feel like part of your routine.
So here’s to an abundant, joyful, and easeful holiday season. Giving more to yourself during this time will not only leave you feeling more refreshed, it will leave you feeling like you have more to offer. What a great way to begin the new year.
Carolyn Kim, MA, MFT, is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco, CA. Her specialties include: Anxiety, Stress, Depression, Relationship Difficulties, Self-Esteem, Life Transitions and Direction, Couples Counseling, Communication, Mind-Body Work, Personal Growth, and Empowerment.
For more info: You can contact Carolyn at carolyn@carolynkim.org or learn more about her by visiting her website: www.carolynkim.org.
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