Soul-Wise Living
Soul-Wise Living

How to Lift your Spirits during the Holidays

by Embracing Your Own Spiritual Practices.

The holidays are upon us and it should be a very joyful time of year. But, for some people’s problems during the holidays seem more difficult. Individuals can get overcome with great sadness when we remember the loved ones who are not with us. And, many people have no one to spend these times with and loneliness, that at other times of the year does not appear, sets in. For others, the pace of the month adds to an already stressed-out schedule and the routines of life are broken.

So, what can you do if you find yourself glum and not in the spirit of the season? What can you do if you find that you are losing yourself to the hectic~ness of the season?

Throw the Covers Over Your head and Go back to bed! Well not exactly that but the message is the same. Stop, focus on what is important and rekindle spirit. Not the spirit of the holidays but your own. This is the time to embrace with great intention the spiritual practices that you have developed for yourself. Finding that sparkle, that shine, that joy is right there in the middle of those practices.

You don’t have spiritual practices you say? I bet you do! What fuels you? Do you take yoga? Do you hike in the woods? Do you have a practice of gratitude in your life? Do you read spirit-based books? Do you get bodywork? Do you meditate? The habit of a daily spiritual practice is any one of these or combination of them. Maintaining this routine that you have is essential at this time of the year. Indeed even enhancing it will allow you to not only elevate your own spirit but also enjoy more the spirit of the season.

Take a quick moment and look at your schedule. Mark out on your calendar all the ‘spirit activities’ that you are going to do each day from now through the end of the season. 15 minutes one day, an hour the next….anything that you can find. And, keep that time for them as you would any other appointment. This will allow you to Lift your own Spirits and Joy and bring that to others during these holidays.

I was reminded how easy it is to embrace your inner wisdom the other day. Sometimes a simple song will do. I heard this on the radio: The old Cyndi Lauper classic, Time after Time. I hadn’t heard it in awhile and it resonated so differently for me. Yes, it’s a ballad to a loved one. The lyrics meant just this to me:

Sometimes you picture me–I’m walking too far ahead
You’re calling to me, I can’t hear What you’ve said–
Then you say–go slow–I fall behind–The second hand unwinds
If you’re lost you can look–and you will find me Time after time
If you fall I will catch you–I’ll be waiting Time after time

The “I” in the lyrics spoke to me this time. The “I” was my soul, my spirit, my core self. It got me right in my core. Because, I knew that every time I fall (and I do) that I will be caught by my inner wisdom. It is now on my “when I need inner spirit support” play list.

 Yes, If you’re lost you can look and you will find your spirit. It’s always there ~ even when you feel like throwing the  covers over your head and that the spirit of the season has left you. Your inner spirit is always there….you just have to look for it.  

Here’s a mellow rendition of the song that I so enjoy by Eva Cassidy: Time after Time

What ‘spiritual’ practices will you elevate this holiday season? Do you have a song play list that helps support your spirit?

If you liked this post, please share it with your friends by clicking the links below! And, don’t forget to share your thoughts below too, I’d love to hear from you!

16 Comments »

  1. Your words really soothed me today, Laura. After a non-day yesterday feeling out of sorts, I’m playing catch-up today and am just taking a few minutes out of my routine to fill my spirit – and your post caught my eye. So glad I visited today. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    So Glad it helped Susan. We all need to take those few minutes out of routine creating routine to fill ourselves…more so this time of year, I believe. Glad you are taking time for that self care!!!!!!!! KEEP SMILING

    [Reply]

    Comment by Susan — November 27, 2012 @ 7:57 am

  2. Hi Laura,

    I fall smack into the “holidays are too stressful” camp. With traveling, buying gifts, and children’s holiday events, I’m running around for six weeks. Thanks for offering an array of spiritual practices – you’ve prompted me to think more creatively about ways to rejuvenate my holiday spirit!

    Cheers,

    ~Lori

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    It’s an easy camp to go to Lori!!!! That’s one of the reasons I have committed to my self-care routine with great ghusto ~ I love camping but not that kind 🙂

    [Reply]

    Comment by Lori Nash Byron — November 27, 2012 @ 11:21 am

  3. This hit me right where I’m at today…feeling depleted. I forgot how much music lifts my spirits up – and I’m off to find spirit-lifting music on Pandora…

    Thanks!!

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    It is so amazing how music can really feed us. You can use it to uplift and elevate or smooth and sedate depending on your needs! I hope you found some songs that inspired you! KEEP SMILING

    [Reply]

    Comment by Sandi Gordon — November 27, 2012 @ 3:31 pm

  4. Love this. This makes me think about my own spirit this time of year. I have found myself much more reflective than all giddy holiday spiritual. Maybe it’s just the change of life for me, but I recall I was the same way last year. A lot of inward reflection and self-connection. Thanks for sharing. It’s like you gave me permission to go inward instead of being all holly jolly. XO

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    I wonder, Laurie, if it’s the natural ‘aging’ process around the holiday especially (for me) not having young one’s in the house….but, even when I’m with the young one’s in my extended family, I find myself ‘teaching’ the spirit messages and asking them Q’s about what they REALLY feel. I’ll either be the wise-old-aunt or the weird-willy-aunt to them 😉 …. I find I’m very introspective every December and have to give yourself permission to have some (and actually plan some) giddiness too! Whichever way, reflective or giddy, always KEEP SMILING!

    [Reply]

    Comment by Laurie Erdman | Chronic Wellness Coach — November 28, 2012 @ 8:43 pm

  5. At this time of year, I am called to reflect on the year, take stock of all I’ve experienced, received, given, lost… and this can lead to deep feelings of appreciation but also, sometimes, grief.

    But by taking the time and space to just be with it all, to call upon Divine Love, my wacky Guides, God, Spirit, I am connected with the essence of this time and its gifts. The silence of Winter. The light in the night that never goes out. Songs of joy and peace, joy and peace, joy and peace…

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    That’s such a wonderful way to think of your reflections, Nancy!! Thank you for your thoughts 🙂

    [Reply]

    Comment by Nancy Tierney — November 29, 2012 @ 4:04 pm

  6. Wow. What a wonderful post – and I went and watched the Eva Cassidy video just now – really touched and moved me.

    Yes, like Nancy, I too like to take this time of year to reflect on everything that’s passed, and look ahead to the future with hope. I can honestly say that this is the first year where I’m not madly rushing to ‘get it over with’ so things can settle down – I am planning for 2013, in a state of calmness and focus.

    And thanks for sharing Eva’s song – such a beautiful, haunting melody. I must add that to my playlist!

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    Isn’t she wonderful Sarada!!! Such a sadness that she grew her angel wings at such a young age. I’m grateful that we have her recordings! KEEP SMILING

    [Reply]

    Comment by Sarada Chaudhuri — November 30, 2012 @ 1:58 pm

  7. Hi Laura! This is beautiful, thank you for sharing. In church, this is the season of Advent where for four weeks, we’re mindful of our spirituality and it’s a welcome time to stop rushing about for the holiday madness. I really like your idea – to spend 15 minutes per day on nurturing your spirit. Usually, that might fall to the bottom of the list (if it makes the list at all unfortunately), but I’m going to keep up my daily meditation despite the hectic holiday craze. Thanks for the reminder! Janet

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    Love how you connected the post with advent for yourself….that’s terrific. It is hard to keep up the ‘daily spiritual routine’ but find it so important! I know you’ll do it ~ let me know how it goes 🙂

    [Reply]

    Comment by Janet — December 1, 2012 @ 11:24 am

  8. Thanks for a great post, Laura. I love the holidays but quickly get depleted from the very long to do list. It all gets done but at a much slower pace than it used to. We ran away this weekend to the city to see the lights and the windows and the tree – it was wonderful. My daughter is home tomorrow and I realize that I will probably get in one good hour or two if I am really lucky to work. So I scheduled a networking lunch and have accepted that in some ways tomorrow will be a “day off” – well at least from work. I will take my daughter and her BFF for some holiday fun and just enjoy the spirit of the season rather than stress about the list. And tonight I may just hang a few more ornaments on the tree if I feel like it. 🙂

    [Reply]

    Laura Clark Reply:

    Funny, Catherine, I did just the same thing yesterday! I unplugged from connecting virtually, drove to visit a college friend I had not seen in a year. We took our dogs for a beautiful walk through the woods and they played in a lake ~ nothing like watching the things that ‘juice’ you in life to lift your spirits…like your daughter enjoying time with her BFF! It was a great way to connect to the joy of the holidays for me. And, it sounds so for you too!!!! KEEP SMILING

    [Reply]

    Comment by Catherine — December 2, 2012 @ 8:06 pm

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Leave a comment













Subscribe for More Wisdom