Slow Down and Give Yourself the Gift of Presence this Holiday Season

Dear Soul Sisters (and some really cool brothers),

Well, it’s finally here! The time of the year most of us love and dread all at once: the holiday season.

Every year I ask myself how I can cultivate more balance, presence, and joy during this busy time. Even though I often do a pretty good job, I still have several moments of being uber-stressed out and way too busy. But as you know, the power of the pause is something that all empowered women benefit from, especially because it has the capacity to bring us back to ourselves and what really matters to us.

So why don’t we agree to give ourselves the invaluable gift of peace and presence this holiday season? To do this, simply commit to taking a little time each day to pause, breathe, and move into gratitude in the weeks leading up to 2016.

I created Women For One so I could surround myself with a supportive community of like-minded individuals who would carry me through challenging times. It’s my hope that we can all be here for each other, especially in a period of the year that tends to be so fraught not only with family and celebration, but also with busy-ness and stress. So leave a comment below to let me know how your personal commitment to peace and presence is going. I’d love to hear about your experience of pausing, breathing, and taking stock of the beauty and wonder of your life during this hectic holiday season.

You’ll probably discover that simply breathing and moving your body are helpful when it comes to becoming more present, especially to the blessings of your life. That said, check out my interview with the fabulous Erin Stutland, who makes moving your body a fun, empowering, and lifelong journey that you’ll always want to make time for. You will be inspired by her teachings, which I decided to challenge myself with because of its simplicity and power. It’s the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one, as you connect to your New Year’s “resolutions” and think about how you would like to experience even more joy and vitality.

Most of all, remember to make the holidays what you want them to be, mistletoe and eggnog be damned! Each and every one of us deserves to choose our life and how we want to experience it, so please make yours one to write home about.

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About the Author | Kelly McNelis

Kelly McNelis is the founder of global community, Women for One, a speaker, coach, facilitator, and bestselling author of Your Messy Brilliance: 7 Tools for the Perfectly Imperfect Woman. With more than 25 years of experience as a nonprofit and small-business consultant, Kelly empowers generations of women around the world to build the relationships, community, and confidence they need to achieve their wildest dreams. She finds daily inspiration in spending time with her husband and children in her home outside of Seattle.

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2 comments to "Slow Down and Give Yourself the Gift of Presence this Holiday Season"

  • I like to read your blogs, and as you asked something like: how do you do it, I will give a reply.
    believe in movement, inside and outside. It means that I take care of my body to stay souple, but also of my mind! As I am in my seventees altready there’s Tai Chi I like very much (no sportschool for me); but going into my stone circle in my garden and have a moment of peace and quiet is just as important. And then there’s painting! I have done it all my life, but recently I started painting a series with “thingies” found in nature and also natural paint, beeswax etc. And I realized my paintings didn’t need to be so big anymore, this I can do at the kitchentable, where it’s warm and cosy. Anyway, it makes me very relaxed and happy and I would like to share this. Look at my facebook page so you can see it. I try to be bi-lingual (Í’m Dutch, but sometimes my English could be a little weird, sorry for that). Greetings, Janneke

  • Donna

    Thanks for the beautiful reminder. And for your beautiful vision for this community of women (and really cool brothers)!