"This sense of instability can stem from personal upheaval, the chaos and unpredictability of the world around us, or the relentless swirl of expectations that accompany this time of year. In moments we feel shaken and off balance, we risk losing touch with our own best intentions and wisdom. We know better, but get lost anyway. And yet, the season can also serve as a compass, guiding us back towards gratitude, intention, and joy."
"Our minds constantly weave narratives about ourselves, others, and the world. Sometimes these stories motivate us productively. Maybe we can solve a problem or choose a meaningful gift. Quite often, though, they leave us depleted by constructing images of what "should" or "could" be, or have been. We find ourselves lamenting life, shutting down, ruminating through sleepless nights, or maybe experiencing all of this at once."
"Our children learn from how we navigate challenging times, even at year's end. When we get lost in our fantasies and stories of what 'should' be we often complicate our lives. Practicing both patience and letting go of stories, we more easily connect with our own values and intentions. Traits like kindness, gratitude, and patience improves our own lives, and our children's too. As we find ourselves at year's end once again, many of us may feel as though life is teetering on the edge."
End-of-year pressures and broader unpredictability can create instability, leading to rumination, fear, and perfectionism that pulls people away from their intentions. Mental narratives about what "should" or "could" be often deepen stress and disconnect individuals from their values. Mindfulness frames those narratives as thoughts, enabling questioning of their usefulness and noticing gaps between story and reality. Practicing patience and releasing unhelpful stories permits clearer alignment with values, fostering gratitude, intention, and joy. Modeling kindness, gratitude, and patience improves personal well-being and gives children resilient patterns for navigating challenging times.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]