Holiday Triggers

Holidays are triggering AF for many people. If you relate, you are not alone ...

This is the time of year when people tend to feel the least "free". Holidays tend to bring up feelings of obligation to show up to spaces that we normally wouldn't choose to spend time in. They also bring an influx of guilt and shame because, saying NO to those dreaded family invitations can feel especially difficult during the holidays. We need to implement boundaries now more than ever to protect our precious selves.

Here are some helpful ways to cope when feeling overwhelmed, triggered, detached, or just plain grumpy: 1) Connect your feet to the floor or earth. Ground your energy down into your feet. 2) Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth as if you blow out a candle. 3) As you breathe in, imagine creating a force-field of light (take note of the color that comes to you and work with that color) around your entire body. Notice it's size, shape, density, quality, feeling. 4) As you exhale, ground down any excess mental / ego energy that feels unhelpful or "buzzing" into the earth, out through the soles of your feet. 5) Stay with the sensations in the physical body, the energy body, and the emotional body. 7) Stay with this practice for as long as you need, remaining connected with your breathing. 8) Bring your awareness back into the body and slowly open your eyes, noticing what's in your immediate environment (smells, sounds, visuals, taste in the mouth, sensation of clothing on skin, etc) 9) Move and stretch your body in ways that feel gentle, delicious, and nourishing. 10) Go out into the world with your protective energy shield and know that YOU are the only one who decides what comes into your field and what leaves your field!