3 Tips for Finding Balance in December

By Rebecca Patterson, MSMFT

This time of year, balance is hard to find. The Holidays are upon us, bringing with them a spectrum of feelings ranging from joyous and stimulating to overwhelming and depressive. We interact with friends and family more, or notice their absence in a palpable way. Q4 is ending, and every work project or medical expense that needs to be squeezed in before the new year has to happen NOW!

It’s A LOT, and most of us find little space to slow down and let the waters calm. With time short but the need for peace high, I’ve compiled some of my favorite tools for restoring internal balance and regaining (even if briefly) a solid footing.

1. Get Grounded

A grounded moment is one in which you feel both present and stable. It’s easier said than done, but one of the keys I’ve found is tuning into the senses instead of trying to think one’s way into the present moment.

Tip: Take 2-4 minutes and count down your senses. Notice and name 5 things around you that you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

2. Take it In, Let it Out

If you’ve been exposed to basic meditation, you’ll know breathing is a big part of it! Buddhist philosophers and monks have been naming the power of attuning to the simplicity of breathing for centuries. Widely backed by research, noticing your breath is a real pathway to a calm mind and is a groundwork for cultivating internal joy.

Tip: Take 1-5 minutes and start with the following mantra:

Breathing in, I know I am Breathing in

Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

From there, if it feels right, adapt to:

Breathing in, I smile to my in breath,

Breathing out, I smile to my out breath.

3. Change the Flow

Most of us spend our whole waking day with our head as the highest axis point of our body (duh!). But magical things happen in the body when we change our blood flow and give our feet, head, and heart, a much-needed change of pace that can help improve your sleep and reduce restlessness.

Tip: Take 5-10 minutes and do one of the yummiest poses a yoga instructor can ask you to do: Legs up a wall. It’s as simple as it sounds! Lay on your back. (If you feel an arching in your spine you may want to place a pillow under your buttocks.) Create an L shape with your body as you extend your legs into the air above your body and rest them against the wall. Enjoy!

It is inevitable that the coming weeks will be chaotic for almost everyone, so a long-lasting sense of balance and calm will be hard to come across naturally. But with a dose of intentionality and the above quick tips, moments of blissful balance can be a piece of your holiday season!