As the year quickly comes to an end we experience the winter solstice: the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This is a slow, dark, internal time in our seasonal cycle, yet it’s one of the busiest times of the year during the holidays. For some, this month marks the end of the fiscal year, a demarcation point in the timeline of your business’ life. And a time when you review the health of your business, your profits and losses and the results of your annual efforts. As we wrap up the calendar year some business owners barely survive the holiday season.

It’s been a busy year and a challenging one with both highs and lows, you’re sprinting to the finish line but that doesn’t mean that you need to cave into overwhelm, exhaustion or defeat. Now is a good time to turn your attention inward, reflect, listen, be present and claim your intentions for the future.

Here are three ways to honor the stillness within you during the holiday season (and any other time of year):

1. Stop and Breathe.Go beneath the manic demands of your day-to-day life and business to access a more profound sense of peace. Give up the constant striving and settle into silence (for at least 20 minutes). Know in your heart that your schedule and to-do list do not own you. Your inbox will always be full, and there will be plenty of work to do tomorrow. But, you are always in choice about how much you decide to take on at any given moment from a physical, emotional and an energetic standpoint.
2. Nourish your Body and Soul.Your job isn’t to micromanage the possibility, but instead, to make sure you receive nourishment to fuel your process and progress. Fuel yourself well and be guided by what your body is telling you it needs moment to moment. Heed it’s wise counsel. Eat nourishing food, go for a walk in nature, listen to your favourite music, take a nap, play with children, paint with water colors, read poetry, take a bubble bath, dance like nobody’s watching. Do this often.
3. Take a Clarity Break.Implement “nothing” time in your business. Give your brain space to think by stepping away from the daily grind and do nothing. Your mind will have time to stumble upon new ideas and further process old ones. There is power in doing nothing at all. Take a look at your unhealthy obsession with staying busy. Don’t wear busy like a badge of honor. Take time to be alone and watch the steam rise up from a cup of tea.

May your holiday season be filled with peace and joy, and may you not only survive but thrive!

Cheers to you and yours,