Bring the Light

Everywhere darkness. Thank goodness I have a plethora of candles! Power outages immediately remind me to be keenly aware of my surroundings. Slow down. Can you feel where you're going? Finally… a candle. It’s funny how light easily permeates the darkness.

Darkness isn't exactly fun but it’s a wonderful reminder of how we take the necessity of light for granted both literally and figuratively.

The absence of light is darkness. It has no power. It is the light that has power over darkness. But why do we have such a problem accessing this light in the face of dark, heavy, troubling experiences?

We know that we cannot alter certain challenges that are naturally a part of life. A family member will die, someone we know will become ill, and so on. But we’re not here to pretend that darkness does not exist. However, we can bring our kindness, love and care to our relationships and every situation that needs it. That is light. It is the best of us. That part of you that creates a dinner for a grieving family, visits a friend or relative in need, or simply, tells your spouse that you appreciate his/her contribution to the family. When we show up with presence, grace and love, we bring the light.

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Holiday Self-care

Happy Holidays! Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other December holidays celebrate important principles, life and love in the form of light. Since winter is the darkest season, we value this reminder of light illumined in all of its forms. These celebrations warm our hearts and kindle our relationships. I must admit, I do enjoy all of the gatherings, dinners and shopping connected with the holidays. It's a joyous time of giving and indulging which can be wonderful! However, it's a great deal of energy radiating outwards while we're having all of this fun. This is why we can feel a little depleted during the holidays as well. Most of us consider this "normal" during this time of year and there's nothing really that can be done about it. But there is. Take small moments to reawaken your energy or inner light, if you will. You can step away from the hubbub of the fa-la-la-la-la and take care of yourself. You'll be better equipped to handle all the energy of the season. Do it. You're worth it.

Have a beautiful holiday season! Daydree

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Handling Hot Button Topics Over the Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays! It’s that time of year again! And, it's also that time of year when we sit down at the holiday table with family and friends to eat… and talk. All kinds of conversations can come up. Sometimes they’re hot button topics like politics, gun rights and abortion. Are you ready? Here are 7 tips I’ve put together, to help us all through it. Wishing you every blessing and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

1. Get Clear. If you’re the one bringing up the issue, get clear about why you need to broach this particular topic. What do you need to get out of it?

2. Peace. Next, form an intention for peace between the two of you. No matter what the other party says you will refrain from reacting in any way that isn’t thoughtful and mindful.

3. Be curious. It is better to be curious about why someone thinks the way they do, as opposed to making them wrong for thinking it. When people feel like they’re seen as ‘wrong’, they tend to build defensiveness which can manifest as conflict between you.

4. Healthy language. Refrain from using sarcasm, caustic tones, condescension… you get the idea. They drive people apart. If this becomes difficult and you feel that you’re about to say something you might regret, try staying silent for awhile and simply listening to understand. Only respond when you’ve thought about a healthy way to share your thoughts and not a moment before. Be respectful at all costs.

5. Assess the moment. How much does this relationship mean to you? Are you willing to harm or lose this relationship over this hot button topic?

6. Remember Your Intention. Feel free to harken back to your intention during this conversation to keep you grounded. Is your intention merely to understand the other person’s views? Are you concerned about how their point-of-view will affect the two of you? And so on.

7. Breathe. Relaxing breaths really do help when you need to gauge your emotions. You can get through this hot topic peacefully as long as your heart and head work together.