Keep It Simple
Hi, Thinking Out Loud here :D
Welcome to Mindful Monday, Week 38
Here is the link for this week's playlist. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63ToLykHD5QdC4OME8pzsm?si=1df3812a97ab4485
I hope you enjoy listening whilst you read, and I hope you find the music relaxing.
If an ad plays, please stop reading and wait for the playlist to play again. The playlist will be timed for you to read to the end of this blog post, with maybe one song running over after reading.
Get a drink, maybe even a snack, and find a comfy seat so you can relax. Let go of all worries and enjoy the next five deep breaths. Please prepare for the first breath in by breathing out.
Now time for your first deep breath; take one deep breath in through your nose for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. Breathe out through your mouth for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Two more to go; breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Last one, deep breath in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Now go back to your regular breathing pattern. I hope you feel calm and relaxed.
For the past couple of weeks, I have written poems; this week, I have decided to do a bit more of a chatty post. This week with it being December, this MM is going to be Christmas related. As you will have seen, the title is Keep It Simple; it’s so easy to get lost in the Christmas buzz and get carried away. Often, this ends in pressure and, if we are honest with ourselves, not enjoying Christmas as much as we should.
So what can we do to change this? Well, we could plan, which I’m sure a lot of people already do, so instead of planning and still being under a lot of pressure, let's simplify the lead-up and the big day. Buy what you can early and online if possible, maybe even click and collect; I would, however, suggest not ordering a food shop online as a lot of the time, supermarket staff don’t have a long time to get things off of your list and substitute what is close, in some cases things are far from close, so to save yourself from disappointment do a big shop early, or do little shops often and get the things you really want in the first few shops.
Presents can be bought online; a lot of places these days do click-and-collect, so you don’t have to pay for postage which is a great saver if you are buying a lot of gifts. If you do buy online and get them delivered, you can get things gift-wrapped; it costs a little extra usually, but this will help you when it comes to the week before Christmas and, yet again, that pile of presents you have that still need wrapping, at least this way you will have fewer presents to wrap.
Now Christmas dinner, buy things that are premade, don’t go making everything from scratch. Frozen roast potatoes can be just as good as homemade roast potatoes, gravy from a packet is just as good as well, plus people probably won't even notice. Get guests or family members to each do a dish or bring a dish or plate of something. Get a few people also to bring a dessert, hopefully not the same dessert.
By handing out different dishes to people to make it isn’t all left to one person who is slaving away in the kitchen, also whoever maybe hasn’t contributed with food for whatever reason can be on clean up duty, this hopefully will help in keeping it simple. You can even get kids involved with baking; I know as a kid, I loved baking and helping out, especially when it came to making the Christmas cake, and gingerbread men.
I hope these few suggestions help with making this year's Christmas a little simpler, and less stressful and allow everyone to enjoy it. Please leave a comment below with maybe your own suggestions on how to make Christmas simpler, or maybe comment with what you are doing. I would love to read what you are doing for Christmas this year. Please remember not all comments will show, but I do read them all and moderate them, so please be kind; I am only one person.
Let's finish with a three-deep breath breather.
Take one deep breath in through your nose for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. Breathe out through your mouth for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Breathe in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. And out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1... Final breath in for five 1..2..3..4..5.. Hold for 1..2.. Last breath out for five 1..2..3..4..5.. No hold here; you can now go back to your regular breathing pattern.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read this week's Mindful Monday. I really do appreciate everyone who takes the time to read them and listens to what I have to say.
Love always
Thinking Out Loud xx :D
Keep it simple; it doesn’t have to be extravagant, or elaborate; it’s a fancy Sunday dinner, and gifts can be small, homemade, or bought locally; they don’t need to be branded. Anything you do this year will be enough; let those you have around you help, take a load off of yourself and let yourself enjoy the day as everyone else does. Remember that what you worry about, no one else will be, don’t let it bother you. If you’ve forgotten something or not done something you don’t need it, your day won’t be ruined, and everyone will still have a great time, so don’t forget to Keep It Simple.
