Happy Holidays from Warrior Spirit


compassion holidays new year

A Time to Heal and Rest

In our fast-paced society, we often feel the need to be constantly moving forward, always growing. We try to make use of every spare moment, stuffing work, reading, entertainment, information, and eating into our days.

While I am certainly an advocate of living life to the fullest and appreciating our time on this earth, we can and should take this opportunity to look within and internalize the lessons we've learned, to incorporate them into a new worldview.

For many of us, the holidays provide a welcome respite from the normally frantic pace of life. Time spent with family and old traditions of recovery can give us the chance to recharge our batteries. In many cultures, the winter is a time of turning inwards, hibernation and consolidation in preparation for the new year.

I know for many, the holidays are their most frantic time of year. If that's the case, I wish you luck :). Hopefully, you have time to recuperate at other times of the year, perhaps during the summer.

A Time to Reflect and Plan

Depending on how you divide up your year, you can also think of these end-of-year holidays as a time to look forward to a new year of opportunities. Reflect on what worked and what didn't, how you made progress on your projects and what the next steps are for your longer term goals.

Then, make a plan!

Plans don't have to be set in stone, but it's always a good idea to have a general idea of your intended direction. A rough outline of what you'd like the next year to contain or look like is a good starting point, though of course stay open to the possibility of completely overhauling it.

My plan for the year looks something like this:

It's already being modified (originally I was definitely going to India in March, but a recent development affecting the health of a family member has me reassessing my priorities for the spring so I can spend more time with my dad).

Holiday Wishes

I hope you've made progress on your goals this year. If not, perhaps you have a better understanding of the obstacles--both internal and external--that stand in your way.

I hope you have the opportunity to spend time with your family, simply and with gratitude and compassion. For me, this is a rare moment when I actually get to see all of my family together, and I try to avoid getting dragged into petty arguments, at least until after we've spent some time enjoying each others company.

I hope you aren't consumed by consumption and the powerful forces of commercialism that try to hijack the season.

To old friends, thank you for keeping in touch and sustaining rich relationships. I can't tell you how much that means to me.

To new friends, thank you for reaching out and having the willingness to make a new connection.

What do the holidays mean to you? Hectic or peaceful? I'd love to hear stories in the comments.

Happy Holidays! I'll see you all in 2013!

- (**