So Much To Do: Holiday Prep

This time next week, Thanksgiving will be over and done. I am not trying to rush the process, but I am wanting to remind you to enjoy the whole holiday, however it unfolds, which may include the cleaning, the grocery store, and the prepping, or packing up to go somewhere. Are you looking forward to the whole process, or are you just muddling through to get through? What is your mind saying to you about the holiday? Are the past holidays, the memories of other years gone by flooding into this year? Is the mind dreading it, or looking forward to it?

Yes, this is the time of year when we are reminded to be grateful. We are reminded to be thankful for what we have in our lives. Gratitude is an amazing quality that can change how something looks, or unfolds. I am a firm believer in the power of gratitude, not only this time of year, but all year long. I am a firm believer that if you cannot find anything to be grateful for, you are not looking.

However, being thankful is not my main focus for this post. My focus is on the deliciousness of being in the Now. This time of year is a busy time of year, and we can often get lost in the hustle and bustle of everything to do. No matter what the time of year, the mind is still going to do what it ALWAYS does; the mind is going to bring up the past and force itself into some future moment. It may appear that the mind attempts to do it more during this time of year, but that is not the case. If it appears to be more prominent for you, it is because of the power you have given it in other years past. However, the past has nothing to do with this year. The prominence of past years infiltrating this year is also irrelevant. This year can be a new year for you. This year can be anything you want. This year, you can be in the Now and taste the sweetness of each moment as it unfolds!

This year, I am cooking for 25 people, a few people are bringing some of their favorite dishes, but I am doing most of the cooking. We are having the big meal over at our aunt’s house, because she has more room at her house. However, this also means that we have two houses to clean and get ready. Each day, I have a to-do list, and if things go smoothly, everything will get done. But you know what? If it does not get done, I am not going to lose sleep over it, nor will I allow it to f**k up what I have planned. Here is my formula that I use to go about my up-coming days…

I plan; I write out what has to be done. I use clock time, but as I am doing each task, I plan to be fully present with each task. I watch the mind and its attempts to take me here and there, but I do my best to stay focused on the task at hand. I don’t watch the clock, I just take each thing as it arises, and am present with it until it is done. I move through my day and each task in meditation. In other words, the same things that I do during a meditation, I also do as I am moving through the to-do list.

Try it! I bet you will be amazed! Take some time each morning to get yourself centered before you begin your day. As you begin to work on each task, stay centered, and continue to watch the mind. Do not attempt to stop the mind, that is only going to cause more anguish for you. Just observe the mind, and do not take any of it seriously. Stay focused on the task at hand, and when that task is complete, then move onto the next.

I want this to be a wonderful holiday for you and everyone you come in contact with. I want peace to flood into your experiences, and I want peace to flood every cell of your body this holiday season. Have fun, even in the work and the mundane, and enjoy the preciousness of the moment.

Much love and Namaste…

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