Some people are navigating loss, heart-break, missing far-flung family, anxiety and other financial or physical stressors.

When you feel these, I invite you to be gentle with yourself and give yourself grace remembering that emotions, whether difficult or pleasant, are messengers. When they crash the party it’s not always bad even if feeling them is unpleasant.

They are showing us what is truly important to each of us.

A lot of my past holidays were hijacked by anxiety while I tried to be the version of the perfect host I’d created in my head. “If I remember to light all the candles and the cookies are placed ‘just so’ they are going to know I love them.”

I contradicted the intention of showing love with my behaviors by ignoring guests as I tried to make them “feel welcome” by focusing on trivial things, sometimes even snapping at people trying to help me or staying stashed away in the kitchen so dinner would taste scrumptious.

I began to dread the doorbell ringing because I focused on so many other things besides what truly mattered to ME.­ So now I practice using my Inner Truth to anchor back to how I want to experience the holidays and inarguably it is with love and connection!