As you navigate the chaotic hum of the holidays on top of the already all-encompassing work of caring for vulnerable children and families, taking time to care for your soul can easily get tossed aside. And yet … we cannot pour from an empty cup.
For those navigating the complexity of caring for vulnerable children and families, the most wonderful time of the year can often become the most harried time of the year. We need every possible reminder to pause and be still, to become present in each moment, and to invite Jesus to calm our anxious, weary minds.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, here are a few simple practices to help you care for your soul this holiday season.
Pause and breathe.
Can you take a few moments throughout your day to pause and check in with your breath? Be present to your surroundings. Notice how you feel. Offer this moment to God in prayer. Listen for His still small voice. Be present to the presence of the divine present with you.
Slow down and savor.
At your next meal, can you eat each bite slowly, pausing to breathe between bites as you savor each one as a gift from God? You can do this with any activity. Washing a dish. Taking a shower. Brushing your teeth. Cleaning the counter. Do it slowly. Savor each moment. Let the mundane activities of your day turn your heart to worship as you consider how each activity can be a reminder of God’s faithfulness.
Imagine God’s smile directed at you.
What if you could start each day by remembering that you are in the presence of someone who loves you deeply? Someone who takes great delight in you, whose smile is directed at you, and who is right now, at this moment, singing over you. What if you could remember that you live in the presence of a God who looks upon you as you might look with delight and admiration at your own child?
Get curious.
Every moment is an opportunity to choose curiosity. What can you be curious about today as talk with someone else? How can you be more curious about what’s going on within you? What gift might God have for you from this person, this situation, this moment?
Linger in the unknowing.
No one enjoys uncertainty. It’s a state most of us try to get out of immediately. We make plans, Google possible solutions, try to find a clear path. Nothing wrong with that, but what if you could learn to rest – even if only for a few moments – in the not knowing? What if you could savor the groundless feeling of not having a fixed path, trusting that each moment of life is held in the arms of God’s love?
Create rituals of prayer
Everything in life can be an on-ramp to prayer. Opening the blinds in the morning is an opportunity to invite the light of God’s presence to illuminate your day. Making coffee can be a moment of gratitude for an extravagant God who gave us a berry that, when dried, roasted, ground, and steeped in hot water, formed a delightfully aromatic and delicious beverage. Brushing your teeth can be a prayer dedicating your words to God. Shutting your computer down in the evening can be an opportunity to invite the Holy Spirit to help you be present to those you love. Every day is filled with countless opportunities to invite God’s presence and guidance into each moment.
Find moments of stillness.
At almost any moment of the day, there is always stillness to be found. Can you sit on a park bench while out on a walk and soak in the beauty of creation? Curl up on the couch with a book? Go outside and gaze at the sky in silent awe? Instead of constant motion, take a few moments to pause in stillness and rest in God’s loving presence.
Find wonder and awe right now.
In every single moment, if we open ourselves up to it, we can discover a sense of awe and find wonder in God’s majestic creativity in all of the things we take for granted. From tiny flowers to expansive galaxies, we are constantly surrounded by God’s infinite imagination. Right now, where can you find wonder and awe?
If any of these seem like they might be particularly helpful, I invite you to consider writing them on cards, sticky notes, your phone lock screen, or any other places you’ll see them throughout your day.
May these simple practices open you up to a deeper sense of God’s peace and presence not only this holiday season, but always.
And remember … you’ve worked really hard this year, pouring yourself out for others. It’s okay to give yourself permission to stop and rest.
-Michael Mitchell is the Director of Development & Discipleship at CAFO.