The holidays are filled with wonderful times with friends and family. Usually. But sometimes life throws us a curve we’re not expecting and it doesn’t feel so wonderful. That’s when it’s more important than ever to practice good self-care.

I wonder, . . . What does self-care even look like when a snaggy twist of branches has covered the forest canopy and blocked the sun. When the sun cannot even peak in with a meager, “Good morning, hang in there.”  When you are numb and cannot see the day ahead. How do you take care of yourself then?

For starters, don’t try to figure it out. Resist the need to analyze, calculate, prod, push, pull, think, and search. Resist the urge to look for what happened. Why? How? When? Resist chasing answers that do not serve you — What is the root of this cluster because there has to be some reason for it, and if I can figure out that reason then I can fix it.  No, you can’t. No, it’s not that simple. No, it doesn’t matter today.

Today, take your hand off the gear shift. Set it in neutral and close your eyes. Regardless of what is going on around you at this moment, let yourself slip into a space where you have felt intense peace and presence, where there was no space for doubt. Return to that feeling now. Soak it in. See yourself fully loved, fully cared for, and fully present in your being.  Sit silently and breathe in life. Let it permeate your soul and your mind. Feel its warmth and comfort and let it be. That’s where to start. This is where to begin self-care.

I send you every wish for a peaceful, loving and centered holiday season. Be good to yourself, especially when a snaggy twist of branches cover your sky.