We love the last month of the year; it’s dark outside and inside we can feel the warmth of family and lit candles. We have friends and family gatherings to look forward too, holiday shopping and preparations for festivities, travel to parties; all of this is combined with end-of year meetings in the office, budgets to complete and annual targets and numbers to finish. And this in the middle of more uncertainty about the Covid pandemic can make your life feel overwhelming.
We have a tool that we use ourselves and with clients, called ‘The Clouds’. Take a piece of paper and write down all things that are going on in your mind in the same way the picture shows. You in the middle with all the clouds around you. (We have an empty template that we can share, if you want). Write until you feel your mind is empty. Look at what you wrote on your paper, all these clouds; now you understand why you feel overwhelmed. The next step is to take a piece of blanc paper and write down all these items that are occupying your mind, mingle together and cause anxiety into three categories:
- NOW
- SOON
- LATER
Take each of the items in the clouds and place them in the correct category. You can break all that needs to be done into these categories. When you are finished, your ‘head’ is organized and you can start to plan for the things that have to be done NOW. A lot can be put in the SOON list (for you to decide before or after the holidays) and the LATER list can wait till January. After doing this, it gives us an enormous sense of relief and we hope for you too! The activities are organized, you will know what to do when and you don’t need to remember all in your head since it is written down on paper. There is once again space in your head, you can be open to what happens and react with humor and love. You will go into this season relaxed and able to enjoy the activities, the events and most of all enjoy your wonderful family and friends.
Anja & Clare
