O nly a few days until Christmas. The year is slowly coming to an end. It's the darkest time of the year. The darkness invites us to make ourselves comfortable at home. Christmas time is a peaceful time. It's the time to take it easy and it's the time to hang out with loved ones.

Personally, I have made a firm decision for this year to end the year carefully and calmly. The last two years have been very challenging for all of us. Therefore I dedicate my last blog post this year to the topic of mindfulness. I will allow myself a little break until the weekend of January 8th & 9th and will not post any posts online or send any newsletters. I think we all deserve some rest.

I have noted a few points for you on how you too can end the year in peace and mindfulness.

Reflect on the year

Allow yourself a moment of rest in the next few days. You are welcome to light a few candles and you are welcome to take your diary with it.
Focus on your breath for a moment and arrive completely in your body and in the moment. Then take some time and review the year.

  • What did you learn this year? What lessons did you learn this year?
  • Where were you at the beginning of the year and where are you now?
  • What are you ready to let go
  • What are you planning for the new year? What are your goals for the new year?

Of course, if you don't like it, you don't have to answer these questions in writing. You can also answer them in silence for yourself. Taking the time to write down the answers can help you go deeper. I myself very often just let the pen slide so that everything can come down to paper that would like to be on paper. Maybe you want to try that too. Whatever you want to get on paper after reading these questions, just slide the pen. The important thing is that you take the time it takes.

Create a warm and cozy place for yourself at home

A small retreat full of warmth and calm can help your body relax completely. This will allow your body and mind to run down and release the tension that it is holding onto. What can stay in the old year, what are you ready to let go of. The more you find relaxation, the more your body can give in.

meditation

The end of the year invites you to integrate a meditation into your everyday life. You don't have to meditate for an hour a day. Often a little guided meditation can already cause great miracles and changes in your whole being. Meditation has so many benefits. One of them is mindfulness. I myself started meditating a few years ago. Even if I still have the feeling that I am not good at meditating, meditation has still helped me to go through the day more mindfully and with less stress. Those two qualities automatically made me more productive. The most important thing that meditation has learned to me, however, is that I was allowed to get to know myself better and, above all, through meditation I learned to accept and love myself.

Enjoy doing nothing

How often do we associate DOING NOTHING with laziness. However, we need breaks. It is important that our energy tank is filled. The last days of the year are the perfect time to fill up your energy tank. Take it easy during this time. Enjoy the silence, the darkness. Make yourself comfortable at home and enjoy the time with you.

Nourish you with food and love

This point is my daily mantra. I celebrate my food every day. I love food and I love to give my body the food that nourishes it, gives it love and gives it energy. Our food is energy. With what energy do you want to go through the day? How do you want to feel With the right choice of food you will give yourself and your body energy that will carry you through the day and make you feel good.

I am sharing my current favorite hot chocolate recipe with you. For me, hot chocolate is more than just hot chocolate. It is love, security and nourishment. Every time I enjoy it, I feel the warmth flowing through my body. I feel the love and the beneficial nourishment for body, mind and soul. For me, a hot chocolate is a hug to myself. I feel born, nourished and full of love. I celebrate them and enjoy them to the fullest when I drink them.

Delicious hot chocolate

Ingredients for 1 cup:

  • 200-250ml oat or almond milk
  • 5g cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 8-10g dark chocolate

Preparation:

Put the milk in a small pan and heat it up on low to medium heat, then stir in the cocoa and the maple syrup with a whisk. Finally add the chocolate and let it melt nicely in the warm milk, always stirring a little with the whisk.

I now wholeheartedly wish you a wonderful rest of Advent and a happy and, above all, reflective Christmas.

Until the new year, all the best
Debora