Christmas is upon us. So much pressure on only a few days. Things don't always go as planned, or as we might have wished for. The food taste bad. Someone got sick. There's conflict in the middle of celebrations. The kids are unhappy with their gifts. You feel extra lonely. There's more rain than snow. That annoying relative is more annoying than usual. You have a headache.

Sorry to be a bummer day before Christmas, but hey, just trying to rid your expectations. Skip them. Trade them for appreciation. That smile on a loved ones face. The piece of chocolate that just melted in your mouth. The lights in the dark. The wonderful smell of childhood memories. A warm hug. The stillness before everyone arrives. That song you love.

It might all be there, at the same time. You decide where you put your focus. Change your expectations for appreciation.

With all my love,

Helena

Are you aware of the voices in your head? Do you know where they originate from?

I did this exercise with a friend over a weekend a couple of weeks back. We practiced noticing where the voices in our head originated from as we were talking to each other. I could say something and then notice; oh, no, that's not me believing this, that's something I heard from someone growing up. Or, she would say something and then correct herself; nope, this is just something I think someone else expects of me to say/ think/ feel.

Since then, I've been practicing on my own. Observing my thoughts and questioning their origin and it's been really helpful.

So often we internalize external dialogues and make them our own without even questioning it. Do I believe this? Is this the right way forward for me? Is this really important to me or to someone else?

Try it - next time you're having an uncomfortable thought - ask yourself; who's talking?

With all my love,

Helena