A personal note from Sandee Nebel - Staying at Peace During the Holidays

Between the extra food and the extra family, the holidays can be a very challenging time. In our therapy groups at the White Picket Fence Counseling Center, we're starting to talk about ways to cope. One thing is for sure – if we're in a good place ourselves, it's much easier to shrug off something troubling someone does or says. One way to stay at peace with ourselves is to give back to our hosts by helping with the serving and cleaning up. Focusing on those tasks can also help us to deal with any challenging situations with food, friends or family.

 

Mindful eating is a wonderful way to be present with your meal, while also getting exactly the amount of food your body needs to be nourished. Mindfulness is a spiritual tool we can apply to many areas of our lives. It is also a way to help us have full and richer life experiences. We regularly host mindful eating workshops for people wanting to learn more about this practice as well as for the many return participants who want a refresher. City employees of Mount Dora are benefiting from my talk about mindful eating during the holidays on November 19^th.

 

I was recently on a meditation weekend, and one of the things I reflected on was gratitude. With Thanksgiving coming up, it seems like a natural time to be thinking about gratitude. I've always believed that gratitude is about more than just awareness, it's about action. I take action with a daily practice of writing a list of five or so things I feel grateful for. In addition, I make a monthly visit to the Coalition for the Homeless to volunteer serving dinner. This is one of the ways I like to give back to my community.

 

Today's article invites you to explore some ways that you can give thanks by giving back.