One of the biggest holidays of the year is almost here. Is your to-do list almost your done list? What are you anticipating in the next few days? Family? Flurry? Stress? Joy? Sadness? Anxiety? How are you handling the “It’s almost here”? How does anticipation effect you?
The definition of anticipation is the action of anticipating something, an expectation or prediction. You are looking forward with expectancy, excitement or even suspense. Depending on your prior experience with the Christmas season, you may be experiencing all these emotions. Or if this is a Christmas season of transition, you are in anticipation of not knowing and that brings suspense and anxiety.
As you look at the next few days before Christmas and find yourself disconnected from the season or in a state of overwhelm or even joyously anticipating the day, consider the following three ways you might handle the anticipation of Christmas and all your emotions associated with the next few days.
Create Some Space
Even though you feel like you may be running around like a chicken with her head cut off, or your space is unbearably quiet, create some safe space for yourself where you can be still. What is your heart’s anticipation? What are your emotions? How does God see the upcoming few days? Take a cup of your favorite beverage, sit quietly and breathe. I find when I sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him how He sees what I am facing, I get insights into my emotions. I want to go into my Christmas with open hands and open heart, anticipating that He will guide me, not my emotions. I don’t want to miss anything He has for me.
Explore the Possibilities
This year is a transitional year for us, as we will be celebrating with most of the family after Christmas Day. My daughter and her son will be here part of the day, but my husband and I may be by ourselves for part of Christmas Day. That looks very different than years past. What that could look like for my husband and I? Go to a movie? Eat out for supper? Invite other friends over? I haven’t decided yet as I am still exploring possibilities. I am anticipating what my own needs may be for that day – rest, family fun, church, since it is a Sunday. How does what I want play into others’ expectations of a traditional Christmas meal?
What about you? What possibilities and choices do you have coming up? If family are far away, what friends can be family that day? If this is the first Christmas after losing a loved one, how can you change things up? If the holiday is usually stressful, what choices do you have to alleviate some of the stress? Stand back and look at your life as if you were looking at it from a distance. What advice would you give yourself?
Find Hope
I pray that God, the source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that your hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 The Voice
So in this Christmas season, where do you find hope? My prayer is that you are looking to God for your hope, in the midst of whatever you are facing. As the angel told Mary before the birth of Jesus, “So the impossible is possible with God”. Luke 1:37
What impossible are you anticipating for the Christmas? Give it to God and see what happens. I will be praying for my readers and would love to pray for your specifically. You can send me a private message on my facebook page NancyBooth Coaching if you would like me praying for you. He loves you and wants to join in your anticipation of Christmas for the impossible.
Merry Christmas!
Nancy Booth is a certified life coach and certified brain-based coach. She loves creating safe spaces for women going through life’s transitions to discover and support their visions for health and well-being in an overwhelming world, explore possibilities for next steps and find hope. She writes about taming the overwhelm and reducing stress, looking for ways to motivate, energize and inspire you! You can sign up to receive her weekly blog or contact her to find out ways you can begin to shed overwhelm and stress. It’s time to explore possibilities of new relationships, better life pacing and gain hope and peace.