Holiday Color
A key part of the full-color life is the enrichment from sensory experiences. When I run outside, I feel the cold air on my skin and smell my neighbor’s burning fireplace. It takes me deeper into the body. It grounds me in a sense of time and place and season. It is a trigger for me to move out of the conversation in my head and into a more mindful space.
I have had a hard time developing these mindfulness triggers inside the home. Most of my mindful places and spaces are outdoors. I know what indoor sensory experiences that put me in the opposite head space. Cluttered horizontal surfaces and floors give me anxiety and stress and start my mind racing faster. Seeing the mess immediately ups my stress level and makes me feel burdened with a mental list of things to do.
This holiday season, I can see glimpses of elements that can give me the spark of sensory pleasure. Many of these experiences bring me back to the joyful Christmas remembrances from when I was a little girl.
I love the look of white Christmas lights. I like a roaring fire. I like candle light. I like warm blankets. I like the feeling of yarn in my hands for knitting and crocheting. I love the smell of soup in the Crockpot.
When I make this list, I am reminded of the book I read about the Danish concept of Hygge. This winter, I am going to create some positive mindful experiences inside the home. Here’s my Holiday Color to do List:
- Clear Counter tops and Island
- More Twinkle Lights
- More Candles
- Stopping to intentionally enjoy the holiday seasonal experiences.
I suspect the final step may be one of the key elements in this whole adventure. You and I can hold on to that joyful and wide-eyed thrill more often during our daily lives and that would be the ultimate practice for mindful and grateful living. Right now, that’s really hard for me. I will start by leaning into that feeling when I see a fall tree in full color or my toddler’s butt in her lambie feetie pajamas.
