We can all agree on one thing. Last year, the Holidays were a bust! We were in lockdown when Halloween came and went. Then, we thought maybe by Thanksgiving we could celebrate together with family and friends. No such luck. For me, Christmas was the worst. I missed my family. I missed my friends. Nothing like this had ever happened before, at least in our lifetime. Now, the holidays are here. Thanksgiving is in three more days. I love having my mom, my mother in law, and my four boys, their wives, and best part, the grandchildren! There is nothing better than seeing the excitement of the holidays in their eyes. And, I can’t wait.
But, with family, nothing ever goes according to our fantasy of what we think should happen. Instead, someone is usually unhappy, arguments are a given. And, everybody gets stressed out! 
That is the reality of the holidays. We want everything to be magical. We want everyone to be happy, to have a good time, and enjoy the moment. Sometimes we try so hard, nothing turns out the way it was supposed to. 
So, How Do We Get Through The Holidays? Do not overreact! Remain Calm. Did you know that Calmness is the Human Being SuperPower? Yep!
Calmness is our ability to NOT OVERREACT, to NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY. This instantly gives you the upper hand ,regardless of your circumstances. In fact, the biggest and most complex obstacle you’ll ever have to overcome is your own mind. Calmness is a singleness of purpose. It is absolute confidence. And, it is your conscious power. Therefore, you are ready to be focused in an instant to meet any crisis. Remaining Calm is a skill anybody can learn!
Calmness doesn’t mean to be in a place without chaos and trouble, or hard realities that you have to deal with. Calmness means to be in the midst of all those things, and STILL remain mentally, emotionally and physically centered! You choose what matters and what doesn’t! The only meaning your life has is the meaning that you give it.
Calmness begins the moment you take a deep breath and choose NOT TO ALLOW ANOTHER PERSON, OR EVENT, TO CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS. You are not what happened to you! 
You are what you chose to become in this moment. Happiness is letting go of what you assume your life is supposed to be like right now, and sincerely appreciate your life for everything it is. Be Selective with your energy. If you can fix a problem, then fix it! If you can’t fix it, then you must accept it and change your thoughts about it. And don’t waste eating up your energy on something that , in reality, only exists in your head! Don’t get lost in your worries. Worries are not reality. Worries are just thoughts.
Being Calm is a remarkable, spectacular, amazing strength. It is our Super Power. We have the ability to own our emotions. Therefore, before we automatically react to something that upsets us, we must TAKE A MOMENT to create Space between the Act and Your Reaction. Once you are in that space you need to intentionally CHOOSE how you will react to others, and upsetting events.
You only act when the time is right. Or, choose not to react.Step Away from an altercation that has you emotionally charged. Don’t get drawn into the altercation! Instead, take a step back from the conversation to reassess through your thoughts, and reset your energy. Then, you can either revisit that person to rehash the conversation. Or, WALK AWAY. Sometimes the best reaction is no reaction at all.
Trust me, it might seem easier to be reactive. It is a natural impulse to react. 
It takes some skill to not react, and remain peaceful. 
Then, and only then, can you choose the reaction that best benefits you. It takes skill and practice to pause, and then choose the reaction that is best for YOU. 
In this way, you will remain centered and balanced, no matter what is going on around you. It feels peaceful to rise above the petty drama.
Finally, Take life day by day. Be thankful for the little things. It is not about getting caught up in what you can’t control. Instead, it’s all about accepting what you can’t control, and making the best of it. Because, when you stop worrying about what you can’t control, you will have more time to change what you can control.
Calmness is ultimately your choice to make. So, focus inward on your own self. Do not rely on the actions of others, or your circumstances, to be the source of your happiness. Listen to yourself, allow your intuition to guide you. If someone acts in a way that doesn’t align with your happiness, simply choose to focus elsewhere , in the direction where you want to be.
Tune into your inner self for guidance
BREATHE. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE YOU! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FIX, NOTHING TO CHANGE, AND NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. JUST YOU BREATHING, BEING, WITH PRESENCE, WITHOUT JUDGEMENT. YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. YOU BELONG HERE. 
YOU ARE ENOUGH.
