Protect your peace

“Peace on Earth, and mercy mild God and sinners reconciled”

We are in the season of peace and kindness to all, man, woman, and child. Strangers smile easily at one another, charities’ receive overwhelming donations, and families, friends and coworkers behave badly toward the ones they’re supposed to help and care for the most.

You know the drill. You’ve offended the in-laws because you’re holidaying on your side of the family. Your children keep putting more and more high priced things on their lists but can’t find the dishwasher button. Work rewards you for having the holiday off by expecting twice as much done. All of those small things try our patience and sanity.

Those are the reasons you must go into overdrive to protect your peace. Protecting your peace does not come easy for most but it’s necessary. Many sources taut the increased bouts of depression experienced during the holiday season. So, it is not just a thing to do this time of year, but it’s the thing to do for your mental and physical survival.

Is it easier said than done? Nope. Protecting your peace can be as simple as following one or more of the following tips:

1. Go for a walk. Just you and your favorite songs blocking out anything that comes for your peace. Being out in nature or the repetitiveness of walking can calm your spirit no matter the attacks made on it.

2. Unplug from the Internet. It’s fun to be social online but the constant communication can pull at your peace. Don’t worry, the notifications will be there when you return and miraculously the world will not end without you being able to tweet about it.

3. Put your phone on do not disturb. Just for an hour or so per day; you don’t want to cause a panic attack. Doing this will to guarantee at least one peaceful hour each day. And that’s a great way to keep and regain your peace.

4. Use unfollow and block. If people in your social network regularly cause your head to hurt or your eyes to roll, unfollow them. Give yourself peace. If someone’s call causes you distress continually, block their number. You won’t even know they’ve called. Your peace will remain intact.

5. Say no. You know how to do it. You just need to know when to do it. Say no to things that dwindle your peace little by little. Like taking your teen to the mall to shop for a formal dress. Or picking up your brother from the airport at rush hour in another city because he’s too cheap to fly closer. A simple no will keep your zen intact.

These are just a few ways to protect your peace, but they are great places to start. Let me know in the comments how you plan on protecting your peace this season. Your peace will be the world’s joy.