Intermission

Democracy dies in apathy - Unknown

credit: christiyana kruger

I just wanted to include this reminder that while the Trying to Be Christmassy series is related to connecting to the Christmas/holiday energy and hopefully bringing some calm to this holiday season. I am aware that there are serious concerns happening in the world today. I live in the US and am partially aware of the threats posed by the upcoming administration within the US and abroad. I say "partially" because I'm sure that there are more threats that I'm unaware of.

Nationwide, women in the US no longer have equal access to reproductive care, including abortion, due to the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

There are threats to round up people and deport them including American citizens by stripping them of their citizenship. 

For some people, there seems to be less concern for others as long as they're not directly impacted.  Kinda like this "Too bad for you:  I got mine" attitude.

I'm writing this not to throw a damper on anyone's holiday's energy, but to acknowledge that most of  us can't duck our heads into the sand.  While it's helpful to appreciate the holidays, it's also useful to be aware of current events and causes that you're concerned about.  

We all have to stay mindful about our sources of information including the information that we receive from others.  I, too, am not perfect in this and have had people correct me on information that I've given or I've realized that I've had to update a belief.

Side note:  They're different.  Misinformation is incorrect information unintentionally given.  Disinformation is inaccurate information knowingly given usually to support an ulterior motive.

Also, although this series has been co-created with AI.  AI definitely makes errors so be sure to check its information as possible to ensure its reliability.  For instance, I almost posted a quote that AI attributed to Stevie Wonder, but when I checked online, it was attributed to St. Luke.  : /

Finally, if you need to take a break from the news/activism/this series/holiday activities, allow yourself to take a break and recharge.  No one benefits from your burnout.

As a single person, it's especially important that you take care of your mental, physical, emotional and financial health.  If checking in on the news weekly and learning a bit more about a social justice organization or simply keeping yourself emotionally balanced, is the extent of your activism that's understandable.  Given the preponderance of disinformation, I feel that even refraining from being overly reactive is an act of activism. 

Know and honor your limits with news, activism, the holidays, etc.

OK, this intermission has concluded.  Thank you all for following along with this series and may you all stay well.  If you're interested, below are some additional resources:

News Sites

The 19th

Associated Press
Deutsche Welle
PBS News
Reuters

Articles:

10 ways to be prepared and grounded now that Trump has won

What Does Donald Trump’s Election Mean For…

Meet the pillars of the next Trump resistance

Organizations
List by the Advocate  of 26 activist organizations including the ACLU, Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, GLAAD, Planned Parenthood, etc.

Trying to Be Chrismassy 🎄 Day 7 of 13

Good morning, all, and Happy Wednesday! Welcome to Day 7 🎄 of this pop-up blog series.  Thank you all for continuing to follow along with these posts.  Today's activities pertain not just to the holidays, but to other times of the year, i.e., discovering your unique talents and appreciating your gifts or even perceived quirks.  Below's the song and activities for the day.  

Inspiring Quote: "Embrace your uniqueness. Your differences are what make you shine."

Inspiring Holiday Song: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Holiday Activity: Compliment someone/yourself for a quality that others may take for granted/consider to be quirky.

Reflection Tip: Reflect on a time you felt different or excluded and how you overcame it.

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a poem about an outcast who discovers their unique talent during the holidays.

Affirmations:

I am unique and special.

I embrace my individuality.

I am strong and resilient.

What are 2 things that you can do to infuse the holidays with your unique personality and gifts?

Trying to Be Christmassy 🎄 Day 6 of 13

Good morning, all! Welcome to Day 6 🎄 of our pop-up blog series. Congrats to those of you that are keeping up with this challenge or at least managing to read these posts. 🙂


Today's we'll be enjoying the music 🎶 of Donny Hathaway, as well as observing and appreciating holiday/wintry decorations/settings. You can start listening to today's song...NOW! 🚀

Inspiring Quote: "The magic of the holiday season is in the little details."

Inspiring Holiday Song: "This Christmas"

Holiday Activity: Observe the Christmas decorations, if any, in your surroundings. Are there any decorations which you especially admire or that you could incorporate in your home décor? **An alternative activity is to observe how the season's transitioning into winter and how you could incorporate that into your surroundings.

Reflection Tip: Journal about your holiday activity. Did observing the holiday decorations uplift you or annoy you? If you did the alternative activity, how did noticing the changing season make you feel?

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a short story about a home that brings holiday joy to people due to its magical Christmas decorations.

Affirmations
*I'm a li'l under-the-weather so no audios until I feel better.*

I release any anger, resentment or sadness about the holidays.

I am connecting to my positive holiday energy.

I am open to receiving the insights of the season.

Who can you appreciate for their holiday energy/décor/compassion?

Trying to Be Christmassy 🎄 Day 5 of 13

Greeting to you all and Happy Monday!  Gosh, I'd practically forgotten about this song, but it came up on my feed on Friday night so I had AI create activities related to it.  Although this song was written nearly 60 years ago, its message still resonates.

Hopefully, regardless of what the day brings, you can find or create a moment of peace and calm for yourself.

Inspiring Quote: "Hope for a brighter future starts with the choices we make today."

Holiday Song: "Someday at Christmas"

Holiday Activity: Perform an intentional act of kindness for someone online or offline.  This could include helping someone in need, leaving a kind comment online or even perhaps pausing before having a negative response to someone..

Reflection Tip: Journal about a time you experienced or witnessed acts of kindness and how it impacted you.

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a short story about a brief moment in a world where peace and love prevail.  

Affirmations:

Shannon · TTBC Day 5

I am becoming a force for peace and love in the world.

I choose kindness and compassion in my interactions.

I believe in a future filled with peace and harmony.

What small steps can you take today to contribute to a more peaceful and loving world?

TTBC 🎄 Rewind

So.  I realized that I had overlooked one of the fundamentals for doing a challenge, i.e., defining the goal(s).  An additional fundamental, too, is knowing my why for the Trying to Be Christmassy🎄  series.  Basically, I started this series because I was thinking that it'd be interesting to see what holiday-related activities AI could come up with for holiday songs.  Also, I was reflecting on how it didn't really feel like Christmas to me.  Not that I had the blahs, but simply I didn't have a strong sense that it was the holiday season apart from occasional moments of seeing holiday items in the grocery store or observing some holiday decorations in my area.

In a way, I do know my "why" for the series, but why does it matter to feel Christmassy? There are other things that I could preoccupy my time with that, frankly, are probably more important than this.  That, in a way, is another reason for doing this series:  If I don't, the time will likely whizz by overrun by other non-holiday activities or possibly too overextended by holiday activities to be present to the season.

My reasons for feeling Christmassy are to:

Appreciate the holiday season

Be present to the holidays, i.e., to avoid wondering where the holidays went once they'd passed

To connect with the holiday/Christmas energy, in the sense, of having something to look forward to, enjoying holiday experiences, connecting with others

Knowing my why, i.e., to appreciate the holiday season and to be present to the holidays, etc., also overlaps with defining my goal.  For that question, I'd additionally include to:

Feel calmer during the holiday season

Be better prepared which includes having my space feel holiday-ish, plan better so as to shop more strategically (ideally!), be more calmly ready for holiday outings (again ideally)

Another question that can help me to feel Christmassy is what are some things that I can do to feel more holiday energy 🎄?

Balance time with others with quiet time

Observe and appreciate holiday decorations, music, attire and food!

Watch holiday-themed YouTubes/movies

Learn about the holidays

Wear more holiday-ish colors

Make my home feel cozier

Find more opportunities to add cinnamon to food

Refill my diffuser with peppermint essential oils

Post and as possible do the TTBC series

Do the cool holiday journal workbook that my sis created

Sleep more

Practice staying calm and compassionate during potential stressful holiday moments

Well, it's getting late, but this entry has been useful as a way of better reflecting on my Christmassy series, and, hopefully, it's allowed you to also reflect on your version of "Christmassy" or even helped you with pinpointing your outcome for desired goals. 

I don't intend on doing all of the things that I listed for feeling more Christmassy, but if I do a handful that'd be helpful.  

Also, remembering to practice self-care and to be patient is especially important during the holidays.

And for whatever wandering soul happened upon this post in the blogosphere, what does feeling more Christmassy mean to you?  

Additionally, is there an interest/activity in your life which may be neglected as it seems frivolous compared to your other priorities?  If the interest/activity is enjoyable/meaningful to you, is there a way that you could schedule time for it?

Thanks for reading this post and for following along with this  holiday series!  

Trying to Be Christmassy 🎄 Day 4 of 13

Good morning and welcome to Day 4 of Trying to Be Christmassy 🎄!  I hope for today's activity you're able to reflect on how you can experience more calm and joy this holiday season.  Hopefully, today's holiday song brings a bit of cheer to your day.  

Additionally, if you're experiencing wet/challenging weather, hopefully you're able to stay safe and warm.

I understand that doing both the Reflection Tip and Creative Writing Exercise can take time so feel free to choose just  one, if that appeals to you.  Also, if simply listening to the song is more your style for the TTBC series, then feel free to do that as well.

OK, Day 4 commences...

Inspiring Quote: "Find joy in the simple things and embrace the magic of the season."

Inspiring Holiday Song:  "Wonderful Christmastime"

Holiday Activity:  List 3 activities that you can delegate, remove or reschedule so that you can feel calmer during the holidays.  **It'd probably be best to do this activity after reflecting on your ideal holiday season.

Reflection Tip: Imagine how you would like to ideally spend this holiday season.  

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a short story about your ideal Christmas/wintry day.

Affirmations:

Shannon · TTBC Day 4

I embrace the joy and wonder of the holiday season.

I am learning to discover happiness in the simple pleasures of life.

I am creating joyful memories.

What are 3-5 ways that you can cultivate more joy and calm in your daily life, not just during the holidays?

Congrats on making it through Day 4's activities or even just listening to the holiday song.  Either way, you're wonderful!!  🤩

Trying to Be Christmassy🎄 Day 3 of 13

Happy Saturday to you all and welcome to Day 3 🎄! 

This weekend, I'll include a bonus post as I realize that I've overlooked one of the fundamentals, defining the goal.  That could probably help me to feel more in the holiday spirit.  In the meantime, today's activity is below:

Inspiring Quote: "Embrace the unexpected and believe in the magic of possibility."

Inspiring Holiday Song: "Gabriel's Message"

Holiday Activity: Spend time in nature – go for a walk in the woods or simply observe the beauty of the winter sky. Reflect on the wonder of the natural world. Alternative: spend about 5 minutes calmly observing nature from your window or watch a video of natural scenery.

Reflection Tip: Journal about a time in your life when you felt a sense of awe and wonder, perhaps witnessing a breathtaking sunset, experiencing a moment of grace, or encountering unexpected kindness.

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a poem or short story inspired by the imagery of the song – snow, stars, the message of hope.

Affirmations:

Shannon · TTBC Day 3

I am connected to something greater than myself.
 
I am open to the magic of the universe.

I believe in the power of hope and carry that light within me.

How can I be more mindful during this holiday season?

Trying to Be Chrismassy 🎄 Day 2 of 13

Good morning, all! 🌅  

Well, on a scale of 1-5, my Christmas energy is at about 0.5  Playing some holiday music has helped, but I'm thinking that perhaps I may have to do a couple of other things.  Perhaps.  

Contrary to this pop-up blog, I'm not really making a big deal of being in the holiday spirit because, to me, that'd be kinda silly thing to stress about.

This is just something to do to potentially feel more Christmas/holiday energy.

Also, an FYI, I'm not expecting someone to finish all of the suggested activities.  I definitely am not having that same expectation of myself although there's nothing wrong if someone does decide to be a holiday superstar and go for it!

Also, also, feel free to ignore/modify an activity/a song, if it doesn't resonate with you.

This has turned into a long preamble...let's get to Day 2.

Inspiring Quote: "May the energy of compassion guide your actions, bringing joy to yourself and others.."

Inspiring Holiday Song: "God Rest Ye Merry Men"

Holiday Activity: Check online for a cause that you're interested in or curious about.

Reflection Tip: Reflect on the importance of kindness and compassion.

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a poem about the meaning of Christmas/the holidays/changing seasons.

Affirmations:

Shannon · TTBC Day 2

I am spreading kindness and compassion.

I am grateful for the opportunity to help others.

I am filled with peace and goodwill.

What are 3 things that you can do to show more compassion to yourself today?

Trying to Be Christmassy 🎄 Day 1 of 13

Welcome to Day 1 of this 13 Day pop-up blog series.  Below are the activities, if you'd like to join or skim.

Inspiring Quote: "Find harmony within yourself and spread it to others." 

Inspiring Holiday Song:  "Carol of the Bells"

Holiday Activity: Try to sing "Carol of the Bells" for 30 seconds or more. 

Reflection Tip: Reflect on the times in your life when you've felt a sense of joy and wonder. 

Creative Writing Exercise: Write a short story about a magical bell that brings happiness to everyone who hears it. 

Affirmations: 

Shannon · TTBC Day 1

I am filled with joy and wonder. 

I am spreading happiness and cheer. 

I am grateful for the beauty of the season.

What are 3 songs that give you holiday energy?

Pop-up Holiday Blog Series

I have a bit of an itch to briefly post a blog series, "Trying to Be Christmassy"🎄 related to attempting to feel more Christmassy. I'm also posting this series on another site. (Most of the content is AI generated although the prompt and music selections are my own.) 

No obligation on following along with the series as I understand that life is busy and there are a lot of things happening in the world today. 

    photo credit:  christiyana kruger

Hope you all are doing and staying well!

Oh, if you're interested, my wonderful sis has a coaching and writing business that she's working on growing.  If you wish to check out her website or learn more about her business, you can view it here: She Writes On Water 

 Many thanks! 🙂