In honor of keeping things simple, here are five genuinely EASY ways to slow down this holiday season and bring in more of what you want and love this time of year:

1. Enjoy five minutes in silence imagining what a joyful holiday would look like. It doesn’t have to be something you try to actualize. Get into the experience and fill it with detail. What are the sights, sounds, and sensations you are after? As part of that five minutes, jot down anything that comes to you after this time in quiet imagination.

2. Cross things off your list - NOT your to-do list! Edit down anything that feels unnecessary and then some things that aren’t filling you up, bringing you joy or that are “shoulds” rather than wants or needs. Create more meaning in your life by choosing with thoughtful intention. 

3. Do you bake and cook a lot for other people this season? Choose a recipe just for yourself and make it with love as a token of appreciation for yourself. The bonus is in sharing it with others, but this treat is meant just for you!

4. Share a tradition or memory with a friend, and ask them to share one with you. Have a conversation about the holidays and what joyful and poignant memories are stirred during this time. Maybe you get to share about your favorite family Hanukkah memory that you haven’t thought of in a while. Maybe you are inspired by another friend’s special traditions. Perhaps you can even grieve together for the memories that conjure pain or loss.

5. Make a note to yourself one year from now. We have these fancy devices capable of keeping notes and alerting us whenever we like. In the note, detail how you’d like to be spending the holiday next year and what you’d like to focus on next time around. You can learn a lot from yourself!