Having come through the busyness of Advent and Christmas, it is normal for us to have spent at least part of our festive season feeling overwhelmed and overtired. We’ve all had energy going into family commitments, work commitments, social commitments, church commitments — it’s a lot! And that’s before we add in some normal, but not always realistic, pressure to make things “picture perfect.”
And here we are: the cards were posted, the halls were decked, the gifts unwrapped, the thank-yous sent, and now that the to-do list is more clean-up than prep, the exhaustion kicks in.
Though our minds can assure us that this is entirely normal, we can so often feel like this is some flaw or deficiency after such a holly jolly season.
It’s when I’m in this space that I remind myself that it is OK to have the post-celebration pause; not a hard stop, but a rest. An opportunity to recharge myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Making time for self-maintenance and self-care is important, and can change the trajectory of exhaustion into one of fulfillment.
Of note: I describe moments of self-maintenance to be those activities that provide a bit of elevated attention to myself: a manicure is hygiene; a gingerbread latte is an opulent piece of nourishment. By contrast, I define self-care as those activities of intentional action to renew my spiritual self. Both maintenance and care are valuable, but with different impact and focus.
God offers opportunity for self-care. God has already given us all things that speak to our souls: those things that we know give us energy, that build our enthusiasm, that serve to spark joy. These things may be different for each of us, and they may change for us depending on the season and situation.
Self-care will respond to the desires in our hearts that God already knows: It may be as simple as an unrushed walk in the neighbourhood; it could be volunteering at the food bank to re-stock shelves; it may be knitting scarves for those without in these cold months. As this restoration of self is based on what has been depleted, however, it is important that we spend time reflecting on what that looks like for ourselves.
I find it easiest to begin with Scripture and prayer, going back to my Creator when I am trying to better understand myself as the created one. In this, I am re-establishing and strengthening my relationship with God. The result of this is making peace with God and with myself, which, of course better allows me to replenish my joy and my natural desire for connection with others. After all, we are designed for community!
So, this season, as we leave the holidays, let us continue to make our days holy: to savour the chance to rest and renew, to return to the source of our joy and our hope, who is always with us, delighting in our journey towards wholeness.
