Holidays can be triggering, regardless of the type of recovery you are working towards. Whether you’re just starting along the path to recovery or have been traveling that journey for some time, the tension that sometimes accompanies the holiday season can prove an obstacle. The ability to find peace at this time of year may seem difficult, if not downright impossible.
For a long time, I was more familiar with chaos than with peace. My journey was fraught with angst and pain to the extent that I became comfortable there, so much so that peace would elicit fear.
Peace, you see, was uncharted territory. The map of my journey had never been there before. I couldn’t see what was beyond the frayed edges of my life.
Finding peace, though, is possible. For me, it started with a feeling of curiosity. I found myself wondering if I would ever know what peace felt like. I’d wonder if I’d find it before I reached the heavens. Questions filled my mind. What message would my body send me so I would know I was feeling peace? Would I feel elation? Quiet? Would it just be the absence of all the other angst I was feeling?
I know the exact day I felt peace and named it for the very first time. My body was calm, my breath slow, my awareness on nature and my mind empty. At that moment, the map of my journey expanded to a new horizon, one that I wanted to continue exploring.
Finding peace is possible for you too. Whether it’s making yourself the priority this holiday season, acknowledging what triggers you, knowing your boundaries, or recognizing the signals your body is giving you, you can find ways to stay grounded and avoid overextending yourself and sacrificing your personal needs. The holiday season can be one filled with pain, loneliness, and sorrow. But it can also be one filled with peace. If you’re longing to find the latter, please contact us. We are always here to help.
