Take a real break this holiday season

As the holiday season approaches, people are busy with shopping, travel plans, etc. As compared to earlier, Christmas and New Year are now celebrated with gusto.

Aside from the commercial angle, the brightly decorated malls with Christmas trees and bright lights spread cheer and goodwill around. With all the happy buzz - the carnivals, good weather, and more – the holiday season draws us in to the hullabaloo.

It’s a great reminder of the spirit of togetherness and brings forth the need to connect with our loved ones who give us a sense of belonging. The busy lives that we all lead – work, travel, daily chores, etc., can leave us overwhelmed and exhausted with no time to de-stress. So, this time of the year gives us an opportunity to rejuvenate whether it’s going for a holiday or just taking a break.

Today 30 is the new 40 because of the pressures that an individual has on himself/herself, and, though the life span has increased thanks to modern science, the age of those getting affected by heart diseases has reduced!

This is a good time to pause and take a break from the rat race - whether it's spending time with family, exercising, reading, pursuing something you're passionate about or just taking some quiet time.

It’s also a good time to take stock of the year gone by, your achievements and failures, things done and things that are pending; to review your goals and recount the things that give you satisfaction; to chalk out a plan for the year ahead; and to do the things you’ve always wanted to do.

And this is not just in terms of material goals; it also includes goals of self-growth and relationships, social and spiritual growth, acquiring new skills that you may want to learn, and what you have done for yourself and for others.

Wishing all of you happy holidays!

(Poonam Srivastava is a Delhi based writer who has published books and articles on subjects of social innovation and practical spirituality. She also actively volunteers her time to promote causes related to these spheres.)

(Atika Singh is a post graduate in Counseling Psychology from Amity Institute of Behavioral & Allied Sciences and graduate in History from Delhi University. She has been actively involved in the emotional counseling space; and is passionate about empowering individuals to deal with their personal and professional issues, and achieve greater success. She is a certified Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner.)