These past 3 weeks have been a whirlwind for me. A whipping tornado tearing through lists of things to do and leaving behind a debris of pieces that won’t be tended to until next year. Does anyone feel this way? Does this happen to you during the holidays?

My last straw was just yesterday when nothing I planned went right. I was losing my composure and felt I was being tested. I literally asked the universe “Are you testing me right now? Am I failing this test?”

So instead of grimacing and complaining through the rest of my day, I stopped to notice my behavior and current outlook. I closed my eyes, took 10 deep breaths and refocused my attention to what truly is important – my health, the warmth and love of my family and friends, and most importantly the ability and choice to turn my perspective around. I later had a session with my amazing dance teacher and it all melted away. I still had so much on my plate but I knew that huffing and puffing my way through was not helping anyone especially those that I surrounded myself with. Bringing awareness to forefront, regulating my emotions and shifting my perspective changed everything.

If you’ve found yourself in a similar situation, take a pause, breathe, re-center, and remind yourself of all that you have in your life. We have the choice to change our perspective and it only takes a few moments and several deep breaths (as many times as necessary through the day ;)). Despite all that you have to do during this season, embrace the beauty in each moment.