The Advent season is upon us. A time to prepare for the birth of Jesus and to reflect on the journey Mary took before His birth. While the literal definition of the word advent is the arrival of a noteworthy person, event or thing, our faith teaches us that it is a time of preparation and reflection before the birth of our Lord.
Unfortunately, the true meaning of Advent and the Christmas season gets lost amongst the harried preparations the secular world focuses on. The focus on finding the perfect gift, squeezing holiday parties and celebrations in and preparing meals and homes for celebrations can lead not only to losing the true meaning of Advent and the Christmas season but also very unhealthy behaviors.
This year, consider preparing spiritually for the season. Focus on why we celebrate with loved ones and friends and prepare our homes, give gifts, etc. Look for opportunities to share your talents and gifts from God with others. Helping those in need or reaching out to those that have lost loved ones this year can be a great way to bring us all back to what God calls each of us to do. Our world is full of stress, tension and grief and each of us can play a role in helping to promote peace and mend hearts and relationships with others and Christ during this Advent season.
Creating a plan to prepare physically, mentally and spiritually for the Advent season is a great way to remember the true meaning of the season. Tips for a healthy Advent season:
- Plan a few minutes each day to actively choose to quiet your heart and mind and sit, pray and reflect on the true meaning of the season.
- Begin or end each day reading the Bible. There are 24 chapters in the Gospel of Luke, take a few moments each day to read a chapter. If read daily, by the time you get to chapter 24 it will be Christmas Eve!
- Do an emotional inventory before you attend events or while planning out your month. If there is someone or something that does or will cause you stress, consider limiting your exposure or changing your plans accordingly.
- Decide on a few daily health practices to help keep some routine and rhythm to each day. It can be as simple as setting a goal to drink 64 ounces of water each day, consume a certain amount of protein each day, limit alcohol or caffeine intake, or take a 20 minute walk each day.
- Pause and reflect. Emotions run high when we people are stressed or pressured. If you find yourself stressed, pause for a moment and take a few deep breaths before responding. It can help both physically and mentally.
Hopefully by preparing physically, mentally and spiritually in Advent and focusing more on the reason for the season, you can have a more joyous journey towards the Christmas season!
