What does grace mean to you? How do you show yourself grace and compassion during the busy holiday season, marked with high expectations and frantic schedules? How do you show up for your family when you’re stressed?Full disclosure here: I can get stuck in an unhealthy cycle of trying to plan the perfect Pinterest-worthy holiday, complete with Facebook comparisons and unrealistic expectations. These ridiculous standards hold me captive, but yet all I seem to see are my friends’ big, beautiful, nicely manicured houses overflowing with decorations and fancy gifts and I am overcome with shame. Shame that tells me I am not enough and not giving my children enough to make memories of abundance.
In our struggle to make everything picture perfect, we can lose our way.
In my life, when I take the time to practice self-compassion, an act of true grace, I can step outside of the unkind thoughts in my head. Thoughts that limit me and who I am for my family, my community, and the world at large. Grace doesn’t require us to sit in fear and social comparison. Grace is self-compassion in action.
Grace is about acceptance, compassion, love, and understanding. Grace gives us the space to learn, grow, make mistakes, and love ourselves and others with abundance.
Grace helps me remember that my love and my husband’s love is all my children need. But it’s more than that. My children also need a mother who understands and is confident in herself. A woman of grace. Sure, grace for her children, but more importantly, for herself.
In the act of grace, you are giving your children one of the greatest gifts – to see true acceptance and self-compassion modeled in an authentic way.
I’ve written about self-compassion before and in fact, I believe that self-compassion matters more and is the basis for compassion for others. (I also want to note that grace is a choice you have to make each day.)
So I want to invite you to join me this holiday season. I challenge you to practice grace for yourself. Know that you are worthy and good and beautiful just as you are…and that in this work of kindness, you will find more grace available to others as well. I also hope you’ll encourage your friends and family to do the same. Reminders of our gifts (far greater than just material possessions) can help us all see that our lives have deep meaning and worth. And isn’t that what this season is all about?
Here’s to more grace in the world, starting with us. An important gift to all.
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