Nov 08 2023 36 mins
Whoa, the holidays are here already and the pressures can be real. In today's episode, my guest Sue Moore Donaldson, and I explore how to drop some of the baggage around what we expect of ourselves and others when it comes to holiday festivities.
As an author, podcaster and public speaker, Sue uses her own experiences to help us relax around our imperfections. That can be, and often is, the first step in moving through the holidays with less stress and more joy. Through her faith base as a follower of Christ, she encourages us to surrender our own demands on ourselves to God and go with the reality of what is instead of always reaching for what used to be. Having God in the driver's seat of our lives as well as our holidays, we can let go of the outcome, that probably will not be perfect, and just enjoy the activities.
Sue has a great sense of humor and uses that interwoven with wisdom and authenticity to share personal stories and experiences. Very few people do not relate to the types of stories Sue gives us to reflect upon and identify with in our own lives.
She gives some great ideas on how to de-stress our holidays and make them more enjoyable for us and others, including:
Being real by accepting our limitations with time, resources, etc.
Surrendering our will to God (a practice that takes time).
Allowing others to use their own creativity and contribute to the meal or festivities.
Not feeling guilty if we cannot meet the expectations of others.
There are many other hints on de-stressing on her website and to connect with her there, just go to https://welcomeheart.com. Have a look at her resources.
And as a special resource for our listeners, she has supplied some valuable information at these links:
https://welcomeheart.myflodesk.com/ecd7a865-232d-4c6d-ae6e-352f0f60334e
https://welcomeheart.com/laura-padgett-sue-donaldson
The website for Stephen Ray Watts and the band Dotsero https://dotseroband.com
The website to connect with Laura Padgett https://lauralpadgett.com