035: The Courage to Find Peace Amid the Chaos During the Holidays

by | Dec 16, 2018 | Podcast

 

Today we discuss overcoming the stress, challenges, and chaos that often accompany us during the holiday season.

 

The majority of us are looking forward to having a really great holiday experience with our loved ones, but this time of year can get pretty stressful. We have so much on our minds and things start to seem rather chaotic.

Will we be able to find a parking space at the mall? Will there be enough money to pay for all of these gifts? Will there be enough time to get everything done? 

In order for us to enjoy our holiday festivities this year, we need to give up two things – our worries and fears. If we clutter our minds with the burden of these negative thoughts, we become engulfed in them and allow them to stack on top of one another. Are you ready to lighten your load this holiday season and find the courage to stay calm amid the chaos?

My guest, Julie Potiker, is an author, attorney, and mindfulness expert who shares mindfulness techniques with the world and teaches people how to rewire their brains for more happiness and resilience in their lives.

She joins me today to explain what mindfulness is and how the practice of being mindful can help us enjoy great experiences on a regular basis. Julie also provides helpful tips and strategies for calming our inner critic, practicing mindful self-compassion, and responding skillfully to stressful situations.

 

We Discuss:

  • Remaining present and enjoying this holiday season amid the chaos going on around us
  • Reconnecting with ourselves and releasing any baggage that’s weighing us down
  • An exercise to help release the worries and fears that create stress and tension
  • Setting the intention to pause and form a skillful response versus a negative reaction
  • The science behind mindfulness and how it rewires our brains for happiness
  • Getting in touch with mindful self-compassion and expressing compassion for others
  • Calming the nagging voice of our “inner critic” and allowing it to become our friend
  • How our core values can be used to provide a course correction if we veer off track
  • 8 tips to help us feel revitalized, empowered, and ready to enjoy a fun-filled holiday season

 

“Set an intention to pause, because if you do, you’ll be able to make a more skillful response.”  –  Julie Potiker

 

About Julie:
Julie Potiker Headshot

Author and mindfulness expert, Julie Potiker, is an attorney who began her serious study and investigation of mindfulness after graduating from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of California, San Diego.

She was trained by Kristin Neff, Christopher Germer, and UCSD as a Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher.

Julie went on to study with Rick Hanson, becoming a graduate of his Positive Neuroplasticity Training Professional Course. She also completed Brené Brown’s Living Brave Semester.

Now, Julie shares these and other mindfulness techniques with the world through her Mindful Methods for Life trainings and her new book: “Life Falls Apart, but You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm In the Midst of Chaos.”

She holds a B.G.S. from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from George Washington University. For more information, visit MindfulMethodsForLife.com.

 

“Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. Keep up a gratitude practice during this holiday season, because anger, frustration, and gratitude can’t exist at the same moment. Gratitude and joy are an anecdote to all of the terrible emotions that you have.”  –  Julie Potiker

 

Check out the video below to watch our interview:

 

Resources Mentioned:

 

Visit TheCourageToChangeEverything.com to pre-order Ken’s new book, The Courage to Change Everything: Strategies and Wisdom to Transform Your Life One Day at a Time

Learn More About Host Ken D. Foster

 

Thanks For Listening!

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