Being Present For The Holidays

“Don’t let a mad world tell you that success is anything other than a successful present moment.” - Eckhart Tolle

If you are anything like me, the holidays are a very stressful time of year. From what I remember it's supposed to be full of cheer. I am happy to say this year compared to the past ten years will probably be the best year I have ever had for the Christmas holidays. 

10 years ago I suffered a major mental breakdown in my life. This is the first time I'm saying this out loud, ( besides doctors and close family). Which led me on a path of searching for a fix for my "issues" that I didn't really understand. Of course, I saw a Psychiatrist, and I took and still take medications. But I knew that would not be enough for me to be whole again. To make a long blog short, this path led me to become "The Self-Proclaimed Solitary Buddhist", and this blog. Buddhist practices seemed to help with a lot of the issues I was dealing with. Slow at first, it took years. I wasn't leaving my room, and I wouldn't visit with my family. 

No matter what chaos the world around you seems to be in. You still have the power of this present moment. STOP and take a deep breath in, hold it in for just a second and breathe out. 

2022 is almost over and as we head into 2023 if you have been lucky enough to find your path, good luck to you. If you are still searching for your path, don't give up. You might have to try many different paths until you find the one for you, but the key is "action" you have to try. I know sounds simple. But not always easy.