The Gift of Being Present
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of staying present. Winter break can be a time of restoration and new beginnings. Going home for the holidays can be very joyful and challenging, and not going home for the holidays can also have its own benefits and challenges. Regardless of your holiday plans, we wanted to share some tips on staying grounded and present this holiday season.
Tips for Staying Present
The holiday season comes with a variety of different emotions and experiences. Some might be going home to spend time with loved ones, while others might not be going home at all. Some might feel loved and connected to their family, while others might be grieving or struggling with relationships in their family. Whatever your experience is, we hope you are able to stay present and grounded this holiday season. That through challenging times, you can find gratitude and calm within. Through joyful times, you can immerse yourself in the moment and take it all in. Here are some tips for staying present during the holiday season, regardless of what the holidays may look like for you.
Take time to get grounded and practice self-care.
This can be a journaling practice, meditation practice, breathing exercises, physical exercise, yoga, a gratitude practice, time in nature, a slow meal or cup of tea, playing music, dancing, singing, a warm bath, or even a cold plunge if you dare!
Set some intentions for the holiday season.
Take time to reflect on what things challenge you and what things bring you joy during the holiday season. Make a list of healthy ways to cope with any potential challenges and things you’d like to do to bring you joy. Maybe even come up with a mindset or motto you want to embody this holiday season. Mine is “reflect and restore.”
Put your technology aside.
Set time limits for your devices, or put them out of reach for periods of time. Take in your surroundings, spend intentional time alone or with others, and get into nature - even if it’s just a plant in the backyard or a tree in the neighborhood.
Reach out.
Identify the people in your life that bring calm, that bring love and joy. Even if it’s just one kind person, reach out to them.
We wish you a grounded holiday break and hope you can maintain gratitude and find restoration before heading back into the next quarter!
Written by: Cherrial Odell, Class of 2026
Resources
Stanford Resources
- How To Be Present: An article on how to be present and what that even means. Written by Melina Walling, Stanford Magazine, November 22, 2019.
- Mental Health Resources at Stanford: Your go-to hub for navigating the many mental health and well-being resources at Stanford.
- Office for Religious and Spiritual Life: On-campus office dedicated to accessible religious and spiritual practice with dedicated times to drop in with chaplains to guide, nurture, and enhance spiritual and religious life within the Stanford community.
- Well-Being Coaching: Work with a supportive partner to design your own vision for well-being.