3 Holiday Gifts Just for You

• Sara, from Institute of HeartMath

Deborah, I and all of us at HeartMath wish all of you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and wonderful new year. Remember to take some time to connect with your heart during the hustle and bustle and to breathe and flow with ease.

As you scurry from shop to shop in search of the perfect gifts for friends, loved ones and colleagues, it’s nice to know that relying on your intuition and a little heart coherence will guide you in the right direction. Before setting out to shop, give yourself the first gift.

#1 -Prevent the Frazzle

Take a few moments to calm and center yourself. You can use HeartMath’s Inner-Ease™ Technique; and when you are out and about you use the 30-second Quick Coherence® Technique – anywhere – to put things in their proper perspective.

#2 – Replace Something Old With Something New

How about giving you a unique holiday gift that will also prepare you for the new year by replacing something old with something new – within.

Begin by asking your heart’s intuition to make you aware of some emotional habit pattern or behavior that you would like to change. Here are some examples:

• Procrastination –- Putting off medical check-ups, exercise, other healthy commitments, etc.
• Vulnerable Communication — Maybe you need to communicate your feelings more often when something bothers you; this prevents storing up judgments and hurt which create energy drain and separation.

These are two examples that most of us experience at times. Ask your intuition to reveal a non-effective habit that you could change and replace with a positive strength. Give it time and your intuitive feelings will alert you when the “just right situation” pops up.

Once you decide what emotional pattern you want to change; then write it down. Also write down your new replacement intention — such as replacing impatience with patience. Make the process fun — like an experiment. This keeps the drama and heaviness out of the practice, making it much easier to succeed.

#3 Don’t Make it a Big Deal

When you catch yourself repeating a pattern you want to change, just acknowledge it and breathe the feeling of ease for a while. This will calm the mental and emotional vibration of the pattern. Then, from your genuine heart, shift into the new replacement attitude or behavior that you chose. Repeat the process each time the old pattern pops up. Be patient and respect that some emotional habits take longer to change but you will see progress — as your heart commitment strengthens.

Important Note:

At times if it seems too hard to shift the old patterns or feelings — don’t stress over it or judge yourself – don’t make it a big deal. Just acknowledge it, then move on and visit it later when the energy has subsided. It soon becomes easier to identify unwanted feelings and attitudes and replace them. Remember it’s a gift you are giving to you, but your friends and loved ones also will benefit.

We hope you will gain as much from opening these gifts for you as Deborah and I have gained from using them. Sharing your comments and stories will be a holiday gift to others and inspiration for the new year.