Embrace Minimalism During the Holidays: 5 Lessons from Minimalism for a More Meaningful and Less Stressful Holiday Season {Minimalism, Mindfulness} + VIDEO

Embrace Minimalism During the Holidays: Use These 5 Lessons from Minimalism to Create a More Meaningful and Less Stressful Holiday Season This Year!

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Start by watching the video & then read on below to learn more about how you can embrace minimalism during the holidays and enact these strategies inspired by The Whole Cure (affiliate link) to add ease to your holidays!

You can find  more mindfulness guidance, healthy recipes, lifestyle tips and more on my YouTube Channel

The holidays can get busy, tense and overwhelming. There are a lot of expectations, obligations and interactions that must be carefully balanced. Despite this potential overwhelm, the holidays should be a time of simple pleasures, togetherness and shared traditions. 

Mindfulness and minimalism are closely intertwined in their philosophies of becoming more present and focused on what truly matters. Embracing minimalism during the holidays allows you to focus on the true spirit of the season instead of getting caught up in the chaos. 

Looking to the lessons of minimalism during the holidays is one way to become more present and focus on what truly matters. Taking a minimalist approach to the holiday can allow everyone, including the host or cook, to have enough energy to enjoy the meal, company and spirit of the holiday.

Minimalism during the holidays is all about reducing waste and extraneous obligations and limiting what you use or own to only what you need. You can invoke these fundamental principles of minimalism during the holidays to add meaning to your celebrations instead of more.

5 Lessons to add Minimalism during the Holidays and Create a More Meaningful and Less Stressful Holiday Season This Year!

Reflect and Renew

Start by deciding what the holiday means to you and your family and then celebrate that. Reflect back on holidays past and consider what you cherish, what stressed you out and where you ran into your biggest challenges.

Don’t be afraid to let go of traditions that don’t fit your values or to create new ones that suit your current lifestyle. Instead, focus on the sentiments you want to cultivate in your family, home or community this year, and come up with some creative ways to promote those values.

Plan and Prep Efficiently

Take a bit of time to map out your gathering and meal ahead of time. Prioritize one or two special side-dishes and keep the rest streamlined. Consider cooking enough just for the day instead of feeling the need to overprepare and overcook a massive amount of food that may go to waste.

Make a list of all the ingredients you need so you can purchase all of your supplies in one or two shopping trips. Take advantage of any steps you can prep ahead of time. For example, preparing your homemade pumpkin puree a day or two ahead of time.

You can also consider inviting everyone to contribute. Asking someone to bring a dish, someone to arrive early to help you set up or someone to help out with dishwashing duties allows everyone to contribute and reduces the pressure on you to do everything.

Choose High-Quality Ingredients Over High-Quantity

Embracing minimalism does not have to mean you resort to convenience foods and pre-prepared options. Embrace quality over quantity and the holiday meal will feel special without becoming overwhelming. You can still cook from scratch and enjoy a delicious and healthy homemade meal without slaving over a hot stove for days.

High-quality, real-food ingredients are naturally rich in flavor. Fresh, seasonal ingredients don’t require a lot of manipulation or additions. Their flavors can shine all on their own with simple preparation methods like roasting, steaming and finishing with a splash of lemon or enjoying in their raw state. 

Here are some SimplePureWhole real-food focused recipes you might enjoy:

• Plant-Based Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup
• Vegan Honeynut Squash Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies {GF, Vegan, EF, DF, Yeast-Free, NF}
• Crispy Oven-Baked Coconut Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries {Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, Paleo} 
• Fall Action Plan eCookbook with gluten-free Festive Fall Recipes
• Festive Vegan Grain-Free Cranberry Cookies with a Vanilla Drizzle {Paleo, GF, Vegan, EF, DF, Grain-Free, Yeast-Free, NF}
• Autumn Harvest Skillet (Grain-Free, GF, DF, EF, Vegan, Paleo, NF)
• Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan Carrot Cake Coconut Macaroons (GF, EF, NF, Grain-Free, Vegan, Paleo)
• Vegan Cauliflower Apple Walnut Soup with Turmeric (Grain-Free, GF, DF, EF, Vegan, Paleo, Sugar-Free)
• Braised Kale with Apples and Carrots (Grain-Free, GF, DF, EF, Vegan, Paleo, NF)

Focus on the Sentiment of the Holiday

A key aspect of minimalism is focusing in on what matters the most and getting rid of the rest. When it comes to the holidays, narrowing down your obligations allows you to focus on what truly matters to you.

Reigning in the “busyness” of the holidays give s you a chance to savor the moments with loved ones, make meaningful traditions and reflect on all that you are grateful for.

No matter how you choose to commemorate the holiday, do it with a thankful heart. Look beyond the superficial and find the heart and soul of the day for you. Keep it positive and count your blessings to keep yourself grounded in the present.

Use this Thanksgiving gratitude ritual to cultivate appreciation during the holiday and all year round!

Unwind and Look Inward Instead of Looking Outward

The holidays can be a great chance to start to unwind and look inward instead of getting exhausted and overwhelmed. Embracing minimalism involves following a simple life plan that resonates with your values. Use the holiday weekend to unwind instead of getting caught up in a shopping frenzy or being swayed by outside expectations.

During this season of Thanksgiving and all year long, it is nice to remember those things for which we are grateful instead of allowing yourself to get caught up in the negative or what is lacking. 

As you approach the holiday gift-giving season, consider simplifying your gift-giving traditions or giving non-material gifts like your time or talents. Kindness and charity are underrated gifts that bring a longer-lasting and greater reward for both the giver and recipient.

Take a minimalistic and mindful approach by focusing on experiences over possessions. Unlike material possessions, experiences, especially those shared with those you love, can’t be taken away and have eternal value.

How are you embracing a more mindful minimalistic holiday season?

What are you thankful for this year?

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This post was shared with: Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop