The December Survival Tool Kit

Even when living a Simple Life, all of the preparations that lead up to a holiday can be hectic and exhausting. Yes, you’ve done everything you can think of to make it easier. You’ve scaled back, delegated, planned carefully, have created quite a few handmade gifts, and the cookie dough is in the freezer, just waiting to be baked. But there is still a lot to do. 

It’s easy to feel ‘scattered and stretched’ instead of ‘merry and bright’ during this time. But there is a way you can twinkle more. In order to do that, you need to set aside roughly an hour, and do some ‘pre-holiday’ preparation, and assemble a December Survival Tool Kit. Listen in to see what that is, and the fun things you can add to it! 

Transcript

It’s almost as if someone dropped the flag and the starting gates slammed open. The race is now on, the course will take around three weeks to complete, and the finish line is a celebration filled with twinkling lights, delicious food, and people we love.  We call it Christmas Day. Although it’s a goal well worth striving for, it’s that 3-week course that has us wondering if we’ll reach the finish line too tired to enjoy it. 

Even when living a Simple Life, all of the preparations that lead up to a holiday can be hectic and exhausting. Yes, you’ve done everything you can think of to make it easier. You’ve scaled back, delegated, planned carefully, created quite a few handmade gifts, and the cookie dough is in the freezer, just waiting to be baked. But there is still a lot to do. 

It’s easy to feel ‘scattered and stretched’ instead of ‘merry and bright’ during this time. But there is a way you can twinkle more. In order to do that, you need to set aside roughly an hour, and do some ‘pre-holiday’ preparation, and assemble a December Survival Tool Kit. 

A December Survival Tool Kit is a collection of simple items, practices, and mindsets designed to help you through the season. Think of it as a gentle reminder to pause, breathe and focus on what is most important during the holiday season. It won’t cost you much, if anything at all. You probably have almost everything you need, and at least one item may be found in your backyard.

To create a December Survival Tool Kit, the first thing you need is a box or container to hold everything that goes in it. This can be a shoebox, plastic storage container, or anything you choose. You can even go so far as to decorate it to make it more fun.

Now for the contents. 

The first item you’ll add to your box is Breathing Exercise Cards. Breathing exercises have been shown to help not only regulate your heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, but also increase your levels of relaxation, alertness, and comfort. They can also help to offset anxiety, stress, and confusion. 

All you need for these cards is a piece of paper, scissors, and a pen. Cut your paper into cards approximately the size of a business card. Then on each one, write down a different breathing exercise. Here are a few you can use: 

Box Breathing – this requires you to inhale for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold that exhale for 4 seconds. Then repeat it 3 more times. 

The 5-5-5 Breath follows the same pattern, only do each one 5 times, and repeat for 3 to 5 times. 

The 3 Minute Pause – this one literally takes 3 minutes. For the first minute, do nothing but focus on your breathing. For the next 2 minutes, focus on relaxing your entire body – from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. 

Another great breathing exercise is often called Visualization Breathing. With each deep breath you take, visualize something that is calming to you. For me, it would be sitting by my pond, watching the ripples in the water or any wildlife that happens to stop in for a drink. For you it may be watching the waves roll over a beach, a fire crackling inside a remote mountain cabin or listening to the rain. It doesn’t have to be a literal vision you see every day, just something that is pleasing and calming to you.

There are many more breathing and relaxation exercises you can add to your cards. Just think of what works best to help you relax and write it down. You can have just a handful of cards to help you through the most stressful days, or 26 of them – one for each day in December, plus a bonus card to help you through the clean-up process the day after Christmas.

The next item in your December Survival Tool Kit is a simple stone or token which will serve as a grounding reminder to focus on gratitude – not the chaos surrounding you. When things get really stressful, simply pick up and hold the stone or token, and begin to count your blessings. 

Now it’s time to get your paper, scissors and pens back out. You’ll be creating a set of Me Coupons. For each slip of paper, think about simple things you may like to have that will help you re-charge. This can be a coupon for an extra 15 minutes during your Afternoon Tea, a soothing bubble bath, a quiet walk, having coffee with a friend, or even time to indulge in a cup of hot chocolate and stand by the window watching the snow fall. 

But just so you know – these cards aren’t optional. Instead, when you pull one out, consider them non-negotiable activities. After all, we do need to take care of ourselves during the busyness of the holidays in order to keep running the race. 

The next item for your December Survival Tool Kit can be something you make or purchase especially for your kit, or you can find something you already have. It’s a Go-To Cozy Item, such as a pair of warm socks, a handmade scarf you created just for your Survival Tool Kit, or both. Using these items can give you a sense of warmth and comfort. Just slip them on or wrap them around you and settle in for a quiet moment. And when that quiet moment is over, place the items back in the box. Remember, you want to associate the item with the comfort and stress reducing purpose of your overall survival. You don’t want them to become lost, or just another pair of socks. 

This next item for your Kit is actually a kit within a kit – it’s called a Digital Detox. All you need is a plastic bag. Set aside at least one or two designated times during the day, turn off or silence your phone or small electrical devices – including the earbuds. Slip them in the bag and place the bag securely in the box. Then close the lid and walk away. Phones and small electrical devices, such as iPads, can be a distraction, and can keep us from accomplishing what we set out to do. Doing this can also help us connect better with those around us and focus on what is most important. 

The remaining items in your December Survival Box are all items that represent comfort, peace, and relaxation. It can be a candle with a favorite scent. It can be packets of hot chocolate mix and a favorite mug, or a tea kit that contains tea bags, a teacup and saucer. You could also write down a list of favorite songs and create a Survival playlist. If cooking and baking are one of your relaxing go-tos, then add a favorite recipe. If handcrafts help you to reduce stress, add a ball of yarn and a crochet hook, or any supplies for your favorite craft. 

You can also add a small notebook and call it your Survival Kit Reflection Journal. The act of writing can help you to focus on gratitude, the beauty of the world around you, your hopes and dreams for the season, and may even bring clarity.

Once you’ve created your December Survival Tool Kit, place it in an easy-to-reach location. When you feel the stress building, then lift off the top and grab one item that you feel will help you get through the moment. 

Now for what you do NOT want in your Survival Kit. Do not add a copy of your list of things to do. Do not add anything that represents the work you still need to do. Don’t place an envelope of ‘emergency cash’ that has been put aside for when you go overbudget – you can stick that in a drawer somewhere else. And don’t let your Holiday Budget get anywhere close to the kit. Your Survival Tool Kit is designed to reduce stress – not add to it!

Having a December Survival Tool Kit may just help you to experience a more simple, joyful, and meaningful holiday.  And after all, our goal is to have a simple holiday where we can embrace the time we have to spend with family, friends, and to celebrate the season. Having a December Survival Tool Kit handy may not only help you survive the busyness of the season but help you to thrive and fully enjoy every moment of the holiday.

If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, please consider supporting the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!

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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.