Our table just before Christmas dinner, with a glimpse at the new paint job.

I love the winter holidays. I really do. I’m blessed with a loving family and a community of terrific friends. At the same time, though, the last part of the year, leading up to Winter Solstice and Christmas is always super-freaking-busy for me.

This year, that was even more true than usual. Along with all the holiday preparations, I was finishing up my new book (a month or so later than I’d originally hoped), planning some new offerings for Feline Dreamers, and taking a biz coaching program. Oh, and giving our home a reboot (de-cluttering, rearranging, and painting the walls). Yikes!

Once the festivities were done and the deadlines were all met, it felt nice to relax into my upgraded space and just be.

This year I’m realizing how much I truly enjoy the time between Christmas and the start of the new calendar year. There’s a certain lull in our usual activities. There’s time for musing and planning and dreaming. The whole world seems to pause and take stock.

Today, there’s snow – the first real snowstorm where I live. We’ve had unusually warm weather here in Maine this fall and early winter, with rain instead of snow. But now the ground is covered in white, and the landscape has that hushed feeling.

There’s still work to do, but my pace feels slower. I’ve built in plenty of time for visioning this week. I’m working on my Shining Life and Shining Biz planners, and writing lists of celebrations from 2015. I’ve chosen my word of the year for 2016, and I’m making exciting plans for the new year.

How about you? Can you slow down and take the time to wrap up the year gone by and plan some juicy, yummy things for the one just about to begin? What would you like 2016 to feel like?

It’s still officially the holiday season, but all the shopping and baking and wrapping is done. It’s okay to slow down and take some time just for you. Enjoy!