Hi, I’m Regina Sloan, a local life coach with a passion for helping people create meaningful lives right here in our city.
I’ve dedicated my work to guiding people through understanding their emotions, setting clear goals and creating the mindset that leads to growth and an amazing life experience.
Essentially, I coach everyone on everything. Every person has goals, and I help them reach those goals. I’m grateful to be part of the Indianapolis Recorder, and through my monthly column, we’ll explore ways to approach everyday challenges and elevate your life, no matter where you’re at.
With the holiday season upon us, it’s the perfect time to discuss how to experience more joy and less stress. Below are simple yet powerful tips to jump into the holiday season intentionally and truly create the presence you’re looking for.
- Create a holiday vision: Take a few moments to visualize the experience you want this holiday season. What truly matters to you? Whether it’s more quality family time, relaxation or simply staying balanced amid the hustle, decide what you want it to look like.
- Set boundaries early: What are your non-negotiables? What are those stressors that you want to eliminate? I decided years ago that I would no longer drag my family of six from house-to-house on Thanksgiving Day. There is no wrong way to do your holiday season, but setting boundaries will help ensure you have the experience you’re wanting. If you know downtime is important to your family, decide ahead of time when that will be. And remember, a boundary isn’t a boundary unless you follow through on it.
- Celebrate local joys: It’s the perfect time to search google, Facebook events, local Instagram handles or check-in with friends to see what festivities you and your family could participate in to take full advantage of this seasonal moment. If you want to give back to our community, sign up to volunteer for your favorite local organizations. Engaging in our community can be very fulfilling as we work to combat the commercialized aspect of the holiday season.
- You don’t have to feel alone just because you’re alone: Not everyone has a circle of close friends and family to spend the holidays with. Often this can lead to depression during the holiday season. But you don’t have to feel alone if you don’t want to. Being alone and feeling alone are two separate things. If you plan to spend the holidays alone, think of creative ways to engage with yourself. Create a list of activities you’d like to do simply because you enjoy them or are curious about them. If you are alone but would like to be around others, consider volunteering, going to many of the networking events promoted on social media, Meet-up, Eventbrite or the online networking space, Alignable. Consider reaching out to people you know and seeing if there is room at their table. It may be vulnerable, but oftentimes people are more welcoming than we think, and on the other side of vulnerability are countless opportunities to build true connections. If we want a different experience, we must take different actions. Being alone during the holiday season is perfectly okay if that’s what you prefer — but if not, there are plenty of ways to connect and enjoy the season.
Whether you’re planning big family gatherings or chill nights at home, remember to create the holiday season you truly want. I look forward to guiding you each month with tips on living intentionally.
Here’s to a peaceful and meaningful season for you and your family!
Regina Sloan is a Life Coach dedicated to helping people break through barriers and create lasting change. Reach her at info@reginasloancoaching.com; FB- Regina Sloan Coaching; IG @Yourmindsetnurse.
