Day 13- December 13, 2024

Day 13

...the liberating art of letting go

Welcome to Day THIRTEEN of our A-Z+ of Seasonal Sanity Savers – 2024.

Today’s marvellous letter is J, and we’re diving into the art of flourishing joyfully this festive season. So ‘Joy‘ seems only appropriate – but not the big, grand moments but the small, quiet sparks that light you up from the inside.

Make a list of the things that truly bring you joy. Keep it personal: think of cosy moments, favourite treats, or solitary walks that recharge your soul. Once you have your list, choose one thing each day to weave into your festive rhythm.

Maybe it’s a morning tea ritual before the world wakes, or escaping into a good book between gatherings. Joy doesn’t have to be loud; it can be as soft as a sigh of relief when you honour what makes you happiest.

Carry this list with you, peek at it daily, and let it guide you to show up as your truest self, energised and at ease.

Day 11 J 2

And here is beautiful poem from my favourite, Donna Ashworth –

“Joy Chose You”

Joy does not arrive with a fanfare

on a red carpet strewn

with the flowers of a perfect life

joy sneaks in

as you pour a cup of coffee

watching the sun

hit your favourite tree

just right

and you usher joy away

because you are not ready for her

your house is not as it should be

for such a distinguished guest

but joy, you see

cares nothing for your messy home,

or your bank balance

or your waistline

joy is supposed to slither through

the cracks of your imperfect life

that’s how joy works

you cannot truly invite her

you can only be ready

when she appears

and hug her with meaning

because in this very moment

joy chose you.

Quietly, and joyfully yours,
-Joanna


Tomorrow’s letter is K, any guesses? If you had to pick a positive word starting with K to add to your own festive sanity kit, what would it be? Let’s keep flourishing, one joyful step at a time.

  • 1 minute

Cage Rattler & Bias Shifter – Helping organisations unlock potential by shifting extraversion bias | Coaching quiet leaders | TEDx Speaker |  Trainer | Founder, CEO – Flourishing Introverts | Host – The Flourishing Introvert Talks and (dropping) Pebbles in the Pond | Author – The Flourishing Nudge  | Co-Flourisher, Co-Founder – Intent to Flourish

Day 12- December 12, 2024

Day 12

...kindness starts with YOU!

Welcome to Day TWELVE of our A-Z+ of Seasonal Sanity Savers – 2024.

I present to you today, the letter K, and let us sprinkle kindfulness into our festive toolkit.

Flourishing during this season doesn’t just mean being kind to others – it starts with being tender with yourself.

Kindfulness is the beautiful blend of kindness and mindfulness, and it invites you to pause, reflect, and soften towards yourself.

I recommend checking out the 3-Ways to Practice Kindfulness by Dr. David Hamilton, based on which I suggest that you take a moment each day to take a deep breath and repeat this to yourself:

May I be happy.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be at ease

Then ask, “How can I be mindfully kind to myself today?”

Day 12 K 1

Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to say no, indulging in a guilt-free nap, or simply letting go of perfection.

If so inclined, you could then wish these things for others, first a specific person and then all sentient beings. That’s real kindfulness.

Practice kindfulness as a daily ritual and notice how it transforms not only your relationship with yourself but also how you engage with the festive season, how you can feel calmer, more centered, and unapologetically you.

Tomorrow’s letter is L, any guesses what it will bring?

If you could pick a word starting with L to add to your sanity kit, what would it be? Let’s keep flourishing, one kind and mindful moment at a time.

Quietly, and kindly yours,
-Joanna

  • 1 minute

Cage Rattler & Bias Shifter – Helping organisations unlock potential by shifting extraversion bias | Coaching quiet leaders | TEDx Speaker |  Trainer | Founder, CEO – Flourishing Introverts | Host – The Flourishing Introvert Talks and (dropping) Pebbles in the Pond | Author – The Flourishing Nudge  | Co-Flourisher, Co-Founder – Intent to Flourish

Day 11 – December 11, 2024

Day 11

...the art of flourishing joyfully

Welcome to Day ELEVEN of our A-Z+ of Seasonal Sanity Savers – 2024.

Today’s marvellous letter is J, and we’re diving into the art of flourishing joyfully this festive season. So ‘Joy‘ seems only appropriate – but not the big, grand moments but the small, quiet sparks that light you up from the inside.

Make a list of the things that truly bring you joy. Keep it personal: think of cosy moments, favourite treats, or solitary walks that recharge your soul. Once you have your list, choose one thing each day to weave into your festive rhythm.

Maybe it’s a morning tea ritual before the world wakes, or escaping into a good book between gatherings. Joy doesn’t have to be loud; it can be as soft as a sigh of relief when you honour what makes you happiest.

Carry this list with you, peek at it daily, and let it guide you to show up as your truest self, energised and at ease.

Day 11 J 2

And here is beautiful poem from my favourite, Donna Ashworth –

“Joy Chose You”

Joy does not arrive with a fanfare

on a red carpet strewn

with the flowers of a perfect life

joy sneaks in

as you pour a cup of coffee

watching the sun

hit your favourite tree

just right

and you usher joy away

because you are not ready for her

your house is not as it should be

for such a distinguished guest

but joy, you see

cares nothing for your messy home,

or your bank balance

or your waistline

joy is supposed to slither through

the cracks of your imperfect life

that’s how joy works

you cannot truly invite her

you can only be ready

when she appears

and hug her with meaning

because in this very moment

joy chose you.

Quietly, and joyfully yours,
-Joanna


Tomorrow’s letter is K, any guesses? If you had to pick a positive word starting with K to add to your own festive sanity kit, what would it be? Let’s keep flourishing, one joyful step at a time.

  • 1 minute

Cage Rattler & Bias Shifter – Helping organisations unlock potential by shifting extraversion bias | Coaching quiet leaders | TEDx Speaker |  Trainer | Founder, CEO – Flourishing Introverts | Host – The Flourishing Introvert Talks and (dropping) Pebbles in the Pond | Author – The Flourishing Nudge  | Co-Flourisher, Co-Founder – Intent to Flourish

Day 10 – December 10, 2024

Day 10

...Our intuition is our inner compass

Welcome to Day TEN of our A-Z+ of Seasonal Sanity Savers – 2024.

Today’s letter is I : inviting us to flourish with Intuition!

Your intuition is like an inner compass, quietly guiding you towards choices that align with your heart, mind, and body. During the festive season, when life is often noisy and bustling, pause to check in with yourself.

That niggling feeling when a commitment feels “off” or the spark of excitement when something feels just right – those are your inner signals speaking. Before saying yes to plans or decisions, take a moment to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and tune in. What feels true? What feels peaceful? Trust your gut – it’s wiser than you think.

Let your intuition lead the way as you navigate the festivities. If you sense the need for rest, honour it. If a particular gathering feels energising, enjoy it wholeheartedly. Maybe your intuition nudges you to step outside for a breath of crisp winter air or quietly excuse yourself from company that’s draining your energy.

Dec 10 Intuition

So through the days ahead, just take 5-10 seconds to notice what your gut is saying. It may not make logical sense but it’s usually correct.

Small acts of listening to yourself can make all the difference in helping you show up authentically while safeguarding your well-being.

“Intuition is reason in a hurry.” – Holbrook Jackson


Tomorrow, we’re moving on to J – any guesses for the word? If you had to pick a word starting with J for your festive sanity kit, what would it be?

Quietly, and intuitively yours,
-Joanna

  • 1 minute

Cage Rattler & Bias Shifter – Helping organisations unlock potential by shifting extraversion bias | Coaching quiet leaders | TEDx Speaker |  Trainer | Founder, CEO – Flourishing Introverts | Host – The Flourishing Introvert Talks and (dropping) Pebbles in the Pond | Author – The Flourishing Nudge  | Co-Flourisher, Co-Founder – Intent to Flourish

Day 09 – December 09, 2024

Day 09

...Honesty is the anchor

Welcome to Day NINE of our A-Z+ of Seasonal Sanity Savers – 2024.

Today, we meet the letter ‘H’, and I have chosen ‘Honesty’ as the Sanity Saver word for today. To me, it begins with being honest to ourselves – festive season or not?

Honesty is the anchor at this time of year for we introverts, as we sail on the good ship ‘Noisy Exuberance’ surrounded by festive jingles and non-stop activity. I could pretty much share an ‘adherence list’ to try out –

1. Start by being honest with yourself about your capacity, needs, and your priorities.
2. Be honest about agreeing to attend events you only really want to be part of.
3. Be honest about politely declining the ones that feel overwhelming.
4. Choose to assess your energy needs before making social commitments.
5. Be honest with the host about how long you can stay, without being apologetic.

What I am saying is that you give yourself permission to honour what feels right for you. Setting realistic expectations for yourself can prevent burnout and help you navigate the season with more ease.

Dec 9 Honesty

Honesty with others is just as important. Communicate your needs clearly and kindly, whether it’s letting someone know you’ll arrive a bit later, or that you can only stay for an hour. When you express yourself authentically, you allow others to adjust their expectations and respect your boundaries. Simple but honest communication without over explanation.

Here’s one to avoid though – the so-called brutal honesty. This can slip past our politeness filter when we’re overwhelmed or worse. So, even more reason to look after your needs.

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So, tomorrow’s letter is ‘I’ – go deep within and guess what the I will be? Well, I guess I gave that away didn’t I?

– —

Quietly, and honestly yours,
-Joanna

  • 1 minute

Cage Rattler & Bias Shifter – Helping organisations unlock potential by shifting extraversion bias | Coaching quiet leaders | TEDx Speaker |  Trainer | Founder, CEO – Flourishing Introverts | Host – The Flourishing Introvert Talks and (dropping) Pebbles in the Pond | Author – The Flourishing Nudge  | Co-Flourisher, Co-Founder – Intent to Flourish

Day 08 – December 08, 2024

Day 08

...using the power of being grounded

Welcome to Day EIGHT of our A-Z+ of Seasonal Sanity Savers – 2024.

My aim is to achieve a certain degree of balance in this festive season, so today’s letter ‘G’ is about being Grounded. To me it is about using the power of feeling centered and balanced during the whole season, as things only get louder around us.

While for extraverts the wild, noisy merriment is their energy maker, for me finding a way to stay grounded is the festive superpower for my sanity and joy.

It begins with finding a routine practice that helps you find your centre, irrespective of all the distracting noise around. Taking a few moments every day to do breathing exercises – slow, deep and calming breaths which . To find the calm and to be present in the quiet moments and space amid all the chaos around.

Trust me, it could be something as simple as making a warm cup of tea in a quiet corner or watching the twinkling lights from your window, at a safe distance from the noise and hecticness. Little, conscious choices to make the season less chaotic and more manageable.

SSS 2024 Photos

This allows you to tune into your emotional being, regulating your feelings to work for you and protecting you from feeling overwhelmed. A little proactive self-care action, a much needed one indeed.

As Danna Faulds suggests

“Here. Right here, right now, bring your mind to this place and time.
Invite it, even if it resists, to sit and witness what it is to be alive.
Let there be no ulterior motive in this moment but to be.
Rest on the waves of breath and choose to experience all of it.
Let thoughts float through and leave again, as the mind slowly settles like snow inside a shaken paperweight.
This is all there is.
Here. Right here and now.”

For me, staying grounded is about minimising the chaos I expose myself to, and the anxiety that comes with it by intentionally balancing it with a calm, centered state of being. That’s the way to navigate the festive season authentically as you, while choosing the moments of reconnection with self.

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Tomorrow we dive into the letter ‘H’. What would you choose ‘H’ to be about?
—

If you are just joining us or missed any of the Season Sanity Savers 2024, fret not – you can get them all right here.

Quietly, and calmly yours,
-Joanna

  • 2 minutes

Cage Rattler & Bias Shifter – Helping organisations unlock potential by shifting extraversion bias | Coaching quiet leaders | TEDx Speaker |  Trainer | Founder, CEO – Flourishing Introverts | Host – The Flourishing Introvert Talks and (dropping) Pebbles in the Pond | Author – The Flourishing Nudge  | Co-Flourisher, Co-Founder – Intent to Flourish