As this year draws to a close, I – like many of you – have been contemplating what I want for Christmas.

What I am clear about is that I don’t need or want any more stuff. I have spent the past 6 months decluttering my space and my life so to fill it up again with more stuff is just not on … for me.

So what do I want?

I want peace and quiet.
I want to sit in the shade with a good book and no noise and just BE quiet.
I want to wake to the sound of birds rather than heavy road working machinery or leaf blowers or chainsaws or motorbikes or traffic.
I want to sink into the silence at the end of the day and feel quiet inside.
I want space to just BE without having to do anything in particular.
I want stillness and calm.

For the holidays, I am going away with my extended family to the south coast. There will be more than a dozen of us together for the Christmas week. There will be the usual cooking and preparation and gift wrapping and beach going and talking and laughing and just hanging out. Lots of fun and lots of energy and lots of people (and some animals too).

So how am I going to get what I want for Christmas?

Simple … I get to choose.
It’s my choice whether I experience peace or not.
It’s my choice to go to the coast with the family and it’s my choice how that is for me.
It’s my choice to feel quiet inside even when there is noise outside.

As for the silence … I have some earplugs so I can shut out the noise.
Or I can choose to let it wash over me without reacting.
It’s always my choice.