Christmas, Control & Letting Go

This is your Saturday morning email arriving two days early and so, whilst I’m thinking of it, there won't be a Saturday morning interruption to your peace this week, because I’ll be asleep, sadly not curled up with some beautiful blond or brunette or a raven haired beauty, but all on my tod, but I’m working on that! So, as I’m sure you know, I normally get up early every Saturday morning in time to press the email 'Launch' button, sharp at 6.00am, *this weeks its a Saturday off.

*In case you happen to be living in the last century, or are just not very IT literate, fear not, this part of the story is just my fantasy, as we have technology now that does this all for us at predetermined times, so I’m sorry that if, like the absence of Santa Clause, this has burst a bubble.

Now, I’ve just had an interesting email from Julia Samuel (The Therapy Works) that I thought you might find interesting. I seem to remember last Christmas mentioning something along these lines, and it's about family dynamics at Christmas time.  Or any time when a large group of people get together in a space that's actually far too small for them, and once there, they are all required to be HAPPY or worse, JOLLY, and all done in 'the Proscribed Family Way'. Yes, it’s not surprising that it can all go horribly wrong.  

Paraphrased, this is what she suggests to avoid upset.

"So much of what causes friction in families isn’t really about what’s happening on the surface. It’s about control.
When we’re tired, stretched, or holding everything together, a small voice can appear that says this is the right way. It shows up in ordinary moments, how something is cooked, who does what, the order things should happen in. They look insignificant, but they’re often carrying something much deeper.

What seems to ease things is moving away from needing to be right, and towards what Julia Samuel calls collaborative power. Not someone winning, not someone giving in, but people thinking together. Listening. Allowing different voices to exist in the same space.

This isn’t about abandoning your needs or values. It’s about loosening the grip just enough for others to matter too. When that happens, families often soften. The atmosphere changes. And instead of pulling against each other, there’s a quiet sense of being on the same side again. Teamwork"

So, if anything here sounds familiar, I hope that Julia's words may be a help.

Online Deliveries
Our warehouse team cleared all outstanding orders yesterday (Christmas Eve), so when they return on Monday the 29th they'll begin sending out any orders placed over the Christmas period.  But .... if you need your delivery before New Year's Day, then to be certain, I'd advise choosing 'Next Day' delivery and do so before our official cut off, which is 3pm on Monday the 29th Dec.  

In case you get bored (or are lucky enough to receive Art of Living vouchers today) 
To keep my more commercial colleagues happy, I’ll mention that Le Creuset have just sent us a new, one-off colour for our Winter Sale called Lapis. I really can't think that you are going to be interested in it in anyway, this morning of all mornings. But here’s a link in case I’m wrong. It's about 30% off RRP.

Otherwise.....

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

With the warmest of warm Christmas wishes from us to you.

Andrew & all of us here at Art of Living