I’m sharing this article because I couldn’t possibly give you the perfect recipe for Easter bread. But I can offer a recipe for a calm and enjoyable holiday. It’s just as simple—and just as challenging—to follow, yet highly effective: simply being present in the moment.
How does mindful presence support rest and emotional recovery?
Holidays are often seen as a time for joy and connection. At the same time, for many people, they bring fatigue, overwhelm, and tension. They can even lead to complete exhaustion. This is due to a variety of factors, such as overly high expectations, constant planning, demanding daily tasks, and complex social interactions.
It’s precisely in these moments mindful presence comes to the rescue. And this isn’t just another self-help cliché. Scientific evidence shows that when we are in contact with the present moment, our nervous system relaxes, helping us feel better both emotionally and physically. Moreover, presence halts the flow of constantly racing thoughts, which often turn into negative scenarios and add further exhaustion and stress.
Being in the moment present as a valuable skill
We can approach being present as learning a new valuable skill or creating a beneficial habit. Being in the moment means paying attention to what is happening here and now—in our body, our mind, and the surrounding environment. This mindful attention can be cultivated in daily life through small, enjoyable practices, which are especially valuable during more intense periods, such as the holidays.
On the one hand, when we practice this skill regularly, we become more resilient to stress and more emotionally flexible. We respond with greater composure, make more conscious decisions, and find it easier to access inner calm in demanding situations. On the other hand, this very skill is what helps us cultivate lasting satisfaction and joy in our lives.
How can we develop this skill both during the holidays and in our everyday lives?
Here are a few options:
- Focusing on the senses in everyday activities Ordinary activities like cooking, enjoying a slice of Easter bread, washing the dishes, or walking in nature can become mindfulness practices if we focus our attention on our senses.
We can engage each of our senses in different activities and observe our sensations. This kind of sensory awareness grounds us and has a calming effect on our nervous system. A few sample questions for this are: “What do I feel in my hands while kneading the dough?”, “What’s the aroma of the food?”, “What do I hear while walking?”
- Observing your thoughts During the holidays, thoughts often arise that bring a sense of heaviness — wondering whether we’ll manage everything, whether we’re meeting our loved ones’ expectations.
The goal isn’t to stop the thoughts, but to build an observer’s stance toward them — without judgment and without struggle. When we observe our thoughts from a distance, we free ourselves from automatic reactions that often lead to tension, irritation, or guilt. This distance creates inner space where we can choose a more caring, gentler response toward ourselves and others. It reduces self-criticism and fosters a more compassionate inner dialogue.
- Awareness of bodily sensations and emotions — Our body and emotions carry valuable information about our needs, desires, and boundaries. By noticing and feeling our body’s signals, we can easily become aware of our internal state.
Spending a few minutes each day asking questions like, “What do I feel in my body right now?”, “Where is there tension? Pain? Ease?”, “What emotions are passing through me?” helps create a deeper connection with ourselves and reduces accumulated stress. It also enables us to make decisions confidently, guided by what feels right for us. By paying attention to our body’s signals, we recognize our needs in time — allowing us to take a break, set a boundary, or ask for support before tension turns into exhaustion or conflict.
- Joy and pleasure as part of mental well-being — Allowing ourselves to enjoy life isn’t selfish; on the contrary, it enhances both our own well-being and that of those around us.
Time with loved ones, playing with children, shared meals, good music, laughter, hugs — all of these experiences are emotional resources, nourishing our sense of connection, pleasure, and meaning. Positive experiences don’t just bring joy in the moment — they strengthen our nervous system and build resilience to stress. When pleasure is experienced mindfully, it becomes a resource we can draw on during more challenging times.
Being in the present moment is a practice that restores and recharges us.
The holidays don’t have to be exhausting. We can choose to go through them with more awareness, ease, and mindfulness. In a world that often encourages rushing and external productivity, mindful presence is a form of inner care. It helps us not only experience the holidays more fully but also build a deeper, more stable connection with ourselves and those around us.