It’s that time of year already. With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching it’s easy to get so overwhelmed by a frenzy of familial obligations, elaborate turkeys, and gifts galore that we often lose sight of what it is we are celebrating in the first place.

Although it sounds simple, it’s important to remember to breathe; to take time for ourselves in the midst of all the inevitable seasonal chaos. It’s easy for Thanksgiving and Christmas to fly by, all the while seeming less like celebrations and more like never-ending chores. So when things start to get a little holiday hectic, don’t forget that it’s okay to slow down, take a deep breath, recharge, and then get back into the spirit of things.

Read on to see how fellow Six-Word Memoirists catch their breath and keep their sanity. Bonus: watch this short video (above) created by friend o’ SMITH, Ramona Pringle, for The Energy Project. You’ll see how 15 seconds, as well as 6 words, can change the whole course of your day.

I laugh more than I breathe. -caitlyndaniell3

My biggest achievement breathes softly upstairs -Lilyput

Granddaughter’s rhythmic breathing, my ethereal metronome. -Loon

Hubby’s home. Bed’s warm. I breathe. -marymc

His words breathe creativity into mine. -aussiegirl625

Live fully. Love madly. Breathe deeply. -edimes

Fog a mirror, remember to breathe. -kenand

Damn, fine, shit, fucked, breathe, smile. -Annie Burgot

Fear waits patiently. Spontaneity breathes easily. -Cynthia Toronto

When you want to scream, breathe. -Tamstarz

Mysteriously, miraculously breathing deep to love. -Makoto Sakashima

Writing is as essential as breathing. -LadyT

Learning to breathe again, when alone. -vivacepresto

Life’s Running Uphill, Remember to Breathe. -blue whale

Addictions: caffeine, kisses, color coordinating, breathing. -Joli

Lost my breasts. Kept my breath. -MsPapaya

Breathing since 1939. Still having fun! -Duckling

First, I breathed, then I wrote. -Jeeper

Tags: Breathing, The Energy Project