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WHAT THEY WANT

What do they want
this holiday season?
It’s not more stuff.
That’s not the reason.

Not bags of gifts.
Not fancy food.
Not seven pies.
Not “perfect” mood.

They want a shift.
A softer story.
Less hidden pain.
A bit more glory.

Less silent hurt.
Less angry sting.
More quiet love.
More gentle noticing.

Our brains go buzz.
They spin and churn.
They hunt for threats.
Do our brains ever learn?

They scan. They poke.
They race. They press.
They make a storm
of simple stress.

But our bodies know
a secret way.
To slow things down.
To ground the day.

A breath. A pause.
A loosened jaw.
Feet on the floor.
Awe. Then… awe.

Your presence is
the real gift here.
A steady YOU.
A warmer sphere.

So here’s a plan.
A simple list.
To bring more calm
than smoke and mist.

🍏 NOTICE the room.
The tight set jaw.
The restless hands.
The tired “I’m fine,” blah.

Ask in your HEART,
“If my love could speak,
what would it do
for them this week?”

🍏 Then DO one thing.
Breathe long. Breathe slow.
Put down your phone.
Un-hunch. Let’s go.

Sit in your chair.
Feel spine and seat.
Let shoulders drop.
Feel both your feet.

🍏 SAY small things
about right here, right now:
“How are you here?”
Not “Why?” or “How?”

“How’s this food taste?”
“Like this song, the view?”
“Want to step out?
I’ll walk with you.”

🍏 EXPRESS more.
Hugs, just a bit longer.
Softer eye contact.
Listen stronger.

Talk a bit less.
Hear a bit more.
Breathe belly-deep.
Calm to the core.

Your nervous system
sets the beat.
Your slower heart
can guide their feet.

They may not know
just what you did.
They’ll only feel
less pain well hid.

A little light.
A softer glow.
More room to breathe.
More “Hi, I know.”

And you might leave
surprised to find
your own heart feels
more soft, more kind.

So as the lights
begin to shine,
ask, “How can I
show up this time?”

Not perfect. No.
Not fixed. Not bent.
Just YOU—right here.
Your truest present.

–Poem by Ardeshir Mehran
November 2025, Northern California
From the collection, Begin Again

Contact me for a complimentary consult on how to shift your depression and anxiety with clarity and confidence.

With love and gratitude,

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