What words do you associate with the holidays?
Advertisers promote “magic, parties, and giving that perfect gift.” 🙄
But if it’s, as the song says, “the most wonderful time of the year,” why do nearly 9 in 10 people believe the holidays are the most stressful time of the year? Yep, you’re not alone in how you feel, especially this year with the pandemic and all the political insanity going on.
The truth is, we tend to fall into the happiness trap. We think holidays are all about trying to make other people happy by giving them what they want, whether it’s gifts, time, travel, cooking, or any other number of expectations. We try so hard to create the perfect holiday, we make ourselves miserable. 🐞
No, no, no, no, no!
Real happiness – not just during the holidays but all year long – is found in:
- Knowing what you’re truly inspired to do
- Not trying to be everything to everyone
- Loving yourself enough to at least be honest about what you want and what you don’t want
- Loving yourself deeply, which is the only way you can truly love others. (I can’t give you a dollar if I don’t have one in my pocket.)
Check in with what makes you happy.
Also, be mindful of what actions feel like a burden and leave you feeling exhausted, bitter, angry and resentful.
You aren’t wrong for wanting what you want.
Others aren’t wrong for wanting what they want either.
When my children were young, at times when they asked me for something I couldn’t give them, I would make them wrong for asking. In my brain, I felt like I was a bad Mom for not giving them what they wanted, so my brain told me to make them wrong for wanting it. Ooops. 🧒🧠💜
Once I knew better, I would tell my children that I could help them with what they wanted in 2 hours, 2 days, 2 years, etc. If I couldn’t help them or wasn’t inspired to help them, I would let them know that I knew they were powerful creators, and I looked forward to seeing how they created that thing or experience for themselves. 🕑
I’m not anyone else’s answer, and neither are you.
You don’t have to abandon your desires to give someone else theirs.
Unless you want to.
When my children were growing up, sometimes I happily did things I wasn’t thrilled with because I knew how happy it made them. That made me happy.
Authentic living is a choice.
You can only make a new choice to live authentically out of awareness.
This is exactly what I do… and what most of the happy people in my life do.
If you live in awareness, acceptance, and authenticity consistently, you’ll be happier and more satisfied in every aspect of your life. It’s that simple. 🦋
In my monthly online program Journey to Your Center, one community member shared this amazing observation: “I feel like I’m too much and not enough at the same time.” OMG. Do you ever feel like that … especially during the holidays when you’re bombarded with messages and feelings that you have to do more, more, more? 💌
The truth is, you are enough. You are love. And you are loved.
Please, let your life be focused and centered on LOVE.
That begins with truly loving, valuing, and respecting yourself.
Are you hurting? Or do you feel like you keep learning and growing, but it doesn’t feel complete, I invite you to check out Journey to Your Center. Here, you can be supported by me all month long together with a community of loving, like-minded people. Pretty powerful stuff.
Happy holidays from my heart to yours. I’m so grateful to have you in my life. 🎅
