I’m looking forward to sharing Holiday Heartfelt Moments with you every Friday this month. I will be sharing some thoughts on how you can make this your best holiday yet!
This weeks thought is on gratitude. Thanksgiving is over but we are amid the holiday bustle. When I look around, I see red and green, trees and tinsel, and beautiful bows and lights. I hear the jingle of the Salvation Army Bell and I smell peppermint and spices. What is your favorite part of the holidays? What about the holidays causes you to want to pull your hair out?
While the holidays bring joy and happiness to many, it can also be a very difficult time. The causes of these difficulties are varied; crowded parking lots, long lines, and family that may be across the country. For some, the stress may come from somewhere deeper. Do you struggle with grief from the loss of a loved one during the holidays? Are you stressed about a lack of financial resources needed to create your “perfect holiday”? Does the prospect of conflict arising when family gets together bring about a sense of doom?
This is where gratitude comes in. I love this quote: “If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” ~ Harold Kushner
I often open my therapy groups with a time to reflect upon the day and think of at least one thing that we are grateful for. Sometimes it is a great struggle. When this happens I try to help people find even the smallest thing. I use personal examples, one day mine was finding matching socks for my 3 year old(Can someone tell me where kids socks go?) I have been grateful for a senior citizen seeing me struggle with my groceries and squirming 3 year old and offer to put my shopping cart away, an unexpected hug, an “I love you”, a cupcake, a quiet walk, seeing my kids have a blast throwing leaves. The more we can be grateful for even the small, seemingly insignificant things, the easier it is to find them. So this holiday season, if you haven’t already, begin a habit of finding good every day. It won’t take away the bad, but it will as the quote says nurture your soul.
Wishing you Heartfelt Moments,
Enjonae