Being Thankful

The holidays are upon us. Some of us feel excitement while others groan in exasperation because 1) holiday shopping still needs to be done, and/or 2) the holidays mean that another year is almost over, and we are all one year older. Whether you look forward to the holidays or you dread them, for one reason or another, they're here. In the midst of the confusion of shopping, cooking, wrapping, and traveling and dealing with the regular day-to-day routine on top of it all, it's really easy to lose the very essence of what the holidays are about and what they really mean. However, it doesn't have to be this way. Take some time to yourself and really think about what you are thankful for.

For me personally, I've named 2012 the year of tough decisions. However, now that the holidays and the end of the year quickly approaches, I look back and really feel like the decisions I've made were all the right ones. One thing I've learned this year was how important it is to take some time and care for yourself. I'm not talking in a selfish manner where everything is about you or any one person. Taking care of yourself is actually a very healthy thing. When you become so consumed by one thing in your life, be it a job, an obligation of some sort, or maybe even a person or relationship, you can become mentally and even physically unhealthy.

We've all heard the piece of advice, "you have to love yourself before you can love someone else." Most of us who have heard this often think, "what the hell does that mean?" Or some flat out disbelieve it. However, it's really true. If we take the time to truly care and love ourselves, we can then freely and openly give to others and really display compassion. Sure we can give to others, but if we aren't giving enough to ourselves, then we give out of spite or out of bitterness, and that's no way to love.

I know what you must be thinking...that all this sounds really selfish. I thought the same thing when I was first told this. But the more I paid attention and recognized this, the more I began to realize how true it really is. I'm not saying we should ALL put our needs before others', or that we are better than everyone else. That's not the point...because that IS selfish. The point is to recognize that you are important too. Your needs are just as important as others', you deserve love and compassion, and your happiness and health matters.

So in the next few days and in the next few weeks, try to take some time for yourself and think about what you want for yourself this holiday season. Maybe it's finding the time to exercise, or buying that new sweater, getting tickets to a game, working on professional development, or going out for a night with some friends. Either way, try to make time for yourself...and be thankful.




Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!


FALL CORNUCOPIA
© Olga Vasilkova | Dreamstime.com

Written content: © 2010, 2011, 2012, J.H. Language Solutions