Joyful Holidays

The holiday season is here! The holidays for many people are a time of "Great Expectations." For some it is a time of joy, warmth and happiness, while others feel lost and empty. It is a great time to fill your emptiness by sharing with others in your community or spreading the joy you feel. It's wonderful to enjoy the music and lights on cold dark nights. But some of the simple expectations can feel thwarted as we think of sharing, giving, and how it should be done and has been done in the past. This morning I decided to make pumpkin bread from a Watkins Pumpkin Bread Mix. Simple. I've made plenty of breads and cookies. But after I creamed the margarine and added the eggs, the butter looked lumpy and didn't mixed well. I planned to share the bread with the neighbors and felt like it wouldn't be something I was proud of. But the warm scent of cinnamon and spices, and the delicious looking bread that came out of the oven, brought my senses to life.

Having an "Attitude of Gratitude" takes me a long way during the holidays. I am grateful for my family, doing work that I love to do, and having time to write out my thoughts and ideas. Starting my day with gratitude takes me through all of the unexpected disappointments along the way.

When things don't go as planned a "Sense of Humor" helps me gain perspective. Sometimes there are illnesses and heartbreaks that press on people even during the holidays, but often it's the little things that build up that cause us to lose our cool. The little things that we feel are important over the holidays can sometimes become overwhelming. Family gatherings, food, gifts, and cards are all wonderful as tokens of gratitude. But when having everything "just right" becomes more important than the "good intention," the meaning gets lost. I spent hours yesterday working on pictures to make photo cards. This year was the first year I tried to send them. When I got the finished cards I was disappointed to find that some were quite dark. The cards seemed to turn out darker than the pictures that I had printed. My first thought was that no one would like them, and they would wonder why I would send cards that didn't look picture perfect. Then I looked at my growing family and smiled. We're not perfect and sometimes it shows.

The last thing that I want to do is have a "Plan" for next year. I want to have a picture in my mind of the things that are really important to me. I plan to express my expectations to others, and smile when life takes a turn in the road that I didn't expect.

Have a Joyful Holiday!
Nancy


This website is intended for informational purposes only. For professional personal/ career coaching, call or email Nancy for assistance with consulting, resources, and information to meet your personal needs. See links on the side panel for professional organizations. Copyright LWD © 2005 Nancy Miller, M.S.