Caring for you during the holiday season
28 Nov 2007
The holiday season is here and the malls are abuzz with activity. Mechanical Santa’s sing jolly songs and mistletoe hangs in anticipation of the great feast of giving. As caregivers, you know all too well about giving to others, but do you know how to give to you? Giving to self is not selfish, it is self-empowering and self-nurturing and this holiday season I ask that you give these three gifts to you 1) the gift of time 2) the gift of peace of mind, and 3) the gift of self love.
Time is an elusive, precious commodity of which there is never enough. Work, everyday life, and the seasonal pressures of shopping, parties to attend, and dinners to host add stress to already stressful lives. To survive and enjoy the holidays it is necessary to prioritize obligations and make wise choices then plan your calendar accordingly. Choose to attend only those parties that are necessary or the ones that offer the most relaxing atmosphere. Shop when stores are less crowded like Monday or Tuesday and during the supper hour. Make gift wrapping a fun occasion: invite a few choice friends over and have some good laughs. If you’re hosting a dinner, lessen the load by making it potluck.
Daily life worries make peace of mind hard to come by. Releasing them to a higher power through prayful thought allows you to acknowledge and receive special blessings. Practice prayful thought by repeating an affirmation of gratitude and trust such as: “I am thankful for (name three things) and trust I will be blessed with abundance of peace, hope, love, and joy.” Create a gratitude calendar for the twelve days of Christmas, eight days of Hanukkah, or the week of Kwanzaa and write a reason to be thankful each day.
Self love is the most important gift. Without it, you forsake your happiness and discount the reason for you being here on earth. The key to loving self hinges on accepting your humanity with all its faults, forgiving yourself and others for past wrongdoings, and making peace with your life. A helpful affirmation is, “I am a special person worthy of happiness and love”.
. This holiday season I hope you take the time to care for you…and I pray you are blessed with peace and happiness in the coming year.
Blessings ~ Mary
Copyright 2007. Mary C. Fridley RN, BC/T/a Gero-Resources. All rights reserved.
Mary C. Fridley RN, BC
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