You say, “I want to have fun and have happier Holidays and not have an endless list, making the holidays seem like chores, and I want this year to be different!”
As I sit here looking at the rain my mind turns to plan for the holidays. Many people wait to prepare for the holidays.
Looking at the Holiday decorations and dishes gives me a smile as I think back to some fun times we had with family and friends. On a deeper note, I think, “What did people like to eat, and what were the tons of leftover stuff? What were my favorite dishes and what did they want?” This sets me to wondering, “Was I really listening to their needs or my own expectations?”
I remember my dad saying, “If you know someone who does not have anyone or just moved here, invite them for dinner.” Our table was always filled with new people and we learned so much from that experience. My dad was a great entertainer and knew how to make people at ease. He would deliberately spill something on the tablecloth and say, “Relax, it is already dirty!” My mom and sisters would like to have had Sprite for the likes instead of cranberry juice. Seeing the people around the table relax and I still marvel at how smart he truly was. It was time to enjoy people and not worry about things.
So I thought of some of these 10 Tips to Transform Your Holidays and an exercise with the Holiday Emotional Chart © to help remind me and share with others.
10 Tips to Transform Your Holidays:
Think of the Holidays as a fun time this year with family and friends – Take a walk or have a surprise dessert.
Go to the gym and exercise, after thinking about holiday plans.
Listen to holiday music. Play some Oldies and some current tunes. Have a sing-along at parties.
Let others help. When people participate, they have a vested interest in making it more fun. Invite them over to make popcorn balls or peanut brittle.
Try something new and be open to suggestions from young and old alike.
Be flexible with your and their time. Instead of taking hours for a get-together, just connect and take a short lunch or tea. Or have an open house for a few hours with those that always want to meet for longer.
Meet people at the mall for a short time for coffee and ask what others would like to be different this year.
Walk with your spouse, friend, or dog. Enjoy where you are.
Take a cup of tea or coffee and sit and admire your decorations or imagine how they will look when you are done.
You can separate yourself from the action and take time to be alone.
The holidays are about sharing your time with loved ones. Shopping online is an easy way to get things done and delivered. Save time and have things shipped to the house.
In my own life, I have found that going to the malls or driving around to see the beauty at this time of year is a refreshing activity. Balancing the time at the mall with online shopping convenience gives me the time to enjoy family, friends, and co-workers in this once a year event.
Make this the year you do things differently and truly enjoy this time of year. You can use this information with any event to increase the happiness factor.
Have a Happy Holiday!
The following is a Holiday Emotional Chart© exercise to see where your Holiday emotions and energy are being spent. Try it for yourself. The chart is already divided into sections that most people would experience during the holidays. You can determine where your emotional energy goes by copying the wheel on your printer, then grab a pencil.
©Copyright Darielle Archer
To determine where your emotional energy goes, go to each section of the Holiday Emotional Chart©. You can substitute 2 of your own sections of the wheel and rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. Pick a number that you feel communicates which areas you spend worrying, fretting, spinning your wheels, using your emotional energy. Put the number “10” (ten) being the best in areas you are not spending emotional energy.
The closest to the center of the pie is “0” (zero) the worst, or weakest areas where you “worry” for example. Place a dot there and when you have completed the circle connect the dots and it will give you visual of where your energy is going. As a result, it will show the places where you can manage your emotional energy more effectively. The above wheel is an example, you can change it to adjust to your needs.
For further support – Contact Darielle online
Reprinted with permission from Darielle Archer