“Nothing can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness.”
-Leo Tolstoy
That quote embodies why I like this season so much. I believe it is the most wonderful time of year. It starts in November and everyone talks about how grateful they are for the people and things in their life. I am a true believer in gratitude. In fact, sitting around our kitchen table throughout the year, you’ll likely see the eye rolls come when I (mom) suggest we share what we appreciate about the day and ourselves. One thing I know for sure is that we, as humans, are really good at identifying the bad in our day or what we are not good at. However, it is much harder to talk about what went well or why we like ourselves. So the idea that we exude extra gratitude this time of year is incredibly uplifting.
Then as the season progresses, we move from gratitude to sharing! I know many feel it is a season of consumerism and greed…but I prefer to see it as an ability to share with those we are grateful for and appreciate. It’s about fostering traditions that fill us up and bring us joy! Remember, sharing doesn’t need to be about gifts. Think about how you share your time and attention. If we see this time of year as sharing, not obligation, we perpetuate happiness and those feelings of gratefulness. When one genuinely gives, both the giver and the receiver benefit.
After we foster gratitude and give, we then can look to the future. We can set goals regarding what we want to continue — the good we currently have going on, as well as improve areas that need attention. While this can be done any time of year, the New Year really has us look to the future and gives us permission to express our desires.
I encourage you to take this time to reframe and shift what we see to a more positive light. This breeds kindness, it breeds thankfulness, it breeds abundance. It truly is the most wonderful time of year!
Want help identifying your desires? Let’s chat!