Halloween is over, all that remains is the trick or treat candy lurking in the bowl in the pantry. Thanksgving is right around the corner and then it’s Christmas. Are you filled with joy and anticipation? If your answer is yes, then you probably don’t need to read any further. If your answer is no then read on….
10 Tips to Feel More Joy this Holiday Season
- Set Your Limits- You love to wrap gifts but you despise the obligatory white elephant gift exchange at work. You love to bake cookies but you wish Hallmark would end the printing of Holiday Greeting Cards because frankly you don’t want to lick another one. Then don’t. Committ to doing the holiday activities you love and use the Three B’s Tool for everything else.
- Set a Budget- Do it and stick to it. 20 years from now it’s not going to matter how much you spent on which child or other family /friend, what matters is you spent the special time with them. Cliche… a bit, but, I don’t know a cliche that is truer than that.
- Take 15 minutes a day for yourself- Simple, but do you do it? You would be better served with an hour but most people won’t put themselves that high on their to do list. Just 15 minutes to center yourself and do something you enjoy.
- Give a Little Back- Visit a family shelter or other children’s center. Take your family and do some volunteering. Read stories, make crafts, just spend some time with people who don’t have as much as you, believe me, there is always someone who is struggling more than we are. Reach out.
- Create Wonder- Leave cookies and milk out for Santa (even if your kids question), leave carrots for the reindeer, really read The Christmas Story or The Story of Chanuka and think about the magic in it. Adopt an elf and let it reek elfin havoc.
- Have a snowball fight, make snow angels, build a snow fort that you can crawl into.
- Create something with your hands. Give it as a gift.
- Establish a new family tradition, like eating Chinese Food on Christmas Eve (one of my family’s holiday tradtions) or celebrating Boxing Day the day after Christmas.
- Hold a family game tournament throughout the holiday season. Scrabble, Chess, Monopoly, whatever your family enjoys, keep track of everyone’s record and allow the winner to choose a special outing before school starts again.
- Focus on what makes you feel good.
May I be the first to wish you a very Happy Thanksgivng, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and a Joyful New Year! Wake up Momma! This is your Life!
Robin is a life coach living in the Columbus, Ohio area. She specializes in coaching and inspiring woman to rediscover who they really are and live the life they were intended. Robin studied life coaching with Martha Beck the bestselling author and O Magazine contributor. If you would like to reach Robin you can email her at robin@wakeupmomma.com.
