Dear 2018,

Thank you for the smiles and tears. The lessons learned. The new people I've met. And even those I disagreed with. All have been growth moments and I'm truly grateful.

Tis the season...to not feeling blue

 

I mentioned here that the Christmas season is not my favorite time of the year. I recently shared with my therapist, this sentiment.  My therapist probed a bit for the why, to which I shared in a nutshell, family traditions I had as a child - young adult had been lost due to our family changes, and there are no new traditions fully established. I was challenged to think of new traditions for our family.  Or at least the minimal ones we do have, to continue to foster them and add to keep the traditions going.

Challenge accepted!

Overall, I'm not feeling as down, sad, or depressed-like this year.  I've made a conscious effort to be happy and joyful in spite of bumps in the road encountered along the way.  I honor those feelings, but don't dwell or live in them. It's an amazing feeling to move through my days and not feel like the Grinch or have Bah-humbug spirit. Thanks therapy!! 

How am I managing the season?  Saying 'yes' to invites when I want to say 'no'.  Spending more time with people who genuinely make me happy and I enjoy their company. I don't let finances be the only driver or motivate my response.  Identifying free or low cost activities during the times where I can't 'do it big', but I can 'do it low-key'.

 
Lastly, my friend, Stacy of SMG Wellness  engaged her Facebook followers in a 31-day #attitudeofgratitude experience where the ask is to journal three things you're grateful for each day.


What is shared doesn't have to be big, but the process is to allow for pause and bring awareness to all of the things we truly have in our day.  It's been a wonderful experience as I mindfully think of things I'm grateful for each day.  Such a mind shift as things that would normally cause a reaction in me, I know think of how that event impacts my life, if at all.