A Humble Holiday Season Brings the True Meaning Back
If you step away from the commercialism and the glitter, you may find that a humble holiday season will bring real insight into the true meaning.
A Humble Holiday Season Is The Best Gift You Can Share
by Leigh Burton
If we want to celebrate the true meaning behind the holidays, LOVE, then we want to deliver what we want to receive. Let’s be humble and make this our best holiday season yet.
The holidays are upon us, and it’s time to celebrate a connection with family and friends. There is a great deal of joy in visiting with those who hold space in our hearts, themed with perusing the last year of each other’s lives and personal hopes for the new year. A lot of thought goes into the generosity that we intend to share with loved ones but, should it be at the expense of honoring our journey and personal wellness? There is fun to be had and memories to be made but, so too is the inevitable overwhelm of wrapping hope in pretty paper and bows.
Imagine for a moment, the gift of peace and personal freedom through example. Is that not what we are trying to achieve? Despite the problematic scenarios that are only a result of the stories that we tell ourselves, the ultimate reason we come together is to share what we believe to be the true spirit of the holiday season. Love. Appreciation of where we have come from and the respect and hope for where we are headed in the next chapter of our individual journeys. How well received is a gift delivered with the message that it is not understood or not something that we want for ourselves? The greatest gift is one that provides an endless ripple of giving and sharing a love for ourselves that matches that which we hope for our loved ones.
It wouldn’t be fair to suggest that it is easy to step away from the pressure and hype that we categorically thrust upon the final hour that ends the calendar year but, we can empower each other to embrace the courage we need to step outside of the box, even a little bit. Monkey see monkey do but, only if someone takes the first step and leads the way to a personal space of greatness. This is a time to honestly recognize that while our journeys are our own, there is a great deal of satisfaction in remembering that there is also the journey of family and community. One that doesn’t have to be revisited annually and shelved due to a turn on a calendar.
If we show up allowing ourselves to be who we are with gratitude of what makes us individual, then we are open to the generosity of letting the same of others. If there is stress, then there is stress. If there is a challenge, then there is a challenge. If there is an accomplishment, then there is an accomplishment. All of it is integral to who we are in the moment. We are what we are, despite the never-ending demand to present ourselves in fashion. There is no healthy reason to hide from our true selves. By removing the masks that we wear, we allow our authenticity to exist and, we provide each other with space for our best selves to shine a light of hope, peace, and freedom.
Acknowledge – Be Grateful and Share
We don’t need to be afraid of recognizing what we feel and validating our reality. There is a great deal of freedom in allowing ourselves to exist as we are. If seeing a favorite relative is exciting, why deny it for the sake of not making others feel as welcome in the same space? Their sense of inclusion is a result of their thoughts. If facing individuals that support discomfort, why deny it? It’s easy enough to remove a film of resentment just by honoring our core values and respecting our boundaries.
Take the time to recognize the value in all that is what we are in the moment. All the challenges have an insurmountable benefit to building a much more comfortable journey forward. Encouraging others to do the same is a perfect gift to share in learning and growing. Gratitude breeds generosity.
Let’s not be fearful of sharing our strengths and vulnerabilities. After all, we are human. For it is where we are strong that we build upon where we believe we are weak. If we allow ourselves to witness both, we can share the greatest gift of all. The humble gift of love for humanity, with no demands and the freedom to be who we are in the moment.
A silent night is one with the peace of knowing that it’s ok to be human and, the jingle of bells is to announce our passion for freedom. May we deck the halls with honesty, respect, and compassion for all.
You will also enjoy 10 Ways to Cope with Holiday Expectations
About the Author
Leigh Burton: Author, International Speaker, NLP Practitioner, Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, Emotional Health Coach, Acceptance Commitment Therapist, an expert in letting go, and a lover of life. www.leighburton.com
