“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year.
It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose;
new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes.
Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions.
Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective.”
~ G.K. Chesterton
I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s.
~ Henry Moore
Get out your colored pens and pencils and make your first or your fiftieth end-of-year gratitude list!
Never done one before? Great time to start!
It’s just too easy to let another year slide by and forget all of the good that has come into our lives, and all the good that we’ve done. Making daily gratitude lists are a good place to review and find the nuggets that you want to include.
This is a great exercise in remembering all the good in life, in your life, and even better, to take this good feeling into your new next year!
Make the time to sit and reflect over 2009 and be grateful, thankful, appreciative and kindhearted to yourself and your life experiences.
The good you get out of this will also be very helpful as you decide who you want to be for the next 365 days!
Losses throughout the year of any kind, human, animal, health, wealth or of spirit can take an extra toll during the holiday weeks. Here are a few steps to take care of yourself during this time.
1. Make time to grieve.
Set aside time to really feel your feelings, cry your tears and let it all go where it needs to. Your body needs to mourn your loss or change all the way through.
2. Get support from others.
It’s not always easy to ask for help. Being “strong” isn’t smart. Being “human” is. Whether you talk to family or friends or see a counselor or minister, you will find layers of grief just waiting to spring forth when you talk to someone else and tell your story once more.
3. Develop skills that help you remember you are a worthwhile person.
You can let grief control you and fall into a deep depression or illness, chipping away at your self worth; you can ignore and deny it and stay busy, keeping your “mind off of it”; or, you can gain knowledge of how to embrace your pain and grow positively from it.
4. Create a physical environment that supports rather than stresses you.
During the mourning process stress levels increase. You need to create a space where you feel safe, comfortable, quiet when you need it and nurtured, even if only by yourself.
5. Take care of yourself.
There are physical as well as emotional aspects of grief. Exercise increases your strength and stamina and reduces your stress. Healthy eating gives your body the good nourishment it needs. Find quiet time. Schedule a massage to stay connected with your body.
Bottom line, grief is hard. Make sure to take the time to face it and deal with it, otherwise it will affect you for years to come.
Yes, Virginia, there is a You-a-Claus!
It turns out money can buy happiness! What’s the catch? You have to spend it on others!
The University of British Columbia’s Elizabeth Dunn, Ph.D., led a survey of 632 American to find out just how true this is. She found, “We’re significantly happier when spending pro-socially” — on gifts or charity.
The amount of money isn’t even an issue, it’s just the giving it to and for others that makes the difference.
BONUS! Dunn says that the good feeling we get from this altruistic act can last 6 to 8 weeks! Much longer than your new sox or vacation!
So, when you’re returning Christmas gifts this week, think about the money you’re getting back in cash or gift cards. Maybe, instead of rebuying something for yourself, that you may not need anyway, put that money toward your favorite charity or cause. Remember, you’ll get 6-8 weeks of glow from it!
Oh, what does this have to do with the Law of Attraction? Like attracts life. Sooo, if you’re giving money and goodness, and feeeeeling it for weeks, you’ll attract “like!” I “like” that!
“I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”
~ Charles Dickens, author of “A Christmas Carol”
Merry Christmas to you and yours,
Kim
Problogger Darren Rowse has a fun look at saving 37 minutes a day to get more blogging done. Pretty funny.
Business online is magical really when you think about it. Digital nothings zipping around the universe making sense, information, education, entertainment, connection and commerce.
Do you make money from online time?
If not, I’d say, get off most of these more than minutes at a time if this is not your way of making money. Get back your time and focus by limiting and stopping all together some online activities that waste minutes, hours and ultimately days of your life.
Darren’s list:
Save more time! I’ll add:
Life’s short! Enjoy every minute in the best ways you can imagine!
http://givingcircles.org/ brings together individuals so they can pool ideas and money to make a bigger impact! Check it out!
Unless you donate to the same charity every year, or local ones that you trust, you can check out the finances and general sustainability of more than 5,300 groups at http://www.charitynavigator.org/
Sweden spends more annually than our war budget on studies to find out the damage caused by cell phones on our brains and all the flying electricity and microwaves in the air at, through and around us all. A new syndrome has developed since the advent of wi-fi, cell phones and more and more cell phone towers and electric lines, it’s called “electro-sensitivity,” in which people complain that simply being near electricity causes discomfort and pain. Sweden is taking this seriously to the level that they will pay to have aprson’s house shield from the electromagnetic field if they are diagnosed as electro-sensitive.
There is no conclusive evidence that cell phones cause brain tumors, dementia, sterility (laptops and phones being held on lap or in pockets) and other life-long damage, but authorities say to use them wisely and sparingly. Shut them off a few hours a day so that the “pulses” of microwaves stop coming to your phone and to you. Especially around and by children.
I saw a very new at toddling toddler in a store last week listening to “grandpa” say hi on mom and dad’s cell phone. I kept my mouth shut, but my brain was saying, “You are potentially frying your kid’s brains.”
Children’s skulls are thinner and more sensitive to the microwaves pounding through the atmosphere into the phone and the ear, and the brain. At least defend your children and grandchildren from possible adverse outcomes until more studies prove otherwise.
Did you shop ’til you dropped on Black Friday? Eeeeeek!
Are you still doing it?
If so, and you may be feeling some remorse. Simply find your receipts and see what you can take back that you really don’t need, and neither does the person you thought would really like or need the item.
I know, that feels hard to do, especially now during the core of holiday shopping season, but it’s going to feel worse when the bills start coming in and you can’t pay them! Can you say “interest” rates?
Start your Waste-Watcher’s Diet now. Start saving more, spending less, even during the holiday season.
Get creative and give differently this year if money is tight.
Write down some belt-tightening measures to yield at least $150 in savings each month (or as much as you can realistically save), then commit to shedding your budgetary flab. Your financial health depends on it.
I agree to cut back on ___________________________
For a monthly savings of ____________________________
I agree to cut back on ___________________________
For a monthly savings of ____________________________
I agree to cut back on ___________________________
For a monthly savings of ____________________________
I agree to cut back on ___________________________
For a monthly savings of ____________________________
I agree to cut back on ___________________________
For a monthly savings of ____________________________
Signed ___________________________
Total $_________________________
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