A Gift Worth Giving

Christmas is fast approaching. Yes, the season of giving is truly upon us. What are you giving this year? I am sure there are a lot of tangible items you can name, but what intangibles are you giving?

There are so many great intangible gifts. Some of my favourites are peace, love, happiness, and of course, my all time favourite – laughter. Now I know what you’re thinking, no one unwraps laughter from underneath the Christmas tree; no one shakes a box and exclaims “I hope there’s peace inside!” Yet, these are the most valuable gifts to be had.

So how do you do it? How do you give these gifts away? Easy. You give them to yourself. When you do everyone receives. For example, I was wandering around my house feeling very stressed and frustrated at the mess my two little darlings made and wondering how I was ever going to be ready for my inlaws coming at Christmas. I also was wondering when I was going to finish the last of the Christmas shopping, wrap the gifts without the children knowing, and do some personal shopping without being totally overwhelmed by crowds and line-ups. Then I took a moment and decided to give myself the gift of peace. I took a deep breath and realized the kids always mess up the house and it always manages to get neat again. I laughed at the thought of worrying about what my in-laws thought. They are always so grateful to have a homey place to stay. And as for personal shopping, who am I kidding? I love to shop for myself and as for Christmas shopping, I am essentially done with only one or two items to pick up. I am stressing because all those things seem much bigger than they really are and far more important.

Once I began to breathe again, my mood instantly changed. I had given myself the gift of peace and when I did, everyone received peace as well. No longer was I stomping about making snide comments under my breath. Instead, I was pleasant to be around. Trust me, my kids and my husband were both very grateful! And I felt a whole lot better. My stressing wasn’t doing anyone any good; it wasn’t changing anything; and it was only upsetting myself and my family.

So as you feel the pressures of the Christmas season build this year, take a moment to give yourself a gift. Whether it’s peace, laughter, gratitude, or relaxation, don’t hold back. Give it up freely. It doesn’t cost anything. You don’t have to wrap it. And everyone will want to know where you got it. Most importantly, you deserve it.

Merry Christmas!

And that’s my perspective….