Have you noticed that when you’re clear about what you want and why you want it, you feel good? And have you noticed that when you feel good, things tend to go your way? A clear intention helps us filter out noise and allow clarity to emerge. That clarity narrows our focus and aligns our energy. And focused energy has the power to attract everything you need to make your desire happen!
Be proactive about creating a truly happy holiday season.
Take the time right now to clearly identify what you want most, why you want it, and for whom. Post pictures and phrases of your “ideal” intentions on a vision board (real or virtual). You’ve done it correctly if you feel happy whenever you look at. View your board often, and practice that feeling; it’s magnetic! Strange as it sounds, feeling good can be difficult during the holiday season. The pace is fast and crowds are large. Memories get stirred up. Expectations are high. You may not even know how you’re feeling until you suddenly feel sad or exhausted. Consider being proactive right now!
Here are 5 tips to ensure your holidays are happy:
1. Write down what you want most for each holiday, why you want that, and also for whom you want that. The action of writing down those elements not only helps you clarify your focus, but also cements them in your mind. Rather than operate on auto-pilot, It forces you to consciously pre-pave your actions AND consider others in the process!
2. Pay attention to how you feel. If you’re feeling good, savor the moment! If you’re feeling bad, recognize that you are focused on something you do not want. Stop, and remind yourself that you want to feel good. (Above all, DO NOT continue to focus on what makes you feel bad…that will never help you feel better!) Next, look for something positive to feel good about. Search until you find something, even if it’s only in your imagination or your memory bank. Continue to build on those positive thoughts until you begin to feel better. If you don’t feel better in 60 seconds, shift your focus entirely by engaging in a productive activity!
3. Practice feeling good. Choose only positive self-talk! Catch yourself if you find yourself using negative self-talk. Reach for the best “feeling” thoughts you can locate. Notice the shift in how you feel. Challenge yourself to find something positive no matter what your circumstances are at the moment. And if you get annoyed with others, take a deep breath and remember today’s QUOTE TO REMEMBER (below).
4. Visualize positive outcomes. Imagine yourself handling holiday events with grace and happiness. Visualize things working out perfectly and you getting exactly what you set forth in your intention.
5. Reframe any obstacles. Have you noticed that when you put a picture in a different frame, it changes the whole look of that picture? “Reframing” simply means to change your perspective, or “put a different frame” around what you are seeing. When obstacles arise, stop and look at the situation from a different perspective. Search until you find a perspective that helps you feel better. Examples: Traffic jams can be viewed as gifts of time.
Take charge of your holiday season and see how happy you can be!
QUOTE TO REMEMBER
He who judges others has a long way to go on his journey.
(Note: “judges” can be substituted for “blames”)
He who judges himself is halfway there.
He who judges no one has arrived.
-Chinese Proverb