Make A Difference This Holiday : 7 Steps To Conscious Celebration

Does the holiday give you a special glow? Or are you gritting your teeth at the repetitive Christmas carols? What if you could take all those feelings and use them to discover your inner wisdom?

Holidays interrupt our normal routines. We have parties and extra activities. How you’ll experience these is up to you. This is a time to feel happy. When you feel happy, others are attracted to you, and you build your inner reserves. You store happy memories which can delight you at any time.

It is also true that the holidays are busy. The rush of activity makes this a perfect time to practice consciousness. If you put your attention on what is truly important to you, even while you are rushed and busy, you can shape a new habit. The holiday season makes this even easier because you are encouraged to be happy.

Here are seven attitudes that can increase your health, wealth and happiness. The holidays are the perfect time to practice them.

1. Eliminate resistance! Stress and tension are the result of one thing: resistance. You may be confronted with something you don’t like. It could be traffic, crowds, high prices, or rude people. Suddenly you find yourself thinking, “I hate this!” Stop – you don’t need to resist! Accept the situation because it exists. You have the power to change the meaning it has for you.

2. Welcome life! You may have heard the saying, “Life is what happens when you were making plans.” It is so easy to get caught up in our plans. We imagine perfection… that only lasts until traffic, crowds, rude people, or bills disturb our plans. Balance your sense of direction with flexibility. You can achieve a lot with much less stress.

3. Be grateful! During the holidays, we express gratitude for many of the people and things in our life. It is easy to be grateful when things are going well. But could you practice gratitude during times of stress? What could you find to be grateful for? If you’re struggling, you might be grateful that you can simply take a deep breath! Open your eyes and see how others have contributed to you. Be grateful for your car, your clothes, your computer or the beauty of nature. Practice gratitude!

4. Find the gift! No matter what happens, find a lesson. Sometimes, this is hard. Like some of you, I’ve lost a family member unexpectedly. Grief and sadness are a real part of life. Isolating ourselves from loss is pointless: Our feelings bring texture to our lives.

5. Let go of the past! After all, it IS past! You may have suffered and suffering very likely shaped you in some way. Could you let go of it and reshape yourself in a new image? You may have fond memories of wonderful times! If those fond memories, as you have imagined them, become a measure of current enjoyment, you will spend your life comparing. And if you’re comparing the past to the present, are you truly living in the present? Remember the good times, remember the bad times, and let them go.

6. Be the gift that you are! How often do you stop to notice something unique and special about yourself? And no, noticing that you didn’t measure up, or beating yourself up, does not count! Have you noticed the times that you smiled… and other smiled back? Have you noticed how your contribution at work meant that others could succeed as well? When will you give yourself credit for creating so many good things in your life and the lives of others?

7. Make your present, presence! Since the holidays are disrupting your normal routine, it’s a great time to live intentionally. Notice what is happening in each moment. Take time to really enjoy the good times. Acknowledge your responses. Start noticing that you really are creating your life, each and every moment!

What could happen if you listened to that small inner voice? You know the one I mean. It’s the voice of inner truth and presence. Use the center of your creativity, your imagination, hopes and dreams. The traditions of the holidays focus on birth and new life – which makes this a great time to give birth to a fuller life!