By Debbie Nelson
We are in the middle of the “Holiday Season”, and we know that it means different things for different people. For some, it is Hanukkah, celebrating the ideals of Judaism. For others, Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus. And for others, it is simply a time to gather with friends and family sharing gifts and being grateful for our many blessings.
In the hustle and bustle of this season, I do my best to try to slow down and find time to reflect. I like to think about the past year which has included many ups and even some downs. I spend time looking at the ornaments on our Christmas tree that remind me of loved ones who are no longer with us. And I find great joy in listening to the music of the season. Too often it seems like it is all about that perfect gift, or the perfect meal, or even the perfect decorations. But it truly is a time to be grateful.
A particular training program that I attended talked about the importance of writing down 3 things we are grateful for each morning. (Writing it down is actually a key part of the exercise, because it helps to imprint the positive part into our brain). But the instructor challenged us to think beyond the obvious. Don’t just be thankful for the blue sky, the big dump of snow we received, or the fun we had on the slopes. This instructor encouraged us to think about the difficult parts of our day or week, to think about that difficult person with whom we had to work, or even think about the deal we lost. What, within those experiences, gives us reason to be grateful? Did we learn a new skill, did we discover a new place to find answers, did not winning the deal open a new door for us?
It is amazing how much being grateful can change your mindset and your outlook on life. Instead of focusing on what went wrong, we can look at a situation and realize that some good came of it. I have been doing this practice for over 4 years now and have faced many good and not-so-good things during that time. This practice has helped my overall attitude to stay positive and optimistic (for the most part 😊).
As you meander your way through this holiday season and into the new year, consider adding this question to your routine every morning: What are you grateful for?
And, as we move past Hanukkah and into Christmas and eventually the New Year, we at Nelson Walley Real Estate would like to offer you our best wishes and our thanks and gratefulness for your loyalty!