Holidays - Ready To Skip This Holiday? Why No Just Make It Your Own?

Ready To Skip This Holiday? Why No Just Make It Your Own?

Do you feel panicked, or exicted? Are you experiencing joy or depression? Do you have childlike visions of toys and celebration with the people you love? Or pressure, loneliness, alienation and annoying relatives?

Sometimes we really can't help but ask "What is celebration? Do we really need it?"

I can tell you there were times after my divorce and my daughter's death that I asked myself those questions. My kids had moved out. I was alone. Holidays were just painful reminders of the life I no longer had. So I worked. I worked long hours just to avoid the malls with all that chirpy pain-in-the-neck holiday merriment. Bah humbug.

But the truth was, it hurt too much to celebrate. And I was the loser.

But you know what? Celebration is a ritual of life. It gives us a set of patterns, symbols and actions that mark important events and transitions in our lives. Right now, we're about to celebrate the ending of one year and the beginning of the next. It's important to do that. It's important to mark these times in our lives. You might say "It's just another day." and that might be true. But there's also a spiritual reality at this time that we need to recognize if only to celebrate the incredible, wonderful miracle of you.

"We can think of sacred ritual as the intersection of ordinary reality and spiritual reality. Ritual provides a safe framework, or container, for us to experience the sacred." Rachel Pollock - The Power of Ritual

Over the years I've found a number of different rituals and practices that have given me that connection. That spiritual reality. None of them are time consuming or difficult. In fact, I can honestly say they restored my sense of joy and wonder.

Releasing the past. This is the first step to recognizing endings and embracing beginnings. It doesn't mean we have to forget all that came before. It just means that we're releasing all the negative energy and stress from the past. When we take time to release the energy of disappointment or hurt, we open ourselves to forgiveness and love.

Write out the name of any limiting feelings you may be having. It could be sadness, or guilt, or a feeling of lack. If there are a lot of them, put each on a separate piece of paper. Then take each one and burn it. Then the next, then the next, until they're all gone. You may throw them into a fireplace, or burn them over a candle. As you do, watch them go up in smoke, rising upward and leaving your heart. Feel the release. Isn't it wonderful?

Invite new feelings to come in to take their place - love, sharing, friendship, creativity, or whatever you want more of in your life. You just created a vacuum, and nature rushes in to fill a vacuum. Make sure it is filled with all the good stuff you want in your life. Then seal the deal with another ritual. Celebrate each new feeling with a sip of a warm drink. Like hot cider. Or hot chocolate. Or mulled wine. Be sure you savor the taste and sensation as it warms and fills you. Know that these new qualities you are inviting into your life are now part of you and will grow with you in the coming year.

Gratitude. During the season of giving and receiving, it is easy to get caught up in the material hustle. So ask yourself: why the gifts? When you stop and think about it, they don't have to be an obligation. A burden. If you choose to buy gifts, recognize they're just a human way of showing our love and care. They're an opportunity to show our gratitude for what comes to us.

Think of other ways to express your deepest gratitude for all that you've been given. Allow yourself to notice it all around you, then honor it with thanks the moment it comes to you. This can be a game you can play by yourself or with others. Every time you smell a holiday scent, like cinnamon, turkey, evergreens or cider, think of a specific thing for which you are grateful. Or you may want to pick out holiday symbols, like snowmen, stars, angels, reindeer or Santa to trigger your sense of gratitude. Have fun coming up with ideas, and appreciating the rich symbolism we have during the holidays.

Renewal. As you get ready for the New Year, start fresh by releasing whatever hold you may have on the past. Release any negative thoughts you may have or people who don't support your excellence and growth. Take time to acknowledge any darkness in your heart and replace it with light and possibility. You can honor yourself by making this the best holiday yet.

Having learned from experience how to grow from adversity to outrageous fulfillment and abundance, Carole Hodges shares her expertise through workshops and private coaching. She works with adults ready to re-vision the second half of life. Learn about more holiday offerings at http://www.OutrageousChoice.com

Sonya Rykiel Perfume Shop online for Sonya Rykiel Perfume at low internet prices and fast delivery from perfume | healthboutiques.eu

Dental Insurance | Health Insurance | Home Owner Insurance | Life Insurance Quote

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |

Jewelry Christmas Gifts That Sparkle And Shine
The joyous season of Christmas is steeped in tradition, and gift giving is one ritual that is inseparable from this holiday. Who hasn't had difficulty at one time or another in choosing a suitable present for a beloved family member or a dear friend? Fortunately, jewelry Christmas gifts are widely available and there is an endless variety of styles from which to choose. Twinkling and shining, they reflect the nature of that season to be jolly.Sparkling and glittering are two words that would describe diamonds. Browse through the World Wide Web and you'll see a plethora of online stores that showcase jewelry Christmas gifts. Imagine a woman's pleasure at the shimmering sight of diamond snowflake dangling earrings or a glittering diamond bracelet adorned with traditional symbols associated with Christmas. Men, on the other han...(related: Holidays)

Free Christian Ecard And Christian Ecards
A free Christian ecard is comprised of inspirational quotes, musical greetings, messages of love, get well soon, and a plethora of other familiar greeting card options free of charge. Family and holiday Christian ecards are also available. Individualized free Christian ecards are offered by a multitude of websites on the Internet. A popular method of communications is the use of email, or electronic mail. Emails avoid the time restraints that other avenues of mail cause. Christian ecards can be delivered instantaneously to a friend or family members email account and can then be forwarded to others for all to enjoy.A free Christian ecard choice can be made from a large variety of colors and designs with scriptu...(related: Holidays)

Holiday Dieting: A Sweet Way To Cheat!
If your diet is making you a humbug this season, there's some good news. Turns out dark chocolate, that decadent confection, may actually be good for you!Yes, recently conducted studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have shown that a dose of dark chocolate will heed all sorts of healthy results. And with the holidays just around the corner, this news couldn't have come at a better time.So just for fun, I thought I'd conduct a mini-research project of my own and get the "skinny" on our friend dark chocolate. Here's some of the interesting "factoids" I ca...(related: Holidays)

Advantages Of Online Greeting Cards Over Paper Cards - Part Ii
So, let's review a little what we said in the first part of this. Greeting cards are a very popular item which people buy in high numbers. But the problem is that the making process of them is using a lot of energy and it's polluting the nature.I will try to show you the best healthy way for you to send your thoughts to your loved ones.The best solution of all are new invented and popul...(related: Holidays)

Valentine?s Day - Online Worship
Gazing the wide stretched blue carpet, with blows of zephyrs whispering and blowing leaves away, is the best way to rest your mind from the day-to-day hassle. It's the time when every living thing seems to grow and is nourished by the augmentation of spring. The basic demand of existence is to get inner contentment, which can be obtained by the internal & external stability of an entity. In my two optically active balls the stability desire for man & women fluctuate in many ways. Man & woman made for each other may have different attitudes for gaining inner contention but share parallel ideas for gaining eternal and sentimental contentment. This doesn't differentiate between any cast creed and race; all same one in for all. And t...(related: Holidays)

Online Uk Florist Saves The Day
Here it is Thursday afternoon, and Evelyn sees no break in her hectic schedule for the weekend. She has a presentation due on Monday morning and a meeting on Saturday most of the day with her team. The bad part is, her favorite aunt's birthday is on Saturday and she is turning 65 years old and this is one birthday that Evelyn did not want to miss.She thought maybe she could rush through the meeting but there is no way she could make it in time from London, UK to Birmingham, UK to attend the festivities that the family has planned. The worst part of it all is that now it is too late for her to even go out shopping for a unique gift and have it arrive on time.Before leaving work, she talks with some of her friends and they ...(related: Holidays)

Wolves, Goats, Martyrs And War: A History Of Valentines Day
Valentines Day is one of the most enigmatic of holidays, having appeared in many forms. But all "Valentine's Days" have drawn suspicion. In fact, after hundreds of years of attempted reform, Christian observance came to an end when the Catholic Church purged St. Valentine's Day from its calendar in 1969.Still, the holiday continues to inspire an annual avalanche of cards, not to mention the mass consumption of chocolates, flowers and sometimes, pricier presents. What do we commemorate when we celebrate Valentine's Day?- Running with the WolvesIf you've ever researched the history of Valentines Day, you know it began with wolves and ancient Spring magic. The earliest instance we know of starts with the tough old shepherds and founders of...(related: Holidays)

9 Fantastic Formulas For A Stress Free Holiday!
The holidays are officially here. And so the season for giving begins. Warm loving intentions, thoughtful giving and stocking stuffing take over.It's a wonderful time of year, but with all the activities, excitement and family obligations taking place at the same time, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed and even a tad bit gloomy. Here are 9 simple steps to relax, let go and really enjoy a truly happy holiday!1. Reflect on what an inspiration you are to others. The time you spend, the love y...(related: Holidays)

Experience Mothers Day In A Whole New Way
Mother's Day is the day when sons, daughters and husbands buy gifts and flowers to recognize the incredible work mom has done raising the children. But some moms are unknowingly cheating themselves out of the full experience of Mother's Day. Many moms treat Mother's Day as a complete...(related: Holidays)

Father?s Day Gift Idea: Do-it-yourself Backyard Pond Kit
This Father's Day, sit back and enjoy a nice cold drink with your father, while he's beaming with pride from ear to ear. You are both relaxing next to the sounds of trickling water emanating from the new water feature that he just installed himself. For the fa...(related: Holidays)

Get Organised For Christmas... Now!
Hasn't time flown? Only six weeks to Christmas!Now you may think that you're too busy to even contemplate that far ahead, however if you don't get your act together and prepare well in advance, instead of enjoying that time you could end up being totally stressed and miss valuable opportunities.Your Business ChecklistHave you planned and booked the venue for your team break-up?Do you know who will be ...(related: Holidays)