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| All-About-Holidays | |
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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
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ARTICLES CATEGORIES Holidays Christmas Thanksgiving Mothers Day Fathers Day Easter Labor Day Halloween Valentines New Years Memorial Day Birthdays RELATED ARTICLES Make it an Unforgettable Birthday! The first known birthday celebrations began among the Egyptians with parades, circuses, and gladiatorial events - all complete with feasts that sometimes lasted for days. Romans celebrated the birthdays of their gods with parades and chariot races. Traditional and Modern Anniversary Gifts Most people know that the 50th wedding anniversary is the "golden" anniversary, and that the 25th is silver. But beyond that? Here are some traditional and modern conventions to follow when selecting anniversary gifts. How To Stay Slim During The Holiday Season The majority of people find themselves carrying additional fat once the holidays are over. Worst of all, most of them never lose this extra weight. How to Host Thankgiving Dinner and Enjoy it Anyway You've been nominated; or perhaps your family has issued a decree; or perhaps it's simply your turn. No matter what the reason, you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. Saint Nick to Santa, the MOST extreme makeover? It's the holiday season, and the first thing that comes to so many minds is presents, and who better to deliver these presents than Jolly Saint Nick himself. Chris Cringle, Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, etc. What Are And How To Use Free Ecard and Free Ecards You can consider free ecards as being the same thing as normally greetings cards. The difference is that an ecard is an electronic card. 10 Reasons Santas Broke This Year 1. Santa Spends More Than He MakesSanta's paychecks are nothing to sneeze at, but he stays focused on his next raise. Making Mom Happy on Mothers Day Mothers day is May 8th this year, are you ready? Are you in need of an idea for how to treat mom on Mothers Day that will not break your budget? How about indulging mom with a delightful home cooked brunch and a special tea pot for her to take home at the end of the day.Making moms eyes sparkle with a beautifully set table is as easy as pulling out that lacey table cloth and placing a vase of fresh flowers in the center for her to enjoy. Inexpensive Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas For Kids After all the gifts have been purchased and placed under the tree, that is the time that many remember in a panic that the stockings over the fireplace still need to be stuffed. Holiday budgets have most likely been spent and there isn't a whole lot of extra money available. 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. For Thanksgiving - Be Thankful He's Not the Cheating Kind Infidelity is at an all time high. According to the latest statistics, 3 out of 4 husbands cheat on their wives. Spend More Time With Your Family This Holiday Season: Host A Caroling Party Too often we forgo entertaining because of the mere thought of all of the preparation that is involved. And more is not better. Kids Halloween Costumes! Your Pint-sized Witches And Goblins Can Look Their Spookiest & Cutest Ever It's not only the candy that puts smiles on kids' faces on October 31st! It's the fact that they love getting dressed up and scaring everyone along the way! Kids look cute... Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees Putting up and decorating your Christmas tree is a holiday tradition which has been in effect for hundreds of years and will probably be in effect until the end of time. Choosing whether you want a real Christmas tree or an artificial Christmas tree is a dilemma which many of us face every year. Easy Gift Ideas For Dad On Fathers Day Father's Day is just around the corner. If you're looking for a gift a little more exciting than the traditional tie, consider making up a men's pamper gift set. Ready for Christmas? Enjoy an Organized Holiday This Year 1. Keep a stack of directions TO your place for people who need to know how to get to your home or office. Dont Want Another Carpet Sweeper This Year For Christmas? Unique "Drop-A-Hint" Plan Sends Your Gift Wishes Via E-mailSure, they love you and each year they try their best to find you the perfect gift. But let's be honest, sometimes they need a little help. Gods Gift to You... Mom Have you ever thought what you would have done without your Mother? Then why is it Mom's are usually the low woman on the totem pole? God thought enough of us to give us an earthly Guardian Angel and so many times, more than we could truthfully count this is the person we lash out at the most with the excuse it's OK it's only Mom. Thinking of the old cliché "we always hurt the one we the love the most" truly believing that all is forgiven. An Easy Gift For Many Occasions It can be very hard to find that one perfect gift for someone. How many times have you pondered over what to buy for a 36th birthday or an 18th anniversary?Chances are, that you've been thinking way too hard!Go to any local retail store and start browsing. Keepsake Christmas Album Do you hate throwing your Christmas cards away every year as much as I do? This year I decided to try to come up with some way to preserve our Christmas cards, as well as find a way to organize all the Christmas letters I've been faithfully filing away for the past six years. I decided to make an album for our Christmas letters using decoupage to decorate the covers with this year's Christmas cards. 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