Joy

Joyful Family Time

Joyful Family Time

Family

Sheri Here!

This is the time that we are going to be around family and we really want it to be joyful family time.  Frequently these relationships can be challenging, and spending time together can be tumultuous.

While we may want to enjoy peaceful time together, there may be some touchy moments.  There are a few tools that could be helpful to deal with these sessions.

  1. Come from love and kindness – when you come from love and kindness rather than a place of agitation and anger, you come across as a gentler person with a less harsh response and interaction.
  2. Pause when agitated – If someone has started poking at you and you want to snap back a snarky response – pause – bite your tongue, take a deep breath and then reconsider what your response will be. Possibly not even respond with anything other than “You could be right”.  And leave it at that.
  3. Exercise self-compassion – know that your family can push your buttons and allow yourself space and breathing time. Be kind to yourself and don’t beat yourself up.  Maybe take a walk to bring a bit of nature’s benefit to your rescue and to lower any angst or anxiety.
  4. Turn your family over to God – Say a quick prayer before you enter a room, especially with a particularly troublesome person in it. Give them to God and pray that they have a warm and loving time with the family.  If nothing else, it puts you in a spot of kindness before anything is said.

By being a bit of serenity in the family gathering, if it gets contentious, you can have a peaceful and serene time with people you may see infrequently, for good reason.

What other suggestions and techniques do you have that work for you in the midst of family drama?  Hit reply and let me know!

Around Town 

The next 3 Keys to Radically Transform Your Life and Finances Workshop is on December 20, 2022, at 2pm PT.  This is your chance to learn my 5-step process that will radically transform your financial reality no matter what beliefs or stories have held you back up until now. I’d love to see your there. You can register here.

Ciao,

Sheri

What’s Up with You?

Self Care

Sheri here,

Last week my newsletter was about preparing for the holidays, primarily about budgets – time and money.  I also included a bit about attitude.

This week I’d like to chat a bit more about holiday attitudes.  We have almost 90 days until New Year’s Day – the official end to the holiday season.  That’s a fairly long time if your attitude is suffering.

Holidays are Hard for Some

Some people really have a hard time at the holidays.  It could be the first year without someone or the anniversary of an event that was unhappy or sad.

If you find yourself in that category, be gentle with yourself, exercise self-compassion.  Don’t overextend yourself.  Maybe pick a couple of low-key events with a couple of friends and show up and find joy in the moment.

I learned a long time ago, that sadness and joy could co-exist.  It may seem like a travesty, especially if you are processing fresh grief.  But it is possible to experience both.

In fact, the sadness, the darkness supports us in understanding how special, how blessed experiencing joy can be.  They are 2 sides to the same coin.

Some Solutions to the Blues

Maybe massive decorations are too much – but what about one pumpkin or some fall flowers?  Some candy for the trick or treaters.

Try a walk around a craft store, it gets you out and shows you some of the possibilities of the season.

You don’t need to do any of them, except take in the festivities, the possibilities of the season.

Just hold that possibility door open – you may not see anything that calls you to take it home; but the bright colors and fun decorations are a lot of fun and a great potential to change your attitude to just a little cheerier.

If Sadness Continues – Seek Help

If the sadness continues, if it gets too bad and persists for too long, seek help.  There are mental health specialists that can chat with you and support you in treating a serious case of the blues.

That’s ok – we’ve all had them at one time or another and it passes – just like the holidays.

My wish for you is that you find delight and happiness in the season; that you can hear the laughter of children and appreciate the joy of the season.

Drop me a note – leave a comment below and let me know where you are this year.  Would love to hear from you whether you are happy or otherwise.

Me? I’m enjoying seeing the decorations and planning some special treats for those around me.  My hope for you is the same.

Around town

My book, Everything I Learned About Life I Learned on Vacation is now available for sale on Amazon – you can buy it here – enjoy both the book and the season!

Have a blessed week.

Ciao,

Sheri

Now is the Time

Holidays

Sheri here,

Now is the time to do it. What’s that you ask? Why create a holiday plan and budget.

Oh Boo – that’s ok…Boo fits with Halloween!

It’s October, Time for Holiday Planning

This is not the first October that I’ve discussed this topic. See my blog It’s October, the Start of the Holidays. But maybe you are like me and tend to forget from year to year how fast things go this time of year.

I’m convinced that the year is over when October hits – ‘cuz it moves so fast! I just did my fourth quarter plan and it included looking at my budget and calendar.

The biggest things I’m planning this holiday season includes a Book Launch Party, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas decorating light and Christmas dinner. Other years had much more in the calendar, but this year, that’s enough.

My blog It’s October, the Start of the Holidays, includes 5 holiday budget tips. I understand that word budget might have you breaking out in hives, but…it’s a solid idea that can save you a mint.

When you create a holiday budget, you can get realistic about what you choose to spend. Then it also says, if this is how much I choose to spend, then this is who I can spend it on.

For me, I told you my plans and the Book Launch Party has it own budget, so other than the grandkids, few others are getting a gift this year. That’s what’s realistic and to still have room for two feasts. The decorations, I’ve got already.

Let’s Not Skip Over Thanksgiving

Many times we tend to skip over Thanksgiving in the retail hype of getting to the December holidays. But Thanksgiving is special to me. It’s time to recognize that for which you are grateful and to gather family and friends, which implies a feast. A day dedicated to eating and football, how very special is that!

There are lots of options for these feasts – so your plan is important. Are you preparing it, if so are you making it from scratch, which does take more time but is both fun and yummy. Or are you outsourcing it and buying a meal-in-the-box with all the fixings? You don’t need to decide this minute – but give it some thought as you make your holiday plan and budget.

Halloween and Holiday Fun

By now you either have your Halloween decorations up or have a solid plan. Our plan is to savor our neighbor’s decorations. They do a great job and have several young children who enjoy the process. Our joy comes from their preparation, including their Halloween costumes.

The last few years, especially at Halloween, with no young kids and few trick or treaters, sharing the fun of others has been our major pleasure.

We can find delight in numerous ways during the next several months, we don’t need to be curmudgeons or rushed. Watching the joy of others and finding ways to add to it can help both your plan and your budget. You can find lots of low cost and low time commitment things to enhance what is already planned.

No matter what you do, find joy in the season.

How about you? Have you made your plans for the holiday season, hit reply and share!

Around town – My book, Everything I Learned About Life I Learned on Vacation is now available for sale on Amazon – you can buy it here – enjoy both the book and the season!

Have a blessed week!

Ciao,

Sheri

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