The holiday season can be one of the happiest times of the year for people, filled with family, gift giving (and receiving), decorations, celebrations, and of course the good food. While all these things and more can make the holidays a cheerful time, for many people, the holidays can also be a dark and disheartening time. Even though you are in midst of all the merriment and cheer, people are often reminded of the many misfortunes of their lives during the holiday season, such as absent family members, economic hardships, and personal emotional issues that they have been able to be distracted from throughout the rest of the year.
Even though this Christmas came as a welcoming, exciting time for me, I was dealt with the hardship of the passing of a very dear friend the morning of Christmas Eve. While this loss brought much sadness to my normal Christmas proceedings, it also reminded me to look for the other bright aspects of my life, so as to make up for the bulb that was burnt out by the death of a loved one. I came to see that the holidays present us with the opportunity to look at our past and our future and find happiness in it all, in many different ways. If you are struggling with some misfortune and need some resolution or you just need of a pick me up, the holidays present the perfect time to give you many different ways of doing so.
Here are five important ways to discover the brightness of life during this holiday season:
Take a look around. The holidays are one of the most beautiful times of the year, with twinkling lights and iconic decorations dotting every corner. Whether you are on sun-soaked beaches or frosty snow-covered streets, the beauty of nature can be seen in full-force during this time. Christmas decorations and colors cover everywhere you go, and the spirit of Christmas can be seen everywhere you look. Allowing yourself to take time and get caught up in all the sights and beauty of this time can bring about the most natural joy.
Count your blessings. We often go through the year taking for granted all that we have been given in our lives, and we can easily forget where everything that we have came from. The simple task of writing down or even thinking about all the things that you have in your life to be thankful of can brighten even the darkest times. Though clichĂ©, the saying that âpeople are happier with lessâ rings true, especially during the holidays. Taking the time to realize what you have that others donât allows you to be happy even though you might not have gotten that watch or purse you really wanted.
Give. During the holidays, we can often get caught up in the selfish asking âwhat am I getting.â Instead try to look to give as much as you can during this time. You can often find more happiness through giving to others than through constantly receiving for yourself. The holidays give you a reason to give gifts to everyone special in your life, and they also give you the time to maybe give to the less fortunate in our world. Giving to others makes you realize how lucky you are to have what you do, while bringing happiness to others.
Find the bright side. While holidays can bring some tragedies or bad feelings, trying to find even the smallest amount of positivity can help to alleviate some of the holiday downers. Possibility of good exists in every situation, no matter how dire it may seem at the time. If you are left missing someone during this time, think about the people you do have and the happiness they bring you. Trying to put a positive spin on bad circumstances can bring about a complete change in attitude towards even the worst of circumstances.
Smile, it matters. If you are reading this, you are alive and well, so smile about it. Even if by sheer force of will, a simple smile can change your mood and the moods of those around you. Find the reasons in your life to smile through looking around you, being thankful, giving, and finding the positives. Smile for every reason you have to be happy in your life, for everything youâve gone through in your past and all that you have to look forward to in your future. The holidays can be either the best time of the year or the worst, and a simple smile can influence which of those it becomes. Find your personal reasons to smile, and turn your holiday into a bright celebration of the life that you live.Â