The Holidays are a magical time of year, full of family, gratitude, gifts and grown adults trying to ice skate for the first time. All in all, I think the time between Thanksgiving and New Years is the best time of the year and I think it’s because we’re collectively the most mindful and the most giving. I hope 2019 was a great year for you and that 2020 will be your best year yet; I truly believe that it can be.
A couple of years ago, President Obama gave a beautiful speech where he hit on three really important things.
- Be kind, useful and caring about people who are less fortunate than you.
- Be a peacemaker rather than an instigator.
- Try to lift people up instead of pulling them down.
Which of these most resonates with you? Why?
I’m going to try to be kinder to myself, my wife, kids, friends, coworkers and all of my fellow earthlings I come in contact with. In so doing, I believe I’ll have a multiplier effect on many more people.
When we’re kinder to ourselves and to others, and we extend one another grace to make mistakes, we have increased the likelihood we’ll learn and get better. Give yourself and others the grace to make mistakes in our speech, our thinking and in our perspectives.
When we work harder to give others our full attention, we’re giving that person one of the greatest gifts we can give.
When we work to be more tolerant of others’ viewpoints, even if they’re the polar opposite of ours, we give ourselves the opportunity to begin to understand why this person thinks and feels the way they do. From tolerance, we can move to understanding.
When we give ourselves and others the gift of forgiveness when we fall short, we recognize that when it inevitably happens, we don’t dwell on it for too long.
When we work to extend the season of giving beyond the end of the year, we give ourselves the opportunity to be happier and better people.
Let’s make this happen.