Choice: Joy or Judgment

Choice: Gratitude or Grumbling

Choice: Faith or Fear

As we approach this holiday season let us carry an important package with us. This gift is a moment in time, a connection to the possibilities that can be discovered in every storm of life, in every challenge, in every new beginning. As we pause and notice, we experience life with a sense of serenity.

Last night as I was driving in a turbulent snowstorm, I thought of my daughter, a new driver, who had the other car. Would she know how to brake properly? Would she understand how to maneuver the car on a slippery road? As I let my thoughts waffle between the worry (for something I wasn’t able to control or influence in this moment) and the beauty of the majestic snowflakes kissing my windshield, I realized that it really is in a moment that we have a point of power, a decision that we can make, a choice that determines how we feel. We can trust or we can create turbulence within. With a “coaching phone call" with my 16 year old we made a plan for options if the storm didn’t dissipate. In one call, the worry melted just like the snowflakes as they slid down the warm windshield. Worry during the holiday times? Definitely an option…

As the world opens to a new President and the economic situation wiggles out what didn’t work and discovers new practices, we have a Choice. We can offer gratitude for all we have or we can grumble about the messages the media wants us to believe. We can fret over what life will be like with the “lost money in the stock market” or we can buy low and sell high! As I travel and listen to conversations, I realize that people are creating stories, some positive and some negative. How will you speak today? Will you focus on the food that needs to be made for the holidays, the purchases for relatives and the extra events of the season OR will you Pause…Remember the reasons we all gather? Will you renew your spirit and give yourself a few moments to reconnect to your internal peace?

What if we all paused and took 11 minutes a day to write a gratitude note to someone who has touched our lives? What if people really shared from their heart, openly, this holiday season? What if we really embraced that a simple conversation can change your perspective, a simple shared moment can inspire you or a simple action can transform your dream? Yes, a simple moment, like a snowflake kissing your windshield reminds you of the uniqueness of every moment.

Pause and plan for this holiday season. Transform days into joy-creating moments, opportunities to cherish people who serve, people who care and people who inspire you to be more. The package of GRATITUDE is one to carry within your heart, especially during this holiday season. Is it really about an item in a box? Or is it about your heart connecting with another and sharing a token of gratitude. The Choice is YOURS-how do you want to live your holiday season?