Share Your Joy!
Tis’ the season to remember that Christmas isn’t a happy, cheerful, fun, and joyous time for all. Some find this time of year to be extremely hard due to loss, stress, anxiety, financial strain, or internal struggles that many of us may not even be able to see.
It is easy to get wrapped up in the holiday lights, the music, and the lovely Christmas and New Year’s festivities, forgetting the many people that have no one to share the season with, or don’t feel the happiness that others feel throughout the season. There are kids that won’t have presents under the tree on Christmas morning, people suffering from depression and anxiety, divorced parents that must share the holiday with their ex-spouse, and endless situations that create anger, sadness, and uneasiness.
Remember that you have the ability to change that for someone. You can use your joy to help put a smile on the faces of others. Smile at those who are hurting to give them hope and strength that shows them you care. After all, your smile may be the best part of their day. Consider changing the way you celebrate Christmas by decreasing the amount you do in your own family so that you can help give to another family. Further, be willing to reach out and help strangers by delivering cookies, gift certificates, or presents to a family in need. You could help someone putting air in their tires, a shopper who can’t reach groceries on the top shelf, or holding doors for senior citizens. Be sure to also show a little extra appreciation this time of year to those in the customer service field, including retail workers and food service employees who work tirelessly and endlessly throughout the season (often at very low wages) to ensure that others are able to create special memories with their loved ones. (I speak from experience on this one!)
As you wrap up the holiday week, please keep in mind all those that may be suffering. Those are the people we desperately need to reach out and offer a hand to. It can be as simple as a smile, or as elaborate as offering to give to those in need. After all, there are many people that struggle to even meet their basic needs this time of year and all year long.
So my challenge and hope is that by reading this you choose to use my #ProjectKindnessBook to spread YOUR cheer this holiday season. Your cheer could be the difference in someone’s life; even if you only change one life this holiday season, that is better than none. Happy Christmas with love and hugs from me to you! May 2017 be the year of spreading kindness to strangers.
~jj
#ProjectKindnessBook
#AlwaysChooseKindness