Among the joy that holidays can bring, it can also bring to the surface feelings of resentment or frustration towards family members around things that may have happened in the past, that you may not have known you were still holding onto. The holidays are supposed to be a time to feel grateful for those around us; but we can also often get caught up in the idea that we should give more than we receive, and that in itself can be overwhelming.

Here are four ways to deal with these feelings:

1. Do one thing a day that nurtures you

Even if it’s just drinking coffee, just take the time to have a moment for you. You will find that you have more energy, more space for you and more gratitude for you and the people and things in your life.

2. Be grateful

Increase your level of gratitude by starting a gratitude journal where you write at least three things a day that you’re grateful for about you, and three things you’re grateful for about your life and the people in it. When gratitude and judgment do not exist in the same space, you have more happiness.  A simple gratitude journal can begin to create that.

3. Ask “who does this belong to”  for every thought, feeling, and emotion you have that’s not positive. If your world lightens up, those thoughts and feelings were never yours to begin with, and you should return it to the sender.

4. Ask “How does it get any better than this?”  for every good situation that occurs and every bad situation. It’ll make a bad situation better, and a good situation even better.

For the full article in Australia’s Women’s Health Magazine Live, go here.

So grateful you are in this world.

Dain

P.S.  And for more on this subject and additional ways to have more joy and beat the holiday blues, check out my article here.