The Best Present To Give This Holiday Season...

(relationship) By Susie and Otto Collins

This weekend we were just like most people in America,we were out doing some of our Christmas shopping. As you know, the Christmas season is hectic with shopping, food preparation, parties, relatives and is a time usually filled with plenty of expectations.

This year--why not change your approach to the chaos usually associated with this holiday season?

Instead of just "giving presents", why not make it your intention to "be fully present" with the people you'll spend time with this holiday season.

To be "fully present" means focusing your attention on the moment. Stop all that chatter in your head. Stop thinking about what you're going to say next while the other person is talking or how irritating Uncle Charley is or all the things you have to get done.

Instead, we encourage you to focus on listening, Truly listening to your friends and relatives. Find out something new that you did not know about them.

Send them love as you are talking and listening. Sit down and play with your children or grandchildren and give them your full attention.

This is the best "present" you can give to anyone. When you are being "fully present" with another human being, you are honoring them and as a result will make them feel important and loved.

Something we practice daily is especially important at this time of the year. It's gratitude.
We begin each day with a prayer of gratitude that sets the tone for our day. What we find is that by doing this, we are focusing on the good things in our lives instead of the bumps in the road.

If you're not doing this, we suggest you start. One of the things we are grateful for is you. We feel very blessed that you continue to receive our newsletter each week and we thank you for being a part of our lives.

So, this year we encourage you to forget the argyle socks and cologne. Give the gifts that keep on giving--love, gratitude and presence!

We hope you're enjoying the holiday season. We wish many blessings for you and your family this holiday season and ALL ways.
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Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are,
while your reputation is merely what others think you are
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