“It’s not what’s under the Christmas tree that matters, it’s who is around it”
One of the best parts of life is spending time with people we love. And one of the best steps we can take to really enjoy that time is to actively appreciate the ways in which our loved ones enrich our lives.
This season, let’s turn our attention to appreciating the people who help make our lives good, with two questions to consider and one small step to take. Who are some of the people who add joy, laughter, or love to your life, or who you can count on to be there when you need them?
See if you can think of one or two people you may not think of every day, but who have made a difference in your life.If you have people in your life that make your life a little more better or maybe just nice people that are there. Take a minute to go another layer down by thinking of one concrete way they enrich your life, or perhaps a specific thing you do together that brings you joy. You might even be able to think of ways they make your life better without even knowing it.
Now take a moment to feel your appreciation for these people and their presence in your life. Really experience your gratitude. And then if you want to, you can stop there. Just reflecting on the ways that other people enrich our lives has been proven to give our mood a lift, something we can all use, especially during such a busy time of year.
But the impact of these reflections can be fleeting. This season, Let them know.
Write a note, send an email, pick up the phone, find a minute after dinner, and tell the people who make your life so good exactly how they do it. Here’s the key. This isn’t a “Thanks for being such a supportive colleague” or “I’m glad we’re sisters” type of communication. This is about the concrete, specific ways these good people have made your life better this year.
This type of heartfelt expression of appreciation for the specific, concrete ways that people enrich our lives can have all sorts of wonderful effects. It can lead to speechless surprise, great conversations, deeper relationships, release of old resentments, and a lot more of the laughter, joy, and love that we were so grateful for in the first place. But let it not just be for the season, but it’s the perfect time to start. The birthday of the greatest lover we have seen can be the greatest platform for us to show love to those around us.
Where Are You Christmas? I’m thankful for those around me