By GG Renee Hill
I love Christmas. I love holidays, birthdays, and milestones -- any event that brings my family and loved ones together. I don't love the consumerism and expectations that come along with some of these things, but I try to keep it all in perspective.
Just like everything else in my life, I've had to reevaluate holidays and how I choose to celebrate them. I used to do a lot of things I'd been programmed to do, even though many of those rituals weren't meaningful to me. No one should feel overwhelmed or unhappy because of things they think they have to do, gifts they have to buy, expectations they have to meet.
Am I the only one that has ever dreaded the inevitable post-Christmas questions? "What did you get?" "What did your significant other get for you?" These questions have always made me uncomfortable. You just never know a person's situation. I've had Christmases where I was barely able to pay my light bill. I've had Christmases where my relationship was hanging on by a thread. Gifts? They're nice, but they're not what my holidays are about.
What makes a happy holiday for you?
Whatever your answer is, please make sure that it comes from within. Not from the media, not from your peers or colleagues, not even from your parents if their traditions don't ring true for you. Pay special attention to how you fill up your time, space and consciousness this holiday. You are entitled to your unique needs and desires. Don’t compare yourself and don’t imitate what you see other people doing. Define your happy holiday for yourself.
Look around. Are you where you want to be? Doing the things you want to do? If not, in what small way can you start changing that? Look inside. Are you focusing on what you do have or what you don’t have? Are you loving yourself and being yourself on purpose?
As we close this year, I hope you will take a close look at your life and find ways to alleviate any pressure you may feel from trying to live up to expectations. Don't get caught up in other people’s reasons. Don’t delay your happiness or make it dependent on anything outside of yourself. Happy Holidays!
GG Renee is an independent author, a creativity coach, a feeler and an overthinker. She writes for the crazy beautiful complex free creative inspired love drunk woman who relishes her quiet time and believes in miracles. Blog // Twitter // Instagram
I love Christmas. I love holidays, birthdays, and milestones -- any event that brings my family and loved ones together. I don't love the consumerism and expectations that come along with some of these things, but I try to keep it all in perspective.
Just like everything else in my life, I've had to reevaluate holidays and how I choose to celebrate them. I used to do a lot of things I'd been programmed to do, even though many of those rituals weren't meaningful to me. No one should feel overwhelmed or unhappy because of things they think they have to do, gifts they have to buy, expectations they have to meet.
Am I the only one that has ever dreaded the inevitable post-Christmas questions? "What did you get?" "What did your significant other get for you?" These questions have always made me uncomfortable. You just never know a person's situation. I've had Christmases where I was barely able to pay my light bill. I've had Christmases where my relationship was hanging on by a thread. Gifts? They're nice, but they're not what my holidays are about.
What makes a happy holiday for you?
Whatever your answer is, please make sure that it comes from within. Not from the media, not from your peers or colleagues, not even from your parents if their traditions don't ring true for you. Pay special attention to how you fill up your time, space and consciousness this holiday. You are entitled to your unique needs and desires. Don’t compare yourself and don’t imitate what you see other people doing. Define your happy holiday for yourself.
Look around. Are you where you want to be? Doing the things you want to do? If not, in what small way can you start changing that? Look inside. Are you focusing on what you do have or what you don’t have? Are you loving yourself and being yourself on purpose?
As we close this year, I hope you will take a close look at your life and find ways to alleviate any pressure you may feel from trying to live up to expectations. Don't get caught up in other people’s reasons. Don’t delay your happiness or make it dependent on anything outside of yourself. Happy Holidays!
GG Renee is an independent author, a creativity coach, a feeler and an overthinker. She writes for the crazy beautiful complex free creative inspired love drunk woman who relishes her quiet time and believes in miracles. Blog // Twitter // Instagram