SPREADING JOY NOT COVID19
Happy Holidays from Gwen Co!
Whew! The holiday season can be stressful! Even more so with a pandemic at our feet. Here's a few (COVID19 safe) ideas to spread the joy this holiday season despite the pandemic, masks, social distancing and other restrictions.
Bake cookies and drop them off to your local Fire Departments and Police Departments. Include a little inspirational note.
Have a special talent like sewing or knitting? Making gifts to donate to local charities is a great way to spread the love.
Sponsor a family in need. Nothing captivates the true spirit of the holiday season like giving to a family in need. Check your local church groups for giving trees or your local charities for family sponsorships.
Keep a gratitude journal. Everyday pick one thing your are grateful for and fill the page with why you are grateful, what impact has this had on your life, and a story about it. There are so many benefits to practicing gratitude. It reduces stress, anxiety , and helps you authentically connect with others.
Pick one person per day that you are friends with on social media and send them a private message telling them how grateful you are to have them in your life and how their presence has impacted your life. This is a great way to stay connected.
Pay It Forward - Challenge yourself to do one random act of kindness per day during the holiday season, whether its paying for the person behind you in the drive thru or leaving a treat in the mailbox for your mail carrier. You can GOOGLE "Random Acts of Kindness" for a list of ideas on how to pay it forward.
Decorate, Decorate, Decorate. I know some people catch grief for putting up their decorations too early, but you know what? Putting up holiday decorations has been proven to lift people's spirits. Its science. So hang the garland, make the eggnog, listen to the Christmas music. Others will catch on!
Treat yourself. Lets acknowledge that we deserve to take care of ourselves and give others permission to so as well. I often see guilt undermine self-care. We should never have to feel like we need to explain, rationalize of apologize for taking care of ourselves. Self-Care is Important and you deserve it.
Create New Traditions. Now is a great time to begin new traditions with your family. You can create what these new traditions look like. Creating new traditions can bring a renewed excitement to the holiday season.
Digitally connect. Posting positive content on your social media page is a great way to spread cheer. You will find that people will gravitate towards your page looking for that infectious spirit. Get creative, get silly, have fun. It's contagious!
What are your favorite ways to spread joy during the holiday season? What special traditions have you started since COVID 19? I'd love to hear your stories!
Gwen