“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion”- Dalai Lama
Showing kindness not only to family members and friends but also to strangers is a sure way to enjoy your holiday. Sometimes to make the holiday truly memorable, you will need to do something different from what you’ve done in your past holidays.
Love is better expressed when it is directed at those who do not expect it from you.
Showing love to a spouse, sibling, friend or family member is a common act but then how often do we think about those who are not in any way related to us? How often do we show love to those in need? How often do we reach out to the old, the less privileged, the physically/ mentally challenged, the widowed and even those random individuals we see on the streets?
Do you really want to make this holiday worthwhile?
Then make an effort to meet a need in someone’s life this season
To achieve this, here is a very practical 10- Day plan to reach out to others!
DAY 1:
Make Three People Smile Today
Saying a word of affirmation can help you achieve this. Say things like “you are beautiful/ handsome”, “I love your smile” or “that’s a lovely dress/shirt you have on”. You can also achieve this by giving out a small note with a word of encouragement written on it.
DAY 2:
Buy a gift for a stranger
This act seems a little weird but it is an amazing way to surprise someone this holiday and spice up your holiday as well.
DAY 3:
Give out your good old clothes and other items to someone who needs them
Many of us form the habit of disposing our old stuffs when we no longer need them ignoring the fact that there are some people who cannot afford these items. This season, instead of discarding your good old stuffs, give it to someone who needs it. You’ll be glad you did.
DAY 4:
Help make the environment beautiful
Today, take out time to beautify the environment. Resolve not to litter the environment, take an extra step to clean up your surroundings, plant some flowers, decorate the environment etc. You never can tell how much the beauty of the environment would lighten someone’s heart.
DAY 5:
Spend time with an elderly person today!
Look out for an elderly person in your environment and spend time with him/her. You can also help out with some house chores like taking out the trash, helping out with laundry, cooking a meal, mowing the lawn or you can even tell them a story.
DAY 6:
Be the reason a Child is happy today
The smile you leave on a child’s face today might just be what you need to make your holiday a memorable one this season. Pause and think! Device a means to make a child happy today and see how that makes you feel.
DAY 7:
Visit the Orphanage
Visit the orphanage today. You may need to buy some gift items for the orphans if you wish to. You can also decide to engage them in fun stuffs like teaching them new songs, telling them stories, playing games and acting.
DAY 8:
Reach out to the sick
Your encouragement would go a long way in the recovery process of a sick person today. Visit a hospital and give words of encouragement to the sick!
DAY 9:
Show concern for someone who is despondent
Try to encourage someone who is down. Use both words and actions. Don’t just be sympathetic but as much as possible try to plant hope in the person.
DAY 10:
Be Nice
Be nice to everyone you meet today. Be polite- say please, excuse me, thank you, and I’m sorry as many times as possible. Be quick to forgive those who offend you and also quick to apologize to those you’ve wronged.
For more insightful updates on #TouchaHeartThisHoliday follow me on twitter @drmorayoJimoh
Without doubt, the holiday season comes with so many expenses. In a bid to make the holiday worthwhile, parents may find themselves worrying about how to give their children a memorable holiday, young people are also likely to worry about fashion trends and fun places to visit. In addition, some business owners may worry about settling outstanding debts. All these expectations need financing and could be quite challenging.
Change can also bring about stress. Experiences such as the death of a loved one, divorce, marriage, childbirth, change in socio-economic status, new environment etc. can cause stress especially if it occurs during the holiday season. This is because some individuals tend to get anxious about change and might experience difficulty adjusting to new situations in their lives coupled with the potentially overwhelming nature of the festive season.
Do not become so overwhelmed by the activities in the season that you forget to relax. A regular breathing exercise is really helpful in relaxing the nerves and controlling stress. Also, take timeout to be alone and just relax. Have enough sleep and be sure that you are not overworking yourself. Delegating some responsibilities might be of help too.
