The Gift of Change

I was planning to spend Thanksgiving with my son and daughter-in-law in Michigan this year and then everything changed again.

I wasn’t going to fly – I was planning a two-day drive since it’s about 12 hours away. A short holiday became a long trip. And then the numbers spiked and I started thinking about how many more people would be on the road, in hotels, restaurants, and turnpike stops. It started to seem like an idea that was worth another look.

I decided to give up my grumpiness about not seeing my family. I hate that state of being when I can’t get out of the trough of resentfulness. It’s not good for me or especially for those around me. I can wear my weather pretty well which is fine if it’s a fair day.

We are all struggling with the changes that Covid has brought. It has disrupted the parts of our lives that are most precious to us- our relationships with family and friends. And, it is causing us to rethink how we do many things.

Here are some changes that I have decided to make:

I want to know my community better and specifically, those who are making a difference. Just the acknowledgment of their effort might be enough, but maybe I can do a little more?

Here are some of the things I have been considering as new ways of being through the coming holidays. I invite you to chime in and add some of your own.

1. Make a list of people in your community or in your neighborhood who work to make a difference for others. Think about what you can do to surprise, delight, wow, or simply thank them. Please share your ideas with us!

2. Stir up your creative juice and make a number of cards, postcards, favorite quotes, playlists, something that makes you laugh, etc. Make enough for four weeks of giving one away every day. You can make them in one sitting or several – after a short time, it won’t seem like work and the joy you will create will be worth it.

3. Make a list of the best books you’ve read this year and share your list with others who share your love of reading. I know a few souls who have created a book chain (send one book and receive 36), a sharing of art books to those who practice art – but it could be in any area of your choosing. The great benefit here is double: you get to let go of books you no longer need and someone gets something that you have loved and you know they will as well.

4. Send anonymous inspiration. Write a postcard to someone you admire detailing why you admire them, their work, attitude, spirit, etc. Sign it because you can be sure it will lift their spirits.

5. Choose 1-3 people to be recipients of cheer for 25 days starting December. Each day, make sure they get something – it can be cost-free but the important part of this is the consistency

We are all able to stretch if we so choose. I invite you to join me in this project.

If you like this idea, I am going to schedule a Zoom call to discuss it in more depth, set the parameters, and grow the excitement. You can email me at: dale@theencouragementproject.com

Ask yourself: What ways could I shift to make the coming holidays more memorable than I ever could guess?

Please respond in the comments section so that these ideas can be shared.