Embracing Your Inner Child

As the holidays roll around, I always find that there is this jumble of excitement and dread in the people I talk to. This year seems a bit heavy on the side of dread, and lost beneath the dread is the inner child of many just begging to come out and play. For some finances are getting them down. For others the pressures at work or within the family have them dreading the end of the year, and for others it is their own uncertainty about what they want in their lives that have them feeling unsettled.If the holidays have you feeling somewhere between happy and downright terrified, what can you do to embrace your inner child this holiday season?

First, think like a child!

Kids are all about the fun of the holiday season. They focus on who gets to pull on the wishbone from the turkey, how much whipped cream they can pile on top of their pie, and simply having loads of fun. Get present to what you love about the holiday season and embrace it!

Second, look for the gold in each and every circumstance.

Unfortunately, getting back to a childlike way of being doesn’t mean you can turn off your adult responsibilities. However, when you take on the holidays from a perspective of passion and fun, you are much more likely to find the gold in absolutely everything you do! Think about it.

• If you have pressure at work, it means you have a job.
• If your extended family is sparing over who gets to spend what time with you over the holiday, it means you have a family that loves you.

These are huge chunks of gold, and these are just a small fraction of the examples I could give. So check it out. Where’s the gold in your life? What and who are you most thankful for?You see the holidays aren’t about the stuff we have. They are about the love of family, the joy of sharing, the giving of ourselves to each other, and gratitude for the gold that can be found in each and every one of our lives!So as the holiday season comes roaring to life, get and stay present to the gold in every circumstance around you, search for the gold even when it isn’t obvious, and treasure each and every piece you find.