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An Inspirational Video – 12 Things to Remember
Posted by: | CommentsWho can’t use a little inspiration from time to time?
This inspirational video is a great reminder to remain positive and upbeat no matter what’s going on in your life.
Enjoy!!
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Certified Life Coach, Family Therapist, Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy to devote to self-care.
Observing Traditions, Rituals and Habits During the Holidays
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Traditions, rituals and habits are a staple of American culture. And, with the U.S holiday, Thanksgiving this week, this is the perfect time to think about the traditions in your own family circle or start some new ones. I often counsel blended families to start new traditions when they are at a crossroads as to which set of in-laws they share Thanksgiving dinner with.
One family decided to rid themselves of the holiday madness by volunteering to feed the homeless at their local church on Thanksgiving Day.
Another family spends the day with their nuclear family and then hosts a large gathering for extended family the day after Thanksgiving.
Sometimes traditions evolve slowly over time such as the annual Kwanzaa celebration I’ve been hosting for over 20 years.
Traditions don’t have to be extravagant, expensive or time consuming. It could be as simple as committing to have dinner together as a family on Wednesdays. Juggling family schedules can be a challenge but setting aside at least one day to share a meal together promotes unity and an opportunity to connect and share.
If you haven’t started a tradition, ritual or habit yet, now is a good time to start or maybe you’re looking for other ideas to add to your tradition toolbox. Here are a few examples to get you started:
- Birthdays – The tradition of celebrating birthdays is evident in many cultures and it’s a time to make someone feel special and the center of attention. You might want to use an ornately decorated plate for the celebrant. Or as is the case in my family, each birthday is celebrated with a special cake of the birthday person’s choice. Mine is a yummy strawberry, peach, creme filled concoction. Hey, it’s only once a year!
- Thanksgiving – Turkey takes center stage in our family. You may be a vegetarian or prefer some other main course. but the important thing is that you spend quality time with those you care about and less emphasis on the food.
- Christmas – If you don’t celebrate Christmas, you may have another holiday where you observe traditions or rituals. If you have a large family, you may want to forego the traditional gift giving and instead make a charitable contribution to a worthy cause. Or you may decide to do your major celebration on Christmas Eve or attend a religious service.
- Kwanzaa -Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday or an alternative to Christmas although it is observed from December 26-January 1. Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration of cultural principles by which to live daily.
What traditions, rituals and habits do you observe in your family circle?
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care.
The Days of Our Lives
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s official – summer is over! The vibrant green colors of warmer and brighter days are but a faint memory. When I look around now, I see a sharp contrast to the lush green of summer. I see vivid colors of orange, muted brown, burgundy red, tawny taupe and sunny yellows sprinkling the landscape.
I’m reminded of how the changes in the seasons mimic the days of our lives. I’m reminded of how transitional life is; how we seamlessly transcend from one season to another.
As a child, summers were full of carefree days playing games outside like hopscotch, red light, hide and seek and any other games our creative minds could conjure up during summer recess. Our only goal was to have fun before we transitioned to adulthood.
Summers remind me of those carefree days before I grew into young adulthood (before marriage, children, and a multitude of other responsibilities) when my primary goal in life was to have matching shoes for my ever-growing wardrobe.
And as quickly as summer passes, fall and autumn emerge. And before you know it, the summers of your life turn slowly into autumn years. You have to wonder, where did the time go?
It seems, one day I was a child, a young adult ready to conquer the world, then as quick as lighting strikes I was a middle age woman and “bam” – here I am moving toward yet another transition.
You’ve heard the saying “youth is wasted on the young”. I take that to simply mean when you are a full fledged adult your perspective changes and are aware that you would have made different choices if you had known what you know now.
How different would your life be had you known just a smidging of what you know now?
How many more untapped dreams could you have pursued?
How much more joy could you have experienced?
Of course, everything looks different in retrospect. But your life experiences are not recorded on a digital camera where you can delete the pictures that don’t meet with your approval. You must experience each transition so that you can learn from it and become wiser and more mature. When you’re much younger, the notion that each day represents an opportunity to learn a lesson and grow is pretty much a foreign concept.
In my youth, I had no idea what it meant to live my dream. In fact, back then I didn’t have the focus or wisdom to even know what my dream was. The wisdom and the experiences I have had could only come through the transitions and knowledge I have gained as I navigate my way through life stages.
I choose to view each transition as just another season that I will embrace, savor, enjoy and know that I am blessed to have reached another season in my life.
Be grateful for each accomplishment, milestone, and transition that you are blessed to experience. Your unique talents are just waiting to be unmasked. Begin today to use each of your experiences as a platform for growth, development and pursuing your dreams.
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Gladys Anderson, founder of Coach for YOUR Dreams, is a certified life coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, writer and speaker. Gladys combines years of experience, training and a genuine commitment to helping nurses, teachers, therapists and other care giving women to set limits so they have more time, and energy to devote to self-care.