Beloved,
How many people have you greeted with holiday wishes this month?
I recently had an interesting experience at a Christmas celebration with church members. We went to a buffet restaurant and I was in line behind a young adult male. We exchanged holiday greetings and, just as he was headed to his table, he paused and turned to face me.
He thanked me for the holiday wishes, then said how good it made him feel because I’d been the only stranger to greet him for several days. We shared a few more things together and kindly parted ways.
I realized afterwards that we both gained from this brief encounter.
But why is that?
According to scientist Dr. Sommers (2012), a pleasant greeting has the same emotional benefits as a simple smile.
Regardless of our beliefs about the many celebrations that occur in December, as humans, we strive to pour love into the hearts of each other.
In fact, denying ourselves the beauty of this simple exchange has a negative impact on our own energy.
Ironically, having this type of exchange is more critical in December as it also represents a period of hibernation before rebirth. A study (2000) at the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara suggests that this period is similar to cocooning as it allows one to “detach from a chapter of life to heal and reflect.”
This can be a very soul nourishing experience, a period of deep introspection about who we are and how does our life compare to our expectations.
When taken superficially, the cocoon could be place of unfulfilling promises and choices. However, when we challenge ourselves to do deep work, the cocoon can set the stage for a reawakening of our passion and purpose.
The reality is that WE ALL have internal challenges that have impact on the outcome of our introspection. The difference is the perspective we apply regarding those challenges.
The beauty of our existence is that our Creator placed his own power within every amazing person on this earth!!
According to the Apostle Paul, this power is so powerful and overwhelming that it can render us speechless…(2COR 12:4)
…yet, so subtle that we focus on the external world so much that we misidentify a gift as a nuisance (2COR 12:8)
Yes, the chasm between these differences is dramatic because it’s supposed to be!!
While we have common needs, no two humans are alike. Accordingly, our spectrum of experiences are different. What we also have in common is the gift of choosing Grace over Disappointment…and Love over Hate.
The balance of Grace/Love keeps our hearts elevated and expands our awareness towards our purpose. By choosing to operate in balance we can navigate this period of introspection in a way that allows us to grow.
Remember that rebirth follows hibernation, so we can take advantage of this season to prepare ourselves for the next stage of our journey.
YEAR END CHALLENGE: Dec 19 — Dec 31
NOTE: The intent of this exercise is for you to build on this just a little bit each day. Starting on day #1, set aside a few minutes in the evening to journal on this visualization question:
Imagine it’s December 2023 and you’ve achieved all of your annual goals.
- What’s the impact on each of your senses? (Be descriptive)
- What did you change about yourself to get there? (Be transparent)
- What was the first step? (Be specific)
Feel free to substitute this challenge for your journaling activity if you already have an evening routine.
Excited for your empowered self. 🙏🏾
Frederick
P.S. — Share a message of hope, love or gratitude to someone else.