Even though we all share the winter holiday season, the holiday experience is unique for each one of us. We may celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Solstice or even Festivus. Within each of the holidays a different tradition is recognized. And within each one, many more traditions exist. We have a need to create and maintain rituals.
As a society, we’re called upon to join in with good cheer to celebrate, even when we’re not feeling it. We may not share beliefs. We may be uncomfortable with consumerism and rampant spending. Some of us are suffering illness and are barely able to cope with the day to day demands of life. We don’t have time to decorate and shop. We don’t want to feast on empty calories when we’ve struggled to maintain a healthy weight. We don’t want to participate in events where alcohol is the focus when we are dealing with addictions or dysfunctional relationships.
We experience a wealth of memories throughout our lifetime and our most vivid memories are attached to our most extreme emotions. Holiday memories can bring great joy or tragic sadness. Some of us are remembering loss and loved ones who are no longer with us. We just want the holidays to be over with so we can get back to normal and stop all this celebrating!
Remember, this is your life. You get to decide what to do and how to do it. Outer celebration is optional. Inner celebration is advised.
What is inner celebration? It’s when you bring the blessed gift of your authentic self to this party called Life. It’s when you celebrate yourself and recognize your value. Life is happening every moment of every day and you can choose how you celebrate each moment.
Begin a new tradition this holiday season with a new perspective about celebrating holidays. Nothing is mandatory! Even if it’s the way it’s always been done, do it another way if it no longer suits you. Select what you love about the holidays and reinforce it or recreate it. You can choose to participate or you can choose to remove yourself. Whatever you choose to do, do it with your heart. Do it because it feels good for you. Let the stress go. Stress was never the intention of a holyday.
Inner celebration can be observed upon awakening. Greet the day with eager anticipation for the unknown goodness coming your way. Be grateful for the gifts of your particular talents and skills. Acknowledge the love of your family and friends and spend time enjoying their company. Nourish yourself with good food and good thoughts. Decorate your environment to delight your senses. Honor your spirit. Inner celebration is a timeless state of joy. Life is a sacred experience and every day is a holyday.