We have all heard the expression you can’t take care of others, if you don’t take care of yourself.
This is true for so many reasons. I think during the holidays it is especially necessary that we make sure that we take care of ourselves. We get so caught up in the gift buying, the decorating, the Christmas parties, the open houses, the events, Family coming to visit or going to see family etc. etc.…
I’m probably one of the few people who actually enjoys going to the mall at this time of the year or to stores. I find it In a way comforting… I know that sounds really strange but I do… Part of the reason why I love going to the mall and/ or stores that are packed, it allows me to spread kindness… I will smile at people, if people need help getting something off the shelf, I’ll try to help them etc.etc….. Showing Kindness, not just saying it!
We so often see people frazzled and stressed… Sometimes just a smile or a kind word or a positive affirmation can make all the difference in someone’s life.
I find that when people are at their most stressed, doing the holidays shopping, going out an about…. dealing with the every day stressors of the holiday season… Spreading kindness and spreading Love by going to the mall and or‘s stores that are packed… and showing that you care is easier!
This isn’t to say that I’m not stressed, and I don’t have anxiety attacks during the holidays… I definitely do. I also know that when I go out and about and I do try to spread kindness… By smiling spreading a kind word etc. etc. it also lifts my mood.
I have to confess another reason why I really enjoy it when it’s so crowded, is because when stores, especially small businesses have customers it helps everyone!… This may seem silly, but I truly love when businesses do better, because it makes peoples lives easier. Sometimes people can pick up a full-time job… Rather than two or three part-time jobs and that allows them more time to be home with their family …
By looking at the positives in life… We can make our emotional and mental health better as well. Too often we allow peoples words or their lack of happiness to affect us… I know I was guilty of this in the last week or two… But then I had several people come to me and tell me how much I meant to them, and how my kindness got them through some of the roughest times.I decided I wasn’t going to let negative people pull me down, rather I was going to make sure, that I kept pulling people up.
I know for a fact my moods have direct connection to Peyton’s mood, as well as my other kids and my spouse. We sometimes don’t realize that our moods can and do flow over onto others, we come in contact with, as well.
I try very hard to be conscience of this… not always successfully… but I try!
So let’s all try real hard to remember taking care of ourselves is very important! because how we react and interact… spreads to so many!
Thanks for reading my blog!