It's a Holly, Jolly, Holiday?

“The quicker you are in attaching verbal or mental labels to things, people, or situations the more shallow and lifeless your reality becomes and the more deadened you become to reality, the miracle of life that continuously unfolds within and around you” Eckhart Tole… A new earth

It’s the holidays. A time when everyone is happy and joyous. Everyone is getting along and the world is rosy. At least that is what the Hallmark card commercials look like. However, is this the current reality you are experiencing around the holiday season? Or Are you stressed? Are you overwhelmed and rushing around from store to store trying to decide what to buy, wondering how you are going to afford everything on your list? Are you angry that the malls are overcrowded, all the good parking spaces are gone, and that teenage girl at the checkout counter could really use a course in customer service ?

Take a moment to reflect at who you are being during this holiday season? I think that the quote at the top of this article is quite meaningful. “The quicker you are in attaching verbal or mental labels to things, people, or situations the more shallow and lifeless your reality becomes.” Notice that it not only says verbal labels, but mental labels as well. In other words, what are you thinking? What are you saying to your self? Those things are important, in fact they may be even more important that the actual vocal words that come out of your mouth.

So as you are going about your holiday activities take a moment to take inventory on yourself. What are you doing, thinking, feeling and being? Notice what state you are in. If you really want to experience peace , love and joy this holiday season and beyond ask your self the following four questions.

1. What kind of doing am I doing? Am I acting on purpose or am I running around just doing with no real agenda.

2. What kind of thinking am I thinking? Do I have a smile on my face, while in my head I am cursing and swearing at the current situation I am in?

3. What kind of feeling am I feeling? What emotions am I experiencing? Is it happiness and joy or is that just the face I am putting forward while on the inside I am upset and overwhelmed?

4. What kind of being am I being? Am I expressing the true essence of who I really am?

If you do not like your answers to the above questions and you want to change them. Take some time for yourself to just reflect and meditate on them. Decide what you want to be doing, thinking, feeling and being. Awareness really is the key. Have a safe, happy, and joyous holiday season!