No More Shopping!

I don’t like shopping.

During the hubbub of the holiday season, I find it even more distasteful. It’s difficult enough to find items that are just right and appropriate for me; that I like, that aren’t too much to spend and that will be a good asset to my already overfull house, closets and containers.

Trying to find the right gift for others is even harder. My kids make it easy… they write it down in detail and are willing to talk about it at just about any given moment between Thanksgiving and December 25th. 

It’s the rest of the crowd that causes the crease over my eyes to deepen. How do I balance the budget of limited funds with really wanting to provide for my family and give them what they need and some of what they want, while also wanting to appreciate other people? What do you get your friend that isn’t your best-y but who you want to show you appreciate? What about that colleague, or casual acquaintance who regularly brightens your day?

Give the gift of their good. Seriously. I did it last weekend, and it was so enriching to be part of.  Serendipitously, I gave the gift of “our natural human good” to a friend who is having trouble claiming it for himself.

“Listen,” I said… “are you saying the sentence?” (You know the one: I am good and have in me the power to make more good for myself and others. That sentence that changes the world.) He sheepishly admitted that no, he wasn’t.

“You need to!” I exclaimed. “Seriously, my friend, it truly works. I promise you will hear a difference in your inner dialogue. All those negative nasty’s telling you that you aren’t worth it and are not enough, will subside.”

We talked for a while about all the ramifications of taking seriously the work of practicing and rehearsing the idea that he is naturally good and has the power to make more good for himself and others. He texted me today with an update: “I’ve been saying it!” it read.

Between beginning to write this blog and completing it, I gave the same gift to another person in my life. She is one of those people you regularly see at work, who is helpful, kind and always ready with a smile, but not a close friend. She was flustered from all the pressure she was experiencing, so I said “You are good and have the power to make more of it. Trust yourself. All of this isn’t as powerful as your good.”

She blushed with a broad smile and said “Oh, AmyJo, well, thank you.” As I was leaving the office she purposely sought me out to say thank you again, for those particular words. “What a great gift you gave me,” she said. Indeed!

No more shopping! Give the gift of good to someone in your life! Wrap it up with your own good. Put on the bow of confidence in the truth that when we share our natural good with others we generate a larger, unstoppable energy of positive, problem-solving, beauty-affirming and life promoting power! Now that’s a gift for the season!