It’s time to give thanks for all the various currencies in your “pocket.” You’ve got money, time, food and love. Take stock of the currencies that flow through you every day. Did you know you are the master of them all? Did you know how you think and feel and how resolved you are about past incidents has everything to do with how masterful you feel about these currencies? I say we all start making resolutions early this holiday season to take on designing our relationships to money, time, food and love with a new gusto. Consider my suggestions on each area below. The holidays will provide excellent tests and opportunities to grow!
MONEY
Instead of being cranky about your lack, give thanks and take stock of what you have. Everyone has to deal with money and most do not consider it to be a privilege! At HG, we think it is. So for the last weeks of the year, I recommend you take on this literal life currency. Examine your limiting beliefs and theories about money, like prejudices you may have against “the wealthy” that may keep you from actually wanting wealth! You will find plenty if you look hard enough. You might want to pretend you don’t know what’s happening in your bank accounts, but ignoring the facts of your money is a huge pitfall. Your money likes your attention! Please gratefully take the job of managing your own finances. When you take the reins, clean out the garbage thoughts, write out your dream and dare to say your magic numbers out loud, your mind will start to work in a new way and positive results will follow.
TIME
First, instead of resisting that there is a limited amount of this currency, give thanks for your 24 hours each day. Think of it, that’s a lot. You have plenty of time to do what’s really important to you. So the first step is to figure out how long the tasks in your life take. How much time do you need? And if you’re really honest, you’ll see all the ways you are wasting your minutes, which become hours, which add up to days. Own the brat you are about how you relate to time, then you can invent and play. Time is a gift; design and invest this life currency wisely for best results.
FOOD
Instead of being upset that you can’t eat everything you want and still feel good, give thanks for the joy that really tasting and savoring (a limited amount of) food can bring. When you are living true to your ideals, there are a certain number of calories you should have in your day to stay healthy and energized and you get to decide how to spend them. How will you spend your food currency this holiday season? I recommend making every calorie count by eating lots of nutrient dense, live food. Just like giving junky gifts in copious amounts doesn’t feel as good as simple, well thought-out gifts delivered with love and intention, eating lots of junky food won’t feel as good as really planning and putting your heart into your food choices. I am a fan of planning some treats around holidays like Thanksgiving: one serving of mashed potatoes or stuffing and maybe one small dessert. Imagine eating on purpose, even the unhealthy things, so that even if you are not yet happy with your body, you can at least be happy with your sense of control and power over your hand! This holiday season use the analogy of being on a budget. It’s actually empowering to live in a budget, not stifling; try it! Because when you are responsible in this way, about calories (or money or time), guilt and head noise disappear and that feels better than any retail or food-binge therapy!
LOVE
Get off your restricted love diet. Unlike time and money which are truly limited resources, love is unlimited. You always have more to give and get than you think. You guessed it, I am going to recommend “spending” more of this currency this holiday season. Make a list right now (instead of holiday card list perhaps?) of all the people you want to have feel your love this season and start checking it twice and knocking off names every day. For fun, make your expression go far beyond a gift or a card (or forgetting). Do something you’ve never done before: Skype them, record and send them a song or a dance, write them a haiku or paint them a picture. Or just express love verbally or physically in a way you never have before. This is the best way to give thanks for the love that surrounds you already, give your love away freely! Love is one currency where you get more in return when you give it away.
Please report back in the comments and tell me how these perspectives and suggestions have impacted you.
Love,
Laurie