Gifts to Give Yourself this Christmas

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

~ Dr Seuss

Christmas and gift giving are strongly intertwined. But isn’t it true that most of your effort, if not all of it, will be centered around giving gifts to others this year?

I’d like to suggest that in the spirit of giving, you also honour yourself. That’s not selfish – in fact, it’s marvellous because you are giving the world a happier, healthier YOU.

Here are some ideas for giving yourself Health, Wealth and Happiness. You might want to have your Journal ready, to write down your ideas and insights…

Health

Health is that space of feel-good flow where we enjoy abundant energy, sleep well, move easily and are in tune with our bodies. Choose any of these to wrap and put under the tree for yourself:

• a walk in nature, somewhere beautiful, that touches your heart
• a whole day in bed, to read, to sleep, to stretch and relax
• a pantry or refrigerator stocked with food that truly makes your tummy and your body feel good
• the gift of a regular time in your life for yoga, swimming, massage, riding your bike or anything else that heals and energises you
• a holiday – one that you can look forward to, one that will fill you up spiritually and emotionally, one that will enable you to come home feeling uplifted and refreshed
• a book, course or program that will teach you new and useful things about self-care, health and well-being
• an appointment with a practitioner that can help you move back towards feeling your best – it doesn’t matter if this is you FINALLY going to your GP for a full check up, an acupuncturist, a naturopath, an allergy expert, a yoga master, a personal trainer, a counsellor or grief therapist – if you know you need help to heal let this Christmas be the year you get things rolling!

Wealth

Most of us worry more about money than anything else. Wealth is actually about more than just money though. Wealth is that glorious space of security and abundance, the feeling that we have enough, and some left over. Wealth is investing in ourselves.

This Christmas, make an intention to sort your finances out. If you don’t know how, don’t worry. There are many, many people, books and websites out there dedicated to helping people become financially responsible and secure. Get that worry about money sorted. It’s worth it!

Now, ask yourself, what does real wealth look like to you? Let go of images of fancy cars, and mansions with heli-pads on the roof. Think of a time when you were truly happy and care-free. Or what that space might look like to you. Wealth aligns our actions and our possessions with our values.

Here’s my personal top five signs of feeling wealthy:

• Time to write, and a bag with a laptop, notebook, pens and some spare cash for coffee (my passion!)
• Shopping at the farmers’ markets and then using my purchases to cook a meal big enough to share with friends and family (my ethics and ethos)
• Friends and family I can phone, or catch up with for tea and hugs, when I need someone to talk to (my life-line)
• Being able to donate to charities (my conscience/spiritual beliefs)
• Knowledge – having books, the internet and access to education. Learning new things. Being able to enrol myself in a weekend workshop, or at University. Being able to make informed decisions because I’ve researched what I need to know. (my interests)

Make a top five list of your own signs of wealth, and find ways to include that energy in your life. How can you invest in yourself, your interests and your dreams? Can you find a gift in there for yourself this Christmas?

Happiness

Happiness is that state of mind we get from being (momentarily) free of worry, and in a place of grace and emotional abundance.

What makes you happy?

Look for people, places, activities, hobbies, music and those other things that nurture your soul and fill your heart. Write them all down. Search far back in your memories. Allow yourself to be inspired. Know that many of these things will be simple and cost little, or nothing.

If you’re unhappy, maybe it’s time to let go of something.  That counts as a gift too. We all have a right to feel positive and optimistic, peaceful and safe in this lifetime. Our happiness is as important as everyone else around us.  Perhaps your gift to yourself needs to be a decision, plans and action.

What can you shape from your happiness list to put under your tree this Christmas?

2012 is coming to a close, and for many, it’s been a rough ride this year. Give yourself a hug and choose yourself a gift. There’s brighter things to come. And you can start right now, by loving and valuing yourself. Merry Christmas!

PS: If you’re looking for a little extra inspiration, I recommend these posts:

30 Days of Gratitude to Change Your Life

Writing Ourselves into Awareness

Seven Gifts from Your Wise Self to You