It is during this time of the year that we start to compile our Christmas present lists and think about the people that we care most about in our lives. We consider what we want to gift to other people but we rarely, if ever, think about how we can gift ourselves during this particularly busy season.
Now I'm not talking about going out and buying yourself something expensive or extravagant, I'm not talking about a 'treat yourself' experience, I am talking about gifting yourself something that is far far better than any of that. I'm talking about giving yourself the gift of self care -a little gift that involves some time and patience. Yep, I said it, time and patience, the two things that most people seem to have very little of in the world right now but appear to need the most.
I am asking you to consider giving the gift of time and patience to yourself this Christmas by being gentle with yourself, mindful of yourself and aware of what you are bringing to the table in your interactions with others this Christmas. I'm encouraging you to step back and offer yourself a bit of extra processing time, give yourself a little extra breathing space and try hard to find some mindful moments to collect your thoughts and consider everything that you already have in your life right now.
Unfortunately for many of us Christmas and life in general has become a lot less about the spirit of the season and more about what we can gain materially from one another. But this year I ask you to not look to what others can give to you, but what you can give to yourself in terms of self love, self acceptance, self care and self empowerment.
Ponder this teaching from the Dalai Lama for a moment:
We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment.
More experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We’ve built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communications.
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These times are times of fast foods; but slow digestion.
Tall man but short character.
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.
Much in the window but nothing in the room, what a deeply powerful contemplation. Shouldn't you be offering a little more kindness and compassion to yourself this Christmas? Just consider it, consider giving yourself a bit more time, a touch more patience and a healthy supply of kindness. When you keep your bucket full you are far better equipped to fill someone else's, and besides all of that, you are worth every spare second of self care and self love that you can offer yourself, so take it and gift yourself this Christmas with something that you really do deserve.
Now I'm not talking about going out and buying yourself something expensive or extravagant, I'm not talking about a 'treat yourself' experience, I am talking about gifting yourself something that is far far better than any of that. I'm talking about giving yourself the gift of self care -a little gift that involves some time and patience. Yep, I said it, time and patience, the two things that most people seem to have very little of in the world right now but appear to need the most.
I am asking you to consider giving the gift of time and patience to yourself this Christmas by being gentle with yourself, mindful of yourself and aware of what you are bringing to the table in your interactions with others this Christmas. I'm encouraging you to step back and offer yourself a bit of extra processing time, give yourself a little extra breathing space and try hard to find some mindful moments to collect your thoughts and consider everything that you already have in your life right now.
Unfortunately for many of us Christmas and life in general has become a lot less about the spirit of the season and more about what we can gain materially from one another. But this year I ask you to not look to what others can give to you, but what you can give to yourself in terms of self love, self acceptance, self care and self empowerment.
Ponder this teaching from the Dalai Lama for a moment:
We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment.
More experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We’ve built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communications.
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These times are times of fast foods; but slow digestion.
Tall man but short character.
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.
Much in the window but nothing in the room, what a deeply powerful contemplation. Shouldn't you be offering a little more kindness and compassion to yourself this Christmas? Just consider it, consider giving yourself a bit more time, a touch more patience and a healthy supply of kindness. When you keep your bucket full you are far better equipped to fill someone else's, and besides all of that, you are worth every spare second of self care and self love that you can offer yourself, so take it and gift yourself this Christmas with something that you really do deserve.
WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?
Release Date: 1993
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 118 mins
A biographical film directed by Brian Gibson that is based on the real life story of singer Tina Turner. This eye popping tale delivers an entertaining and at times harrowing look at the struggles of Turner as she rises from humble Nutbush, Tennessee to stardom.
Raised in an unhappy family and abandoned at a young age, Anna Mae (Tina) pursues her dreams of becoming a singer which leads her to marry a charismatic bandleader named Ike Turner. Ike and Tina enjoy much musical success together in their union, but behind closed doors their relationship is rife with abuse and addiction.
Since the films released, Tina Turner herself has come forward stating that the movie is speckled with a lot of inaccuracies and exaggerations, which does make it hard to define the truth from fiction in this story. However, the performances from Angela Bassett and Lawrence Fishburne are undeniable fabulous and the story - truth or fiction, is deeply interesting and emotional.
FINAL SAY: I made you. You were nothing before you met me, and you ain't gonna be nothing without me.
3.5 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 1993
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 118 mins
A biographical film directed by Brian Gibson that is based on the real life story of singer Tina Turner. This eye popping tale delivers an entertaining and at times harrowing look at the struggles of Turner as she rises from humble Nutbush, Tennessee to stardom.
Raised in an unhappy family and abandoned at a young age, Anna Mae (Tina) pursues her dreams of becoming a singer which leads her to marry a charismatic bandleader named Ike Turner. Ike and Tina enjoy much musical success together in their union, but behind closed doors their relationship is rife with abuse and addiction.
Since the films released, Tina Turner herself has come forward stating that the movie is speckled with a lot of inaccuracies and exaggerations, which does make it hard to define the truth from fiction in this story. However, the performances from Angela Bassett and Lawrence Fishburne are undeniable fabulous and the story - truth or fiction, is deeply interesting and emotional.
FINAL SAY: I made you. You were nothing before you met me, and you ain't gonna be nothing without me.
3.5 Chilli Peppers
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