Recently in Happiness Category

As I'm sure you have, I've been receiving skillions of "Happy Holidays and New Year!" newsletters and emails, many of which are beautiful and touching.  I'm grateful for these lovely reminders and chances to reflect on this past year, and what my hopes and dreams are for 2010.

I've decided not to send a "Happy Holidays" email, but instead, to write to you here, and thank you for being a part of my cherished community.  It's quite a blessing - to blog regularly and to receive fascinating, diverse, often passionate comments from steadfast readers who follow your words and thoughts, and care enough to share their insights.  It's a privilege, and I'm most grateful for it.

This season carries with it beautiful childhood memories for me - of fuzzy, fat Christmas tree lights, of smooth skating on frozen ponds (I grew up in upstate NY after all!), of the splendor of snow falling lightly on trees, of out-of-tune caroling with young friends around the neighborhood, and of family basking by a fire dancing with multicolored flecks (created by a "magic" powder my dad would throw in!).  When we have these warm and comforting childhood memories, they color our experiences well into the future, giving us rose-tinted recollections to savor for many years.

For me, this is a beautiful season.  No matter what challenges have come before, this season softens the rough edges and rounds out the year with celebration, family, reflection, and gratitude.

I hope this season -- that brings to a close such a deeply challenging and humbling year -- has been beautiful for you too. 

May your 2010 be what you dream it to be -- as expansive and glorious a vision as you can hold.

Happy holidays to you.

This week, two ongoing clients of mine simply forgot they were scheduled for a coaching session, and just didn't call.  When talking to them later, they apologized profusely, with sincere embarrassment, and told me they were crashingly busy, and their week got away from them  -- they simply forgot (or had neglected to write it down).

When stuff happens in my life -- in twos and threes like this -- I like to try to wrap my head around if there's something for me to learn or do differently, or if it's just a random occurrence not worthy of any major evaluation or analysis.  After all, sometimes in life (as a friend of mine likes to say), "A butterfly is just a butterfly."

In this case, I think there is something to look at...that perhaps making time for self-examination and self-discovery is a bit daunting in the face of everything else going on for these folks this week.    Perhaps an "I forgot" really means, "I can't take this in, this week. I'm just not up for it.  I will be ready again soon, but not this week."  And I really get that.

What would be even more beneficial would be if each of us grew in our awareness of this feeling, and said out loud, "I'm a bit overwhelmed right now, and can't tackle anything more this week."  After all, we've all had moments/periods like that.  There's no shame in it.

To answer my own question, then, do I take these types of occurrences personally (that a few folks are forgetting to call in on a given week?)  Actually, no, I don't (please let me know if you think I'm crazy!)  Per the powerful Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz, I work on avoiding taking things personally, because it gives me greater freedom not to, and an increased ability to keep an open heart and mind.  After all, whatever you want and need is up to you, as is the way you choose to communicate it.  In the end, I'm happier and less self-conscious when I don't take things personally.

Question of the day: What do you take really personally, and what can you just let go of instead?  I'd love to hear your views.

Here's to letting it all go, and feeling freer to just be ourselves and letting others do the same.