Category: Seasonal Topics

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Make Your Holiday Season Meet More of Your Desires

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Peace, Love, Joy

The busy holiday months create lots of mixed feelings among us. Anticipation. Excitement. Avoidance. Ambivalence. Dread. There’s still time to make your holidays more enjoyable for yourself and others – seize the opportunity NOW to do that.

The first thing to do is set aside some time and create a space where you won’t be interrupted. Consider lighting a candle or two and grab a beverage you enjoy in the fall. Have pen and paper ready. OR grab this printable “Reclaim Your Holiday Season” in my Etsy Shop to make it easier. This can be a great help to you.  Reclaim Your Holiday Season 

Take some deep breaths and disconnect from what’s going on in your life right now and the activities of the day. Begin with thinking of 3 words that describe what you desire in this holiday season. Here are some examples to stimulate your thoughts: peace, celebration, quiet, festive, tradition, faith, connection, abundance, family, travel, gathering, love, gifts.

Clear Out Those Blocks That Stop You

Perhaps your busy mind will immediately start thinking of why those 3 things you most desire aren’t practical or possible. So take these steps to get those blocks out of the way – or at least weakened – and then it will be easier to figure out how to create what you want.

Make a “Dread” List. What is difficult during the holidays? Look at upcoming holidays and events. Are the “dreads” expectations of your own, or expectations of others? They may be stressors of many kinds. Write down what comes to mind and dig down. This could take some thought. You may find some ideas in this post: http://carolbrusegar.com/take-steps-reduce-holiday-stress/. 

Then tackle that list. How can specific things be modified or eliminated? Maybe it’s a simple decision on your part, or maybe it requires discussion and negotiation with others. Please consider that you may not be the only one who finds each thing difficult or frustrating or stressful. It may not be as difficult as you suppose to make modifications!

Create the Vision for Your Holiday Season

Now that you have some ideas of how to remove some of the blocks to actually having and feeling your 3 desires for this holiday season, it’s time to be more specific.

Describe in writing what experiences will provide your 3 main desires. What are the places, people, smells, tastes, sights, events. etc.? After you have a list, go back and read through it slowly and imagine how it can be. What will it be like to actually reclaim your holidays?

Words on a page are helpful; images are even more powerful. Take the next step and make a vision board which includes images from magazines or printed from the internet. Get a poster board and attach them, along with key words – big, bold versions of your 3 desires and other phrases. Post it somewhere where you will see it every day. You could also do an electronic version that will be on your computer and/or phone.

Explore Adding Hygge Features to Your Holiday Season

You’ve probably heard about Hygge; it’s become quite popular in recent years. Simply, Hygge, pronounced (Hue-gah), is a Danish word originally derived from an Old Norwegian word meaning well-being and protection from the outside elements. It has become a way of life in Scandinavian countries and is described as a feeling of coziness, comfort, familiarity, friendship, laughter and seasonal homemade food and drinks. Although it’s possible to achieve hygge any time of the year (an outdoor BBQ with friends or a movie under the stars with family are great examples of summertime hygge), Hygge is generally associated with the colder months. This is because of its ability to uplift spirits during dark, long winter months. I’ve written about it here Have a Hygge Holiday Season and Winter and you can also find multiple approaches in books on Amazon: Christmas Hygge

Engaging Others

Who are the people involved in your holidays? It’s important to engage them. Whether your vision includes them in different ways or distances you from typical plans, get them on board as much as possible. Share what you are doing to reclaim your holiday season. Suggest they do something similar. Offer alternatives to replace what they might expect of you. It can be a bit of a negotiation.

You may learn that you are not the only one who would welcome some changes. It may not be as difficult as you suppose. On the other hand, it may be challenging and you may be upsetting the apple cart. Here is where you get even more creative and figure out how to balance your desires and the expectations of others – but from the clarity you have created about what you really want.

Be sure you are not just caving to pressure. Maybe you will decide to take steps toward your vision this year and plan more for next year. You could decide to modify one part of the season and leave others as they have been for now. Others may come along over time.

As you reclaim your holidays, reflect on the impact the changes made on your own sense of peace and joy. Observe the impact on others. Share your experiences with others. May these busy months reflect the true messages and values of the events we observe. And may we be fulfilled and satisfied.

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.       Find these and other of my books here:    Amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar

My books

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Using Vision Boards and Mind Mapping For Summer Planning

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summer planningWhoa! It’s May! Now’s the time to start thinking about how you want to make this summer enjoyable in multiple ways. That includes fun activities and also ways to expand your wellness. Vision Boards, Mind Maps and Bucket Lists are great tools to use!!

We often thing about Vision Boards at the beginning of the year and they are a great part of planning then. I wrote about the basics of how to create vision boards here: http://carolbrusegar.com/creating-vision-boards/ We can use them seasonally as well; create your very own and/or a family Summer Vision Board now. Take some time to gather pictures and words that illustrate your goals, ambitions, hopes and dreams for the coming season. You might include photos you’ve taken of things you’ve done and places you’ve gone in the past that you loved. Here are some tips to get started.

Use Bright Summer Colors

Color helps to create more of a theme to get you in the spirit. A great way to do that is by focusing on the colors we associate with this time of year. Bright yellows, oranges, blues, red all portray the energy of summer.

Include Flowers and Gardening

To decorate this vision board, use a lot of beautiful seasonal flowers and other gardening images. If you want to create a garden someday, find images of your dream garden, both in size and layout, and the actual flowers you might include. If you just want flowers for decoration and to reflect the seasonal theme, use sunflowers, zinnias, roses and other flowers that you enjoy in summer. If you grow herbs, vegetables or fruits, be sure to include them.

List Your Health Goals

Decide what you want to do in the upcoming months in terms of your mental or physical wellness. Use words, lists, and images to reflect your personal health goals. Break them down to specific things you will do. For example, meditate and/or journal daily to improve your mindset and attitude. Or connect with 3 friends per week. Or picture favorite summer fruits and vegetables that you will enjoy each week. Make those goals come alive and be appealing with the visuals and well-chosen words.

Choose Activities and Outings

What sports do you enjoy doing in the summer – outdoor tennis, volleyball, badminton, etc. For many of us, water-related activities will be high on the list. What sports do you enjoy as a spectator during these months? There are so many places to visit – zoos, botanical gardens, museums, historical sites and more. Which ones do you want to enjoy this summer? Then think of fairs, expos, musical events. Decide on your priorities and put them on your Summer Vision Board.

Think Creatively

In addition to thinking about what you’ve enjoyed in the past and want to do again, think about new activities and experiences you want to include in your summer plans. Add them to your Summer Vision Board. Set aside some time and get started! This can be a great launching point to the coming months.

Mind Mapping as a Planning Tool

Another tool to jumpstarting your dreaming and planning for the coming season is MIND MAPPING. It is a tool that can release creativity and engage the entire household. Mind mapping is a two-dimensional technique that uses imagery, drawings and color to help us tap into both sides of our brains. It is an alternative to outline and list making techniques and is more detailed than a vision board. This powerful tool helps us visualize tasks or ideas, come up with new possibilities as we brainstorm, and organize our thoughts.

Mind Map

Basics of Mind Maps

Here are the steps to do simple, hand-drawn mind maps.

  • Gather plain paper, colored pencils, markers, or crayons.
  • Choose a topic you want to explore.
  • Draw a circle in the center of the paper and write in your topic in a word or phrase.
  • Draw lines out from the center where you write a few words, a symbol or drawing for each idea you have, and add sub-topics or related ideas in lines off these main points.

Make additional maps as off-shoots or expansions of your first map. You can expand, modify or discard ideas from the first map on the topic.

An Example of a Summer Mind Map

Start with the main topic of “Summer 2024” and think of several categories of things you want to be part of the season, like:

Accomplish 1 Big Goal, Have Fun/Recreation, Help Others, Explore, Read, Start a New Hobby

These are the spokes that come out from your main topic. Then add specific things that you want to do under each. For example, under Help Others, you might list Deliver flowers or a treat to a neighbor, Call an isolated relative weekly, etc.

Then start a new mind map for each subtopic, add the ideas as subtopics and think of how, when and who would be involved in each one. Here’s where you may weed out things you don’t want to do, and you can always add additional things that come to mind.

Mind maps become a planning tool that are good reminders of the larger picture and help keep track of details. Keeping your mind maps in a folder or binder is helpful.

Use Bucket Lists

Another helpful tool are Bucket Lists. I have 2 sets of Summer Bucket Lists – 1 sheet for each month May through August. They have mandala coloring headers for more fun. Check them out here:

Summer Bucket Lists Flower Mandalas to Color Printable 5 – Etsy

Summer Bucket Lists Butterfly Mandalas to Color Printable – Etsy

Cover of Planner & Journal

Use a Planner and Journal

Once you have created a Summer Vision Board and/or Mind Map, this could help you continue the planning and record your experiences: Planner & Journal: For Day Trips: Getaways and Mini-Vacations 

 

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.

Here are the books I have published at Amazon.com. Check out my author page: https://amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar

          

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Post-Holiday Hygge – Simple Ways To Cozy Up Your Home As You Wait For Spring

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Hygge, pronounced (Hue-gah), is a word used widely by Danish and Norwegian people to describe a feeling of well-being, protection and coziness. Denmark’s cold season is long and brutal. The idea of hygge was formed as a survival strategy to psychologically help people to get through the long winters. It’s become a way of life for them. The months between the December holidays until spring are an ideal time to implement some post-holiday hygge to cozy up your home as you anticipate the next season.

In recent years, the hygge moment has made its way to the US and has become a bit of an Instagram sensation. I wrote about hygge as self-care during the pandemic here: Self Care in Tough Times. But even before the movement, all of us have felt hygge before it got popular, on social media. Maybe we just didn’t know there was a name for it. The essence of hygge can be described as the feeling you get when you laugh with good friends, curl up in a blanket to read your favorite book, or the warm and homey feeling that you get from sitting by a fire with a bowl of homemade soup on a cold day. By naming these activities as hygge, we are adding some intentionality and meaning.

During the very darkest days of winter, holiday lighting indoors and outdoors along with special gatherings and lots of activity keep our spirits up. The post-holiday time after the lights are stored away for another year and more normal routines resume can be a glum, depressing time. Using these weeks – or even months in some climates – as a winter hygge season can be cozy and help stave off post-holiday blues. Whether you are coming home after a long day of work or school or working at home, creating post-holiday hygge in your home will lift your spirits.

The Elements of Winter Hygge

 These elements of winter hygge are all related to our senses – sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing.

Lighting. Achieving that sought-after hygge feeling has much to do with warm lighting. Soft, calming lighting will make your home feel soothing and welcoming. Accomplishing this can be as simple as lighting a fire in your fireplace, or a few well-placed candles and hanging some string lights.

Perhaps you have dimmers on some of your electric lights and rarely use them. They allow you to soften the lights per your mood. (You could even have a dimmer or two installed if you don’t already have any.) Changing out your bright bulbs to warmer lighting will also help give your home a cozy feel. There are all sorts of cute, hygge inspired lights and light fixtures on the market that you can install to give a little more of an authentic hygge feel. There are some fascinating hygge lighting options here.

 Scents. Scented candles, essential oil infusers and seasonal potpourri will also make your home feel more inviting and cozy this winter. Rather than the holiday scents – cinnamon, pine, apple, etc. – choose other cozy scents like, lavender, pumpkin, vanilla and sage. Scents, especially from essential oils, stimulate smell receptors in the nose. These receptors then send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system — the part of the brain that controls emotions. This is why essential oils are used to decrease stress and help us sleep. Check out this wide variety of essential oil diffusers to add to your post-holiday hygge home.

Cozy loungewear, slippers, blankets. Hunker down during the cold months in cozy loungewear and slippers. Choose natural fibers like cotton, flannel, silk or knit. You will look forward to coming home after a long day to put on your most comfortable clothes. Have soft, cozy blankets, throws and comforters where you relax – and in your home office.

Home cooking and baking. The scents and tastes of home cooked meals and home baked bread, cookies, cakes, etc. are essential hygge. You may find that prepping your meals ahead of time will help reduce daily pressure. Or use some of the ready-to-cook meal options you can now purchase. Crockpot meals are a winter favorite because they can be put together ahead of time, then set it and forget it. You will come home after a long day to the fragrant smell of dinner already cooking. And the taste surpasses that of takeout or microwave meals.

Baking bread and goodies can be a therapeutic, relaxing activity as well as a great shared activity with others. And of course the aromas while they are baking and the finished products are the best!

Soothing and inspiring music. We’re all over holiday music by this time of year. How about gathering some CDs or create a playlist that are your post-holiday hygge selections? Play them as background while you work at home, prepare meals, relax and read. This can be a tradition from now into the future.

If you want to learn more about this topic, I recommend this book: The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living  May you enjoy implementing elements of post-holiday hygge in your home!!

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be. Visit my Amazon Author Page to find my published books: https://amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar

Follow me on Twitter!     Follow me on Instagram!   Follow me on Pinterest!

        Follow me on Facebook!         Visit my Etsy Shop!

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Using January as a Transition Month as We Enter a New Year

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using January as a transition month

“The seasons they go round and round… We’re captive on the carousel of time…And  go round and round and round in the circle game.” (Carole King, “The Circle Game”)

It can certainly seem this way, can’t it?  One of the things that humans have developed to get off the carousel is the “new year” ritual of creating resolutions, plans and more. It indeed can be a point where we can assess, plan, regroup and get a fresh start. Using January as a transition month is really useful.

Here are a few things that I have found helpful. Choose one or more to start and decide what else you want to do.

1) Do a year-end review (and/or use reflection prompts to journal about the past year – see #2 below)

As one year ends and another begins, we have an opportunity to pause and decide how we want the next twelve months to be different than the past twelve AND what things we want to continue and increase. We don’t always have to make things different; we want to again enjoy good experiences too. Constantly pushing for better, bigger, more flashy can be exhausting and not at all fulfilling. Find your own balance.

Use this 12 Month Review Journal (free to download at the link below) to help you to think beyond the obvious events or high/lowlights to some meanings and what was significant. These will be a good basis for other steps.

12 Month Review Journal

2) Use a series of End-of-Year Reflection prompts to help you recall and appreciate the past year. Spread them out – one or two a day – or do a blitz. Remember, using January as a transition month can be a great way to start the new year. Regrets that you didn’t do this sooner serve no purpose. Just do these things now and they will move you forward. Here’s a list of prompts; they may give you ideas for other topics to write about.

  • What were your top 3 biggest highlights of the year?
  • What is something new you are glad you tried?
  • What are some setbacks you had this year?
  • List your 5 best moments of the year.
  • List your 5 most challenging moments of the year.
  • What is the biggest lesson you learned?
  • What are some mistakes you made this year?
  • How was your personal growth?
  • In what ways are you a better person now?
  • What progress did you make on your goals?
  • How are your goals changing for next year?
  • When did you feel the most fulfilled this year?
  • How did you get out of your comfort zone?
  • What is something you wish you did this year?
  • List the shows and movies you loved.
  • What were your favorite books this year?
  • What are you most proud of yourself for?
  • Did you meet any interesting people?
  • List some new experiences you had this year.
  • How was your mental health this year?
  • What new activities did you try?
  • What are some of the most memorable moments?
  • What changes do you want to make next year?
  • How did you practice self-care?
  • What was the funniest moment?
  • What was the most embarrassing moment?
  • What was the scariest moment?
  • What was your biggest achievement this year?
  • How did you improve your health and wellness?
  • List what you are grateful for this year.

3) Imagine yourself at the end of this new year. What are you feeling, thinking, acknowledging and celebrating. Write a paragraph or two from that viewpoint: “It is December 2024. I am…. I acknowledge… I feel… I celebrate… These can be affirmations you use through the year.

REMINDER: USING JANUARY AS A TRANSITION MONTH does not mean you are “behind”-“late” or “negligent.” You are doing things to insure that this year is what you most desire and intend.

4) Choose a word or phrase for the year. This has become a very popular strategy that many people find useful. I’ve written about in detail in two previous posts:  https://carolbrusegar.com/choose-one-word-for-the-year/ and https://carolbrusegar.com/choose-your-word-for-the-year/

The essence of it is this: The goal is is to come up with one word that will give you MEANING, PURPOSE AND FOCUS for the year just beginning. The first step is to reflect on the past year and then think about this year. Writing, not just thinking, will be most helpful. (You have already done much of this if you did end-of-year reflections or used the 12 Month Review Journal described above.)

If you don’t already have it, grab the book that started it all here: One Word That Will Change Your Life

Go https://www.onewordchallenge.com/ to sign up for the 2024 challenge and start getting emails that will keep you moving forward.

5) Create a Vision Board and/or a Vision Journal. Visuals are powerful! And vision boards are used by many people. Those big poster boards on a wall where you often see them can be effective.

There’s also the option of a vision journal. I wrote about that here http://carolbrusegar.com/try-a-vision-journal-this-year . A vision journal is more of a dynamic tool which you can easily update or add to during the year. It includes more detail that can be an inspiration if you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed. And it’s portable.

Here’s a FREE downloadable Vision Journal for you to use: Free Vision Journal

Using January as a transition month is a powerful way to start this new year. While you are doing some or all the things above you will likely get inspired to move forward on things at the same time. We can simultaneously reflect and prepare and get going. I wish you all the best on this journey!

Check out these tools in my Etsy Shop:

  • End-of-the-Month Review Sheets so you can capture each month’s joys, accomplishments, learning and more.

https://www.etsy.com/DecorateOrganizeGive/listing/1308272425/

  • Week-at-a-Glance Sheets are used at the beginning of the week to designate the priority tasks or events for each day. This gives you an overview to help you focus and avoid overwhelm.

https://www.etsy.com/DecorateOrganizeGive/listing/1216202448/

  • All in a Day Worksheet for daily use.

https://decorateorganizegive.etsy.com/listing/1200612682/

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.           

Follow me on Twitter!  Follow me on Instagram!  Follow me on Pinterest! 

Follow me on Facebook!    Visit my Etsy Shop!

 

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Sharing the Holiday Spirit – 11 Ways to Make the Holidays Meaningful

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10 Ways to Spread the Spirit of the HolidaysThe holiday season – regardless of what celebration you participate in – is a time of sharing and caring about others.  There is lots of pressure to show our affection by giving material things to others or doing elaborate and costly events or entertainment. There are certainly plenty of opportunities to spend, spend, spend. Sharing the holiday spirit can be done in many other ways.

Whether you desire to simplify your holiday activities or want to minimize expenses or both, these 10 ways to offer love and caring to others. Share love in its simplest forms – a kind word, a helping hand or a thoughtful gesture. Make hearts happy for the holidays… this is the essence of the holiday spirit.

  1. Sing Christmas carols or other winter/holiday songs for others. Gather a few musically-inclined friends. Print out song lyrics from the internet. Call up a few retirement homes or communities in your area and schedule a holiday visit. Music has such power to cheer up people who are isolated and away from family.
  2. Make the holidays about connection. Sure, it feels good to provide great gifts for family – especially the children. But demonstrating that the holidays are about being together, showing kindness, and sharing special moments is what will create long lasting memories. Doing enjoyable things together and taking photo memories lasts longer than many gifts.
  3. Make any activities connected your holiday celebrations – tree decorating, food preparation, gift-wrapping, etc. – a shared family experience. Sharing the preparations deepens the meaning each part of your celebration. Include everyone and get them fully engaged.
  4. Help someone who is struggling. In many places, winter weather can take its toll on aging joints, and sidewalks become slick with the cold and snow. If you see someone having a hard time getting packages to the car, offer assistance. Send a little love to a stranger in the form of a helping hand.
  5. Offer to babysit. Give a stress-out set of friends some needed down-time or a date night. Host the kids for dinner or maybe even a sleepover. Exhausted parents deserve a peaceful evening out, or even just some time together at home.
  6. Acknowledge someone. Whether it’s Dad working overtime to pay for gifts, PTA moms putting in their all, or Grandma staying up late to make every kind of Christmas cookie, this is a time for giving and a time to say thanks. It feels nice to be noticed. So if you see someone doing good out there, give them a warm hug or a pat of appreciation.
  7. Get together with grandparents and other relatives. With so much going on, it can be hard to squeeze in quality time for aging grandparents. Set a date to have the kids sleep over, or take Grandpa out for a haircut and holiday lunch. Simple gestures go a long way for creating closeness and will mean so much.
  8. Read inspiring Christmas stories and share them with others. Looking for a new one? Check out my Kindle book, The Miracle of the Christmas Ship –  https://carolbrusegar.com/miracle-of-christmas-ship/
  9. Include someone. Can you think of a person who might like to be remembered this year? Don’t assume that other people are booked up for the holidays. Loneliness is particularly painful at this time of year, and social media doesn’t always reveal who may be needing an invite or to hear from a friend at the holidays.
  10. Send thanks to the people who help make your life wonderful. This year, instead of just sending out a generic family photo card, why not go the extra step if you have a free evening? Hand-write notes or letters of thanks to the special people in your life – grandmas, grandpas, teachers, the bus driver who gets your precious cargo to and from school safely each day. These could be the most meaningful gifts of all.
  11.  Give up your parking spot – a simple way to love your fellow humans this holiday season. Take the faraway parking spot. Someone else might need that closer parking spot because they’re trying to corral small children or they have a bad knee. They’ll appreciate the short walk to the store, and you’ll feel good knowing you made a difference for someone today.

These 10 suggestions may help you think of other simple, meaningful things for sharing the holiday spirit –  the spirit of connection and caring.

My Etsy shop has a variety of holiday items, including  a checklist of how to reduce holiday stress: https://www.etsy.com/DecorateOrganizeGive/listing/1310776005

Look for holiday stationary, bookmarks, and more there, too. Be creative and enjoy your holidays!!

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.           

Follow me on Twitter!  Follow me on Instagram!  Follow me on Pinterest! 

Follow me on Facebook!    Visit my Etsy Shop!

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Reclaim Your Holidays – Recapture the Joy

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Anticipation. Excitement. Avoidance. Ambivalence. Dread. You may have some of these and many other mixed feelings about the busy months of October, November, and December. The particular joys of the autumn/fall season, the holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and more – all in three months. It sometimes just feels like too much. If you feel this way, I invite you to reclaim the direction/control of your holidays. Reclaim Your Holidays!

Expectations – our own and those of others – can be overwhelming and create stress. How many of the expectations are rooted in traditions? Or habits? Are they based on your desire to be the super-person who pulls off all the observances for everyone? Are the connected to your self-esteem?

I encourage you to step back right now, before we get farther into this 3-month blitz of activity, and do some visioning, priority setting and planning.

Set aside some time, create a space where you won’t be interrupted. Consider lighting a candle or two and grab a beverage you enjoy in the fall. Have pen and paper ready. OR grab this printable “Reclaim Your Holiday Season” in my Etsy Shop to make it easier. Reclaim Your Holiday Season

Take some deep breaths and disconnect from what’s going on in your life right now and the activities of the day. Begin with thinking of 3 words that describe what you desire in this holiday season. Here are some examples to stimulate your thoughts: peace, celebration, quiet, festive, tradition, faith, connection, abundance, family, travel, gathering, love, gifts.

Clear Out Those Blocks That Stop You

Perhaps your busy mind will immediately start thinking of why those 3 things you most desire aren’t practical or possible. So take these steps to get those blocks out of the way – or at least weakened – and then it will be easier to figure out how to create what you want.

Make a “Dread” List. What is difficult during the holidays? Look at each month and its holidays and events. They may be expectations of your own, or expectations of others. They may be stressors of many kinds. Write down what comes to mind and dig down. This could take some thought. You may find some ideas in this post: http://carolbrusegar.com/take-steps-reduce-holiday-stress/ 

Then tackle that list. How can specific things be modified or eliminated? Maybe it’s a simple decision on your part, or maybe it requires discussion and negotiation with others. Please consider that you may not be the only one who finds each thing difficult or frustrating or stressful. It may not be as difficult as you suppose to make modifications!

Create the Vision for Your Holiday Season

Now that you have some ideas of how to remove some of the blocks to actually having and feeling your 3 desires for this holiday season, it’s time to be more specific.

Describe in writing what experiences will provide your 3 main desires. What are the places, people, smells, tastes, sights, events. etc.? After you have a list, go back and read through it slowly and imagine how it can be. What will it be like to actually reclaim your holidays?

Words on a page are helpful; images are even more powerful. Take the next step and make a vision board which includes images from magazines or printed from the internet. Get a poster board and attach them, along with key words – big, bold versions of your 3 desires and other phrases. Post it somewhere where you will see it every day. You could also do an electronic version that will be on your computer and/or phone.

Setting Priorities That Actualize the Vision

Now that you have that vision and a vision board, it’s time to set some priorities tied to a timeframe. If you’d like a tool, I have a set of Mandala Priority Sheets for October through January in my Etsy Shop. They allow you to list priorities, give a date for each and check off when they are accomplished – and enjoy the relaxation of coloring the mandalas!  Mandala Priority Sheets

Engaging Others

Who are the people involved in your holidays? It’s important to engage them. Whether your vision includes them in different ways or distances you from typical plans, get them on board as much as possible. Share what you are doing to reclaim your holiday season. Suggest they do something similar. Offer alternatives to replace what they might expect of you. It can be a bit of a negotiation.

As I suggested earlier, you may learn that you are not the only one who would welcome some changes. It may not be as difficult as you suppose. On the other hand, it may be challenging and you may be upsetting the apple cart. Here is where you get even more creative and figure out how to balance your desires and the expectations of others – but from the clarity you have created about what you really want.

Be sure you are not just caving to pressure. Maybe you will decide to take steps toward your vision this year and plan more for next year. You could decide to modify one part of the season and leave others as they have been for now. Others may come along over time.

As you reclaim your holidays, reflect on the impact the changes made on your own sense of peace and joy. Observe the impact on others. Share your experiences with others. May these busy months reflect the true messages and values of the events we observe. And may we be fulfilled and satisfied.

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.       Find these and other of my books here:    Amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar

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Embracing and Celebrating the Cycle of Seasons

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Recently the appearance of Joni Mitchell at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival – her first full concert since 2000 – caught the attention of people across the world. Her unique music of the late 1960s and beyond brought memories to many and introduced new generations to those treasures of our youth. The cycle of seasons was highlighted in one of her songs.

“The seasons they go round and round….  We’re captive on the carousel of time.”  Those words from “Circle Game” have that tone of nostalgia and also slow us down from the onward and upward, always progressing and getting better theme that dominates our culture these days.

“The Seasons They Go Round and Round”

We are all conscious of the cyclical movement in our lives as seasons change from summer to fall to winter to spring. Summer sun to fall leaves to winter cold to spring rebirth. Depending on where you live, those changes may be more or less dramatic. Even where they are less pronounced, the change in hours of daylight and temperatures assure that we experience the cycle of seasons.

One of those seasonal shifts is beginning. The shift from summer to fall seems elongated with school schedules so varied these days. Even if we don’t have children or grandchildren in school, the news and the sales promotions let us know that summer fun is shifting to school routines for children, teens and adults in higher education or training.

It’s been a particularly hot summer in much of the country and the world. Many are eagerly anticipating the shift to cooler temperatures and enjoying warm sweaters and candles. Does that include you?

Celebrating the Cycle of Seasons

How do you experience the seasonal cycle? Do you barely notice? Do you make routine changes like wardrobe, food choices, etc.? Do you celebrate each season, having favorite ways to embrace and experience every one as it comes along?

Let me make the case for the latter option. Celebrating each passing season acknowledges the “Circle Game” of Joni Mitchell’s song – but with a different tone. I love the song, but there’s a sadness in it. Perhaps it the minor key of the music.

Celebration is looking forward to the experiences you most enjoy in any given season. It’s prioritizing and planning for certain things that you want to happen so the pace of your life doesn’t allow the season to pass before you know it. Your ‘I’d like to….” thoughts for the next season can become reality if you make a bucket list and get out the calendar. I wrote about making a fall bucket list here: https://carolbrusegar.com/autumn-pleasures-and-treasures/make-a-fall-bucket-list/

Celebration is sharing your favorite parts of the season with others, by including them or sharing your experiences to encourage them to immerse themselves in the uniqueness of the time of year. Celebration may be recording those special times in journals, poetry, photos, or art.

As you look toward fall, what are you looking forward to? What things do you always treasure? What have you wanted to do but never have? What did you do sometime in the past and loved but haven’t done for awhile? Even if it feels too soon to do this as the summer heat continues, this process can shift your  mindset from weariness to anticipation and excitement.

To get you started, here’s a free simple Fall Bucket List form to download, print and use: Fall Bucket List. I also invite you to visit and like my Facebook page, Enjoying Every Season 

One way I enjoy for celebrating the seasons is to switch decor in my home. Even a few changes can make a big difference. Here’s a place to explore what you might want to add: Autumn/Fall Decor

 

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be.

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TRY SPRING CLEANING YOUR LIFE!

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I remember the extensive spring cleaning that my mother always did. It included washing all the windows inside and out, washing curtains and drapes, special attention to the floors, airing out blankets, coats and other heavy winter things before storing them for the summer. Walls and baseboards were washed and any spiderwebs in corners of the ceiling that hadn’t been removed met their demise. And about the curtains – there was a time when there were lace curtains in the living room and dining room that had to be washed, starched and stretched dry on wooden frames with tiny sharp nails. Does anyone else have those memories?

Another part of the process was cleaning the front porch which had been closed to use for the winter and dust and grime had accumulated. When that was finished, we could again use it –  a real mark of spring and the anticipation of summer.

I have not carried on the tradition of seasonal cleaning in this way. Truth be told, I’m not that kind of housekeeper at all. The concept of spring cleaning, however, can be applied to our lives in productive ways.

Here are nine examples of spring cleaning tasks of this type for you to consider:

Take Stock

Before you start, take careful stock of how you are currently doing. Do you have goals? How are they going? Are there any areas of your life you’d like to change up? Taking stock of where you are will help you direct your energy where it’s needed.

 Clean Up Your Relationships

Do you have any toxic relationships? Maybe it is time to part ways with these people or modify the types and amount of time you spend with them. We all need people in our lives that cheer us up, lift us up or build us up.

Tidy Up Your Habits

Look at your habits and assess whether they are positive and helpful or not – or if you have fallen into some ruts that you want to get out of. Bad habits add up over time and cost you in the long run. Spring is a perfect time to build some new positive habits.

Clear Your Mind

In our busy lives, it’s so easy to end up with a lot of clutter in our heads. People, projects, work, and the events in our world all contribute. Three strategies that can be very effective in clearing your mind and helping you gain clarity and direction are brain dumps, journaling, and meditation. Learn how to most effectively do brain dumps here:  https://carolbrusegar.com/feeling-overwhelmed-try-a-brain-dump/

If you’d like to explore more about journaling and all the ways to use it effectively, here’s what I wrote about it: http://carolbrusegar.com/journaling-as-a-tool/

Unplug

Technology is great, but sometimes we need to unplug and live in the moment. You can take a social media sabbatical or break. You can choose a smaller number of platforms to be actively engaged. You can set time parameters for time spent on your devices. Any of these can free up time for person-to-person engagement, being more observant and connected to what’s around you, and reading more.

Refresh Your Fitness Routine

Do you have a fitness routine? Has it become boring or stale? Use spring cleaning time to consider a new exercise, sport, or activity that gets you excited – or at least is enjoyable – and fit it into your daily routine.

Springify Your Diet

Many of us fall into eating habits over the winter months that aren’t the best for us. We can’t continue to hide under big sweaters and coats, and we may be feeling sluggish and bloated. Clothes may not be fitting comfortably. This is a great time to look at what we’re eating and what additions and subtractions to make as we move into a new season. Experiment with a healthier diet that you can sustain and even enjoy. A total change is often not necessary. Try cutting out a few things and adding new ones.

Organize Your Workspace

This is almost real spring cleaning! Organizing your workspace is a great way to boost your productivity and get more excited about working in general. Make sure every item has its space and every space has a purpose. Put things that aren’t used regularly into drawers or closets to open your space – and remember where you put them (maybe even write it down)! Add some seasonal wall decor to brighten up the room. Add some candles with light, spring type scents here and in other parts of your home. There’s a great variety of seasonal scented candles here to choose from: Spring Scented Candles

Check Your Goals

We’re now into the second quarter of the year. Whether you meticulously set goals in January or have been sliding into the year with a less structured approach, this is a time to look at goals. A helpful tool is The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington. It’s a great approach to accomplishing what we wish in a much more manageable time frame.

Spring cleaning our homes is a worthy activity if it contributes to our overall wellbeing. Spring cleaning our life can be even more valuable and transformative. Look at the list of options, choose the ones that you want to start with and go from there. Happy Spring!

 

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be. 

Check out my books on Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar

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It’s Not Too Late – Choose Your ‘ONE WORD FOR THE YEAR’ Now

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Whew! It’s almost the end of January!! Are you racing into the new year with new energy and focus? Or are you sliding in on autopilot? Or something in between?

It’s not too late to do a restart, not too late to choose your Word for the Year.  We’re past the main push for this activity, and yet the year has just begun. Ignore the artificial timelines and expectations. Consider what may be helpful for you and do it now.

 Choosing One Word for the Year provides some focus for the coming year. Or for the next month, or three months. Identify a time period that makes most sense for you and will provide focus and incentive. 

To make this most effective, I recommend going back to the source of this practice, One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. It’s a small book that includes how to use the concept and gives examples of how it has worked for others.

The book’s authors have additional resources for us – including a 7-day One Word Challenge that comes as 7 emails with a video and specific things to do each day. I find this helpful; perhaps you will also.

The 3-step process to identify your word is a simple one. In some past years I used the shortcut of doing a bit of thinking, having a word pop into mind, and going with it. Although I may have arrived at the same word or a very similar one by following the steps, I shortchanged myself by not going through the process.

In addition to choosing a word that can affect multiple areas of life, keeping your chosen word before you throughout the year is crucial to our success. Again, I didn’t follow through to implement the ideas in the book, or other suggestions I found from those who use the technique.

But I realize now that I taken shortcuts both in choosing the word and in taking the recommended steps to increase the probability of my success. If you can identify with this, please join me as I remedy this in 2023. It’s not too late!!

So let’s get started:

Grab the book here: One Word That Will Change Your Life

Go https://www.onewordchallenge.com/ to sign up for the 2023 challenge and start getting your emails.

Now I invite you to come along with me on the 7-day challenge.

The goal of this process is to come up with one word that will give me MEANING, PURPOSE AND FOCUS for the year just beginning. The first step is to reflect on the past year and then think about this year. Writing, not just thinking, will be most helpful.

Let’s move ahead and make this a remarkable year!

P.S.  What about resolutions? A brand new study provides a snapshot of this practice that I find fascinating:

“Every year, 38.5% of US adults set New Year’s resolutions. Age predicts one’s likelihood of having at least one resolution, with younger adults being the most likely group to have such goals.

  • 38.5% of U.S. adults set New Year’s resolutions yearly, based on the average of five different studies over the past years.
  • 52.6% focus on one New Year’s Resolution, whereas the other 47,4% sets multiple ones.
  • 59% of young adults (18-34) have NY resolutions, making them the largest demographic with New Year’s resolutions.
  • People over 55 are 3.1 times less likely to have resolutions compared to younger adults. The older someone becomes, the less likely they will have New Year’s resolutions.
  • 54% of parents with children have New Year’s resolutions, which is 1.6 times more than those who don’t have kids.”
  • And “23% of people quit by the end of the first week, 64% after the first month...”  (https://insideoutmastery.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/)

This tells me that first of all, “everyone” doesn’t follow this practice. Second, for those who do the fallout rate is high and fast. Third, over half of those who do only set one resolution. Interesting, right?

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives – regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. 

I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age – the next stage of their lives – to be the best it can be. Check out these and more of my books here: https://www.amazon.com/author/carolbrusegar

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“Holy Magic” Visiting Inmates Before Christmas

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Timothysgift.comPHOTO CREDIT: LiveMoreStudios.com

You are loved. You have great worth. God is with you. You are not forgotten.

Simple statements and deeply powerful. They reach beneath the chatter and the lies bombarding us from outside and from within. They reach to our core, our heart and soul, and create “holy magic.” And they are embodied — dare I say incarnated — in the team of people who brought the Timothy’s Gift Christmas Tour 2021 to Florida the week after Thanksgiving.

That team of 20 people — 9 of whom had never done this before — brought their talents, gifts and beings into 10 correctional institutions and immersed themselves in the experience. They radiated the love of God which was received as genuine and profound. In the process we were impacted in ways difficult to articulate. We too were changed, and a deep passion for this ministry and deep bonds among us emerged in a few short days.

This was the 25th major Timothy’s Gift Tour since 2012. It was my 10th. There are many similarities with other tours — and also unique aspects that made it different than those that preceded it. I begin with snapshots of moments.

Snapshot #1: This was repeated at each of the 10 locations — inmates standing and singing “O Come, All Ye Faithful” a cappella with our vocalists. The fervid singing of “O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him…”echoed in the room and mystically united all our hearts. It was the final song of a singalong of Christmas songs, a mix of secular and fun classics and traditional carols that transitioned to the rest of the program which was more personal and spiritual.

Snapshot #2: A mixture of affirmation, tears, smiles and more were on the faces of those listening to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” sung a cappella at the conclusion of communion. We saw this and felt more — particularly to the repeated phrase “Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart.”

Snapshot #3: The entire team stood in a dorm which houses the faith-based program with the 60 or so inmates sitting on their bunks and shared music. Our vocalists sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and 4 of their praise team sang a couple of worship songs.

Snapshot #4: At our final concert, when those present were invited to introduce themselves, an officer gave his name and said that he loved his job and these guys and that they had made him a better person. He also received communion — from JC whom he had watched over at the work camp when he was incarcerated there! What a God moment!

How This Tour Was Different

Tim, for whom Timothy’s Gift is named, was part of this tour, making it unique among all the 25 tours. JC and David who had also served time in Florida prisons were part of the team as well. At 8 of the 10 locations, this was not known ahead of time. The exceptions were the 2 locations where the 3 had served their time, and the publicity posters had included their photos.

As the revelation was made — one at a time spread through the program — that these 3 formerly incarcerated men were part of our team, the responses were palpable. Applause, sometimes cheers and standing up, always a feeling of surprise — even amazement — greeted them as JC, Tim and David each shared some of his story and words of encouragement. It elevated the substance of our message to another level.

Snapshot #5: David, Tim and Josh standing together in front of each audience leading them in declaring boldly “I am loved, I have great worth, God is with me, I am not forgotten.” Standing tall, placing their hands on their heart. Voices booming, claiming that for themselves now and forever.

Another notable aspect of this tour was that 4 of the 10 institutions we visited have “incentivized” programs for all or part of their population. Some are specifically ”faith and character” programs. Those who apply and are accepted into these programs have access to a variety of opportunities to help them prepare for life beyond prison — or for those serving life sentences, for making their time meaningful and productive. In one location, we were able to tour the lounge with TV and games and workout/gym area and then the faith-based and veterans dorms. And 8 of the inmates who serve as chapel clerks ate lunch from the canteen with the team.

I cannot say for sure that there is a causal effect, but we observed a correlation between the tone and demeanor of many of those we saw related to whether it was one of the “incentivized” sites or not. There were more people reacting to parts of the program with tears and sobs in the settings where these things were not available. There was more of a sense of wellbeing and community and hope where they were available. One inmate enthusiastically touted his dorm as the best to us — a sure sign that it is a positive, healing and forward-focused atmosphere.

Community and Caring

Demonstrations of caring and supportive relationships among those we visit always touch me. Here are two examples on this tour.

Snapshot #6: As 3 female vocalists sang a tender “Happy Birthday” song to a man whose birthday was that week, he began choking up. After sitting down he began sobbing. Others were touched by that and what followed and soon many were in tears. One person got permission to leave the room and came back with a handful of paper towels and took them over to those who needed them to dry their eyes. Others put hands and arms on the shoulders of those near them. We saw their care for each other so clearly.

Snapshot #7: We visited one women’s institution on our tour, and all those invited to the concert were within 18 months of being released. Energy and exuberance radiated from them from the time they walked into the room. As they were invited to introduce themselves, one woman would introduce others around her, and they identified the group they were part as they move toward release. This continued with cheers for each group. The affection among them was so clear.

Each concert ended this way: communion followed by “You’ll Never Walk Alone;” the affirmation of the 4 statements led by David, Tim and Josh; and “The Prayer” sung as a benediction. As the words of that last selection resounded in the room, we were all lifted beyond to another place, a higher dimension.

“…Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace, to a place where we’ll be safe. A world where pain and sorrow will be ended and every heart that’s broken will be mended. And we’ll remember we are all God’s children, reaching out to touch you, reading to the sky…..”

Each of us who were part of this tour has his/her own highlights, insights, and experiences that will continue to impact us. That’s true of the team and of every person we encountered along the way. For me, the week can be described as miraculous — “an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention” or “an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.”

Or it could be called magical — “extraordinarily pleasant, enjoyable, or exciting.” Clearly an experience that transcends the ordinary. It could be called magically miraculous or, my personal favorite, holy magic! It was a magical week, an impactful week, a transcendent week. And I am deeply grateful.

For more information about this ministry: https://www.timothysgift.com

I’m Carol Brusegar, author, photographer and curator of information. My focus is on gathering and writing on topics that enhance all our lives — regardless of our age. Topics include health and wellness, personal development, innovation and creativity, and a variety of helpful, practical tools and practices. I have a special interest in helping people over 50 years of age to create their 3rd Age — the next stage of their lives — to be the best it can be. Follow me on Twitter! Follow me on Instagram! Follow me on Pinterest! Follow me on Facebook! Visit my Etsy Shop!