Harness Your Power: Prepare for the Holidays (and Challenging Family Members)

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (for those here in the United States) and for those getting ready for the December Holiday Season, I thouhgt I'd offer you some ideas to get prepare for the interesting and sometimes difficult interactions with family and friends.

1. NOTHING needs to be taken personally -- especially in regards to your family members! Remember that just because they are snappy, judgmental, or overly direct, you really never know what is happening inside them.  But, the way they act toward you has to do with THEM not you.  Be as compassionate and understanding as you can.  Let what they say go in one ear and out the other rather than taking this to heart. 

2. Be a kid...have fun, lighten up, relax, let it flow...take the days you have visitors in stride and focus on fun and laughter and love.

3. PEACE and LOVE and JOY...these are your key words...if you focus on creating moments of this, and release all heavy energy, this will be a wonderful time.

4. Before next Thursday write a list of everything you like and appreciate about those who you dread interacting with the most.  Keep the list in your pocket on Thanksgiving day and as soon as you feel yourself getting worked up, then stop and read...focus on the good, focus on the good...let the rest go.

5. Be you and enjoy the moment. Make sure that you enjoy yourself.  For those of you who get tired of dealing with difficult adutls, why not get on the floor with the kids or go outside and play!
Hope some of these tips work for you!  You won't know unless you give them a try.


Here are a few affirmations to use in preparing mentally.  Pick one or two of these each day and repeat them to yourself often.

I have a peaceful, loving holiday with my family.

We grow together and love each other more.

I am compassionate toward _______________ (fill in the blank with a challenging person).

I see the best in each person.

I offer love and kindness.

Nothing is personal.

I let people be who they are!

I lighten up and have a good time.

I laugh and eat and smile and cook and play.

I give thanks for it all...even the difficulty!

With love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Will You Choose Joy this Holiday Season?

One of the most helpful questions I have learned to live by is, "What will bring me joy?" I used to live my life out of a sense of obligation and guilt. I would force myself to do things I didn't want to do. I would often go places I wasn't really all that interested in and I would hang out with people who I really didn't resonate with . I did all of these things because I felt I SHOULD do them and that I HAD to do them.

As I hit the tipping point in my life several years ago and felt totally overwhelmed, I began to watch what was motivating me to do all the things that I packed into my daily schedule. I found that often I was acting out of obligation. I would force myself to call someone because I felt obligated to stay in touch. I would force myself to go to the gym every day without fail, because I felt I HAD to do this to stay in shape (even days when I dreaded going or felt exhausted, I pushed myself to go). I would buy Christmas gifts for people because I felt I HAD to or NEEDED to rather than because I wanted to. I also would attend events out of obligation -- I would show up at the event but be somewhere completely different in my mind while I was there, wishing I hadn't gone at all.

As I saw the energy behind the decisions I was making it occurred to me that the reason I was not enjoying my life was because I was acting out of obligation, the desire to please others and putting my joy in consideration last.

I now choose to live my life in joy. If I am going to an event, I go because I want to go. If I decide to call a friend or business acquaintance, I call because I know I will enjoy talking to them and reconnecting. If I decide to buy someone a gift, it is because it feels good to share my love, money and energy with them. By acting out of joy as often as I possibly can, my life has changed dramatically. I feel joy almost all of the time! Life feels good, easy and light when you act out of joy.

My challenge to you this Holiday Season is to watch the motivation you have behind the activities you choose to be involved in, the parties you choose to attend and the gifts you decide to buy. Ask yourself, "Am I doing this because it brings me joy?" If the answer is yes, then you are on the right track and you are bound to have an enjoyable holiday season.

Here are some daily affirmations to use to keep you focused on making good choices during the Holidays:

I choose to live in joy.
I choose to experience inner peace.
I choose to feel hopeful about my life.
I choose to enjoy each moment no matter what the circumstance.
I choose to see my own value and to trust my intuition.
I choose to be powerful and make good decisions rather than feel victimized by life.
I choose to amaze the World as I connect to my talents and begin expressing my authentic self.
I choose to dance, sing, play and lighten up about my life.
I choose to share love with each person I encounter.
I choose to listen and hear what others are saying.
I choose to have a blessed, peaceful and joyful Holiday Season.

(Note: To get the most out of these affirmations I suggest you print them and keep them with you. Read them first thing in the morning and last thing in the day. Say them aloud and say them in front of a mirror. Keep a copy in your purse or your wallet -- as you have spare moments throughout the day, pull them out and read them over and over. Affirmations work if you practice them and allow them to become part of your subconscious mind).

Imagine if you truly began to choose all of the above things! The more you make joyful choices with your thoughts, words and actions, the better your life is going to feel.

Choose Joy this Holiday Season. . .and allow yourself to enter 2008 focused on enjoying every single moment of your life!

With a big hug to all,
I celebrate each and every one of you.

Trish
www.patriciaomoqui.com
Join my free Teleclass this Tuesday at 7 pm EST: http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/harness.html