“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, what do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” ~Bob Hope
I hope your Christmas season this year is filled with enough love that it overflows into loving others even more freely in the coming year.
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“Go and love someone exactly as they are. And then watch how quickly they transform into the greatest, truest version of themselves. When one feels seen and appreciated in their own essence, one is instantly empowered.” ~Wes Angelozzi
This is just as true for yourself as for others. If you truly want to empower transformation into your best self, learning to love yourself exactly as you are is a much more successful path than self-criticism and self-berating. (Don’t believe me? Take a good look at how little self-criticism has supported positive transformation so far. Maybe it’s time to try self-love instead.)
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“When suffering constricts the heart, awe stretches it back out, making us more compassionate, more loving, more present.” ~Valarie Kaur
I love this image of awe restoring a constricted heart! How often do you allow yourself to truly experience awe as an adult? Perhaps we would all be well served by seeking it out and immersing ourselves in awe more often.
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“You could more easily catch a hurricane in a shrimp net that you can understand the wild, relentless, passionate, uncompromising, pursuing love of God made present in the manger.” ~Brennan Manning
No matter how you’re feeling this holiday season—even if that’s sad, hurting, or lonely—this is a reminder that you are still loved in a powerful way.
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“Be the reason someone still believes in magic, truth, authenticity, compassion, intelligent conversation, loyalty, courage, and love that doesn’t have an agenda.” ~Brooke Hampton
So many people are hurting this time of year, and it’s easy to get so caught up in our own holiday celebrations that we miss seeing their pain. Take the time to reach out to those in your own circle who may be having a difficult season this year to help them believe that life still brings goodness and love, even in the hard moments.
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