29 gifts

When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self-giving is a personal power-releasing factor.
Norman Vincent Peale

I started reading a book called 29 Gifts. It’s about giving 29 gifts for 29 days. I’m very excited about it and what it’s stirring up in me. Especially at Christmas time when there’s such a hustle and bustle, it’s nice to have a daily focus on what can I give today. Yesterday I gave Normy a wreath which we hung in her room. She was so excited. It takes so little to bring joy to someone else.

We get so fixated on ourselves and what we need and what we want to happen that we miss out on the opportunity to contribute to someone. If you make your focus, “how can I give” then what comes back is clarity and peace. And from a peaceful place everything looks different. Life feels different when you aren’t trying to manipulate life. If you can’t stand being who are right now and can’t stand your circumstances then this is the perfect time to give of yourself. Now I am not saying that you leave your responsibilities. I am saying that all the time that you spend focusing on your problems is just building a stronger relationship to your problem. So step outside of the problem and give someone else a little peace. Maybe through the process of showing compassion, you can learn to have more compassion with yourself.

Give someone a gift today and try not to spend a dime doing it!

Today I am grateful for my dad coming to visit me in California for the first time in 17 years. Everything happens exactly when it’s supposed to.