While I haven’t yet chosen my word/phrase for the year, I love looking back at previous words I’ve chosen to help guide my choice.

I believe I’ve previously shared that instead of resolutions, I like to commit to a word or phrase at the beginning of each year. Just a simple practice that keeps me reminded of my vision for the days, weeks, and months between January-December…

When I was younger, I remember my Dad often telling my brother and I that, “It’s better to give than to receive”. I remember not always totally understanding what that meant…

I say that because GIVING is one of my spiritual gifts.  The concept is so infused with who I am that I had to stop and really think about why is it so exciting for me?!

I’m challenging myself though in 2023. I’ve decided that the same spirit I have of giving and spending fun time with friends and family in December extends throughout the next 11 months. And it may not be wrapped in the perfect box or scheduled on a special day....It may simply be a few extra minutes of listening when a friend just needs to talk, but I’m already on to the next thing in my head.

For a person where “time” and “schedules” tends to be a thread throughout my day, I am learning to be more grateful for the disruptions that may seem to just “pop up.” You see, I have been trained that on time is late and 15 mins early is on time. My professional training thrives off of planned schedules and specific times which only adds to my personal awareness of time.

During this holiday season, I have tasked myself with reflecting on things that I am thankful for that maybe I wasn’t so happy about to begin with. I’m always grateful for my family, my friends, and my health, which is nothing to minimize or take lightly, but I wanted to challenge myself to think of things that maybe didn’t feel so good at first that ended up working out for my good. Or at least in the process of being so!

Being Thankful means; I am recognizing and acknowledging the good things, the great people, the lessons that hurt the most but provide personal growth, the family you can always count on, along with the blessings too numerous to count. While knowing along the way, Gods mercies are new everyday

As hard as I tried to not be cliché, focusing on anything less than being thankful this time of year is personally challenging.

My goal for this week’s edition of Perfectly Unwrapping was to come up with a clever and poignant wrap up to our month of focusing on our theme of a BOOst Of Positivity. Our guest writers for October gave us some great insight and tips that I’m certain will be of value if applied.