Aloha my friends, A more personal post coming up. Feel free to skip this one if you subscribe to Talking Story for the management and leadership topics I normally write about. This will speak of values though; for it’s about the tradition of ‘Ohana (family), triggered by fresh experiences during the New Year’s Day holiday.

I cannot help but think about our January learning theme on Joyful Jubilant Learning as well: “Learning Healthy Living” has so much to do with the good-feelings and emotional health we gain from family traditions which have made us so much of who we are.

Mele Kalikimaka, a very Merry Christmas to you today.

There is a quiet, me-time moment I cherish greatly each Christmas Day, one which fills me with wonder and a uniquely recurring faith. Over the years, I have come to know that it is in this moment I understand the power and strength of belief…

Earlier this week I had a conversation with a gentleman who is not a fan of Christmastime, not at all. He has assorted reasons, but he also has a wonderful attitude about them, for with each reason he’d share, he’d end with some version of, “Well, not to worry, I shall make the best of it.” Thus our conversation became one of exchanged pleasantries versus commiseration, with a funny story thrown in every so often for good measure (good tidings, as I teased him), and I did enjoy our talk-story even though I do not share most of his feelings.

Susan:

I can think of no more important place for our leadership to make a difference than in our families.  The Holiday Season is a particularly opportune time for us to lead the way for something new and maybe even miraculous to show up.  Wherever in the world you may live the holidays have a way of amplifying the best and worst of our family relationships, add to our stress levels in both good and bad ways, and heighten our emotions.

I appreciated Susan’s list of 5 ways, but I actually got the most out of the tip in her preface:

You might start with creating an intention for the season.  What do you want this season to be like for you and for your family this year?  Last year my intention was to “stop sweating the small stuff and really enjoy the important stuff”.   In the spirit of that intention we declared no more adult gifts.  Instead of running around shopping for each other the days before Christmas we spent time together at the beach.

Therefore, I left this comment for her, and comment-wrote my way into a holiday mantra for myself!

Susan, I really love this idea of having an intention for the holidays. This year it will definitely need to be “Christmas is in my head first, arriving with me wherever I am, all month long” for it will not be the actual day… the only time we will be able to get our family all-together in the same place will be between the 14th and 18th of the month, and away from home. I know it will be wonderful, yet that also gives me another thirteen days to New Year to fill joyfully rather than allowing them to fall flat in the aftermath. Your post is getting me to be more inventive yet still focus on that mantra of decking the halls of my head space!

Thank goodness for Lisa, always reminding me of this day which always slips off my radar - and shouldn’t!