The holiday season is among us. For me, this season is one of the most beautiful times of the year. What is your favourite part of the holidays?

For many, it is a time of celebration when people reunite with their family and friends and have delicious meals and spend quality time together. With our busy lives, this time of year serves us with the beautiful reminder to cherish our relationships.

The bright light displays remind me to spread the holiday cheer wherever I go, especially with my friends and family.

I crave connection. Reuniting with loved ones who you haven’t seen in a while who have travelled from around the world to be with you – that is my favourite part. Being heard. Being loved. Being valued. Presence is truly the best present.

However, even though these social get-togethers can bring so much joy to our lives, the events can also be stressful.  Whether for work, with friends, or with family, these events can bring us together with people who may be difficult to deal with.

For many, the stress of attending social gatherings can cause them to not show up. However, what I’ve come to learn from being at many holiday gatherings over the years: you can’t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch – i.e., you shouldn’t let the stress overshadow the event. If you’re worried about attending a gathering, don’t be. Your presence is important – there are so many people who want to see you. In other words, your other family members will miss your presence if you don’t show up. Focus that energy and your thoughts on the joy and love that will come from the get-together. Who knows: the event could go better than you ever thought! Show up and be seen!

“How can I add more holiday cheer to my life?” you may be asking. One of the best coping strategies to deal with the stress of social gatherings is to as Taylor Swift sings, “Shake it off.”  Keep shining.

Although not a holiday song, the “Shake it off” lyrics are such a powerful reminder to keep shining your bright light.  Your presence is such a gift to those around you.

Life is too short. Why should we focus our energy, time, and precious thoughts on things that don’t really matter and will bring us down?

Surround yourself with people who love you and care about you – that is such a gift and my favourite part of this season. This year, I encourage you to really give the gift of connecting on a deep authentic level.

Wishing you all a bright and cheerful holiday season!

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the Comments section below.

See you at the beach!