December 18, 2019
I love… love… love the holiday season! I generally kick off the month-long celebration on December 1. Since my birthday also occurs in December, I keep the festivities going straight through New Year’s Day. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always taken off work between Christmas and New Year’s and use it as a time to rejuvenate and connect or reconnect with family and friends.
The twinkle of lights, beautiful holiday decorations, joyous Christmas songs, and the spirit of giving are all things that keep me in a merry mood and make me smile.
The holidays are also a reminder that no matter what happens, I will not let anyone or anything steal my joy!
It’s incredible how we can let situations and other people ruin our day. When someone says something that we don’t like or that hurts our feelings, it immediately changes our attitude for the day or sometimes even the week! General worry about things we can’t control — the news media or even a crazy driver who suddenly cut in front of our car — can have an immediate impact on us. However, over the years, I’ve learned not to let little or big things steal my joy.
Let’s face it, we all know people who are joy stealers, or for the sake of the holiday – mini Scrooges! Often, they are the ones that are closest to us. No matter what positive thing is happening, they bring up the negative or try to project their insecurities on us. They tend to be critical about everything. Managing these kind of people is essential for our sanity. Below are ways to become aware of the difference between Joy Supporters and Joy Stealers.
| JOY SUPPORTERS | JOY STEALERS |
| Encourage Others | Limit Others |
| Optimistic | Pessimistic |
| Can-Do Attitude | Can’t Do |
| Nurture | Critical |
| Imagine Possibilities | See Obstacles |
During this holiday season, keep Joy Supporters around you and banish Joy Stealers from your celebrations. Wishing you a wonderful holiday and a New Year full of possibilities and encouragement.
Often, when I tell someone to “Keep Dreaming,” it comes from a sarcastic place and means “this will never happen.” However, as I reflect on the crazy, challenging year we all experienced in 2020, I think it’s time to get back to our dreams literally.
At the beginning of 2020, I had big dreams. I had planned a February vacation trip to Thailand, a women’s conference in March, Florida in April, Aruba in June, and Hilton Head with cousins in October. All plans were canceled indefinitely. Getting refunds/credits from travel agencies, airlines and hotels became a significant challenge and took lots of energy.
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Hi! I'm LaNella Hooper-Williams. Through my blog, my mission is to give you tips and practical tools that will help you build a powerful brand and accomplish your personal and professional dreams. You’ll learn strategies that help you manage your personal brand, get noticed and rewarded for your unique talents, and gain greater career focus.
Great message and much needed.
Thank you Nell.