Are you ready? Christmas is coming. Ready, set, go!
Music is one of the most amazing gifts life has to offer. A day without music is a day I cannot even finish the sentence, for I cannot imagine. And while we may be tempted to dismiss a day without music as being easy to accomplish or of little consequence, this is only because we forget that music is everywhere. Welcome back to Best Christmas Ever, where we are exploring 28 ways to make this your best Christmas.
Yes, music is everywhere. And because it is everywhere, we have come to take it for granted. Music is on elevators and in waiting rooms. At the supermarket and in restaurants, music is everywhere. But are we listening? Or is it just blocking out other noise? I fear the latter and what a soulless use of music that is. Number 15 is listen to music. When was the last time you sat down and did nothing else but listen to music? Take some time today simply to listen to music. Choose a song or an album. Let Mozart speak to you about the range of human experience or allow your favorite Christmas music to transport you to experience the mysteries of the divine intervention we call Christmas. Find a quiet place. Quiet your heart and mind and listen to the music with new ears. Listen to the music as if you have never heard music before. Listen to the music as if you had been denied music for 20 years. Learning to listen to music again will make our souls dance for joy.
Are you feeling inspired? That's great, but we're not done yet.
It's not easy to have a great Christmas in a world where everyone is striving for what isn't worth having. Welcome back to 28 obstacles that will prevent you from having your best Christmas ever. Obstacle number 15 is spending more money than you can afford. It's hard to relax and enjoy anything when you are suffering from financial stress and anxiety. That increases when it is self-inflicted and unnecessary, caused by discretionary spending rather than necessities. Because then we tend to add guilt and shame to the stress and anxiety. Have a budget and stick to the budget. If you attempted to go over your budget, use it as an opportunity to grow spiritually. Ask yourself, am I tempted to spend more based on need or ego? What emptiness am I trying to fill by buying these things? Am I aware that nothing external will fill the emptiness I feel within. Spending more money than you can afford is an obstacle to having a great Christmas. If you are sure to cash this Christmas, search the generosity habit for ideas about how to be staggeringly generous without spending money. But remember, find your joy, guard your joy, follow your joy, not just happiness. It seems our culture has confused happiness with comfort. And following comfort will lead you to misery. Find your joy. Cherish your joy. Guard your joy and follow your joy.
Most people spend the Christmas season rushing around, stressed out and overwhelmed by the sheer speed and busyness of life. It's no wonder why they feel like their joy has been stolen away. Don't let that be your story. Right now, when you become a Dynamic Catholic Ambassador, we will send you a free copy of my new book, Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy. Nothing will transform your Christmas and your life like learning how to slow down to the speed of joy. So click the button below and join today to get your copy.
Have a great day.
