Do you really need anymore stuff? How about your partner, kids, family or friends? I know brains are wired to like shiny new things. This year, think about gifting wonderful books (suggestions below), planning quality time together, and donating money to help others.
(Okay, for transparency’s sake, I’m going to buy a humidifier and a toaster soon.)
As I launched I Do I Don’t: How to build a better marriage this year, I have met so many amazing people: authors, librarians, and mentors in particular. I have a renewed passion for books (which is funny since I knew at 12 that I’m a writer), and an increased respect for librarians that I’ve already held for my entire life. Now I am surrounded by authors that astound me not only through their writing, but as the people I’ve had the great fortune to come to know. The following list of books and authors covers genres from powerful fiction, children’s books, poetry, mystery, romance, memoir, spirituality, women’s fiction, comics, and non-fiction titles from a trail guide to what police and firefighter families need to know, to a conscious sexual-self workbook. Please be sure to leave reviews, too; they drive Amazon’s algorithms.
Since most people are so busy, planning for quality time together is a supremely valued gift (if you don’t want to spend quality time with your loved ones, that’s a separate issue; give me a call to learn tools for a lifetime of love). Log out and unplug, get into nature or explore someplace new or somewhere full of memories together. Talk a lot. Make eye contact. Hold hands. Breathe deeply. Notice what you see in great detail, what you can hear and smell. Do things you used to do before so many responsibilities drove you. Try things out of your comfort zone, take an art class together, or . . . hmm, I’m sure you can dream up all sorts of wonderful ideas.
There is suffering in life. We all have moments of suffering in different flavors and intensities; your own suffering might be physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, work-related or financial. Kindness to self and others makes a huge difference. I know it sounds cliché, but helping others really does help us, too. Here are some of my favorite donation options: food banks; Heifer International; Well installations; children’s hospitals; Habitat for Humanity; the Red Cross. Pick an additional new organization this year.
Brainstorm ways to lower your own and others’ stress this holiday season.
I wish you lovely, quality holidays.
Here’s my author/book list, not in any particular order:
Pescadero, Hollis Brady
Ellen Kirschman (multiple books)
Roll Away the Stone, Larry Robinson
Howard Scott Warshaw (multiple books)
Maya Spector (multiple books)
Kathy Coatney (also pen name Kate Curran), children’s books (multiple books)
Steve Lafler (multiple books)
Dallas Middaugh (multiple books)
The Conscious Sexual Self Workbook,Melissa Jebian Fritchle
Michelle Davis (multiple books)
Justin Wesenberg (multiple books)
Lucas Alberg (multiple books)
Rachel Steinman and Rachel Winter
And of course, my books
This post was originally published on here
