Okay Thanksgiving is over, Black Friday is over and Cyber Monday is over.  All the deals are gone and if you didn't get your Christmas shopping done then it's probably on your to do list.  Is the end of November and all of December all about shopping and deals now?  I thought Thanksgiving was about you know... 'giving thanks,' and Christmas (at least for me) was about spending time with loved ones and celebrating the holiday season together.

I admit I do enjoy November because many of my friends partake in the every day in November "I'm thankful for..." post on their Facebook walls.   I also secretly enjoy the hearing about Black Friday craziness that has happened all over the country (ironically happening after Thanksgiving where we all just gave thanks).  I even check out the deals online but rarely ever buy anything.

With all that craziness and even more coming in December it can be hard to 'keep your eye on the prize,' and use what these holidays were meant for in my opinion; removing yourself from the daily stresses of your life and simply being happy and celebrating life.

I have TWO questions for you...

ONE - Giving Thanks and Thanksgiving
Why are you only thankful during November?  Or is it easy to put a 'cap' on the number of thankful posts you are required to do because there are only so many days until Thanksgiving?   Look, I'm not trying to 'knock' anyone who partakes in these posts but why not take it a step further, continue this all year round.

I've learned that in order to create a happier life we must always be giving thanks and praise to the people around us.  If you're not comfortable posting publicly then make sure to contact your friends, family, co-workers, etc every so often and just say thanks!  These actions have actually been proven to help make you a happier less stressful person.

TWO - Shopping and Black Friday
Okay so you've accumulated a bunch of stuff, now what?  Fine if your TV is broken and you want a new one I get it but I think most people just buy stuff to well, just buy stuff.  Is the new TV that's 4 inches bigger making your life any better?  Has waiting outside for hours on end for the latest deals made your life any better?  I can't tell you how often I look around my apartment at 'stuff' that hasn't really added any value to my life.  I mean, I wanted it at the time and now I can't remember why.

Here's my formula for everything I buy now.  I ask myself...
1.  Why am I buying this?
2.  Does this purchase improve my life?
3.  Does this purchase help me achieve my personal goals or dreams?

If I answer 'no' to the last two questions then I rethink why I'm buying whatever it is. This doesn't just work for buying things, it also works for spending you time.  We all complain about not having enough time yet we're constantly wasting it on things that don't matter.  YOUR health, YOUR family and friends, and YOUR dreams matter the most.  Spend your time, money, effort, and love on those items and less on everything else.

Conclusion
I read a quote once that went something like, "on your deathbed you're not gong to have wished you worked more, spent more time on the computer, or watched more TV.  You're going to wish you spent more time with friends and family, tried new things and experienced all that life has to offer."  I'm paraphrasing and adding my own words in but I think you get the point.  Spend your time, money and emotions where it matters the most.

This holiday season I challenge you to step back from the sales, the marketing, the traffic, the lines and all the stresses and think about what really matters the most to you.  Remember to breath when something doesn't go your way and start the New Year off with an entirely new view of the world and what you want to accomplish in it.



P.S. If you liked this post please check out one of my favorite speakers on 'Happiness' Shawn Achor.  He has an amazing TED Talk you can watch which I share with all my friends.  I listen to it about once a month.