More or Less This Holiday Season?

‘Tis the season of giving?

Yes.

But also, getting, buying, and shopping.

Millions of people spent Black Friday – whether online or in stores – buying Christmas gifts for others and themselves; however, article after article tells us that “things” don’t bring us happiness in the long-term; rather it’s “experiences.”

Each year, as my clients look around their homes and in their closets at the hundreds of items they’ve accumulated over the years, they’re going through each room and deciding what they want to keep and what they want to get rid of.

So, as the season of shopping is in full swing, this might be a good time to ask yourself what’s worth buying and what’s not.

What will you end up throwing or giving away one year, two years, five years from now?

More importantly, as you pursue greater health and happiness in your midlife years, consider this:

What purchases will bring you those things?

In other words, what purchases are “costs” (things you might regret later) and which are “investments” in your health and happiness?

• A trinket that’s fun to buy now because it’s cute, but I’ll probably throw or give away = Cost.
• A pair of pants that I like (but not love) and fit okay (but not great), and knowing myself, I’ll probably never wear them = Cost.
• Getting together with friends for a nice holiday dinner = Investment.
• A 2-month membership to yoga studio = Investment.

You know where I’m going here, but just for fun, let’s take that last example and dissect it a bit.

Let’s say you have $100 to spend.

Instead of spending it on another pair of workout shoes, when the ones you have are just fine (cost), you choose to put that $100 toward a few months of yoga sessions – an investment that could bring you more flexibility, strength, balance, and maybe even stress-relief in the long run (adding to your health and happiness).

But, let’s even look at the short-term benefit.

Perhaps after your yoga session you’re feeling great.

Accomplished and motivated, you decide to head to the grocery store on the way home and get the necessary ingredients for a new healthy recipe you’ve been wanting to try.

You get home and get to work on it – slicing, dicing, and cooking.

While it’s baking in the oven, you have a little time on your hands, but instead of turning on the news or scrolling through your Facebook feed, you walk over to your bookshelf and pull out that book you started a year ago and never finished.

You make yourself a cup of tea, sit, and read the book.

Forty-five minutes later, the oven timer goes off indicating that your healthy meal is ready.

You take it out, scoop yourself an appropriate serving and feel pretty good as you realize that you now have five more servings you can portion out to take to work for lunch next week.

A healthier week ahead all started with one yoga session.

That’s a pretty great return on investment if you ask me.

What’s more, remember that this is how a healthy lifestyle begins – not by one massive overhaul of your life; rather it begins with small, intentional decisions based on what investments you choose to make, with both your money and your time (as you see both as precious).

This holiday season, consider being more intentional than you’ve ever been on how you’re spending your money and your time.

Remember that what you want now and what you want most aren’t always the same thing.

“Will this bring me more health and/or happiness in the long run?”

Begin to get into the habit of asking yourself that question before you make a purchase and watch how your life changes in the new year.

More health, more happiness, more peace.

Less stuff, less stress, less disarray.

That’s my wish for you this holiday season.

It’s your turn to take care of you,

Don’t “fall” back into old habits this season…  
I’m here to help.