How to celebrate everyday

Let me be brief this week and try and deliver a relevant and meaningful single message.

The moment you think of giving or receiving what comes to mind is a material gift you can touch and feel. While it's a nice thing to do, giving intangibles makes more sense and helps people beyond instant happiness you get when you receive or give a material gift. Life doesn't end with a day's celebrations.

Making each day a happy day

Life is short. We won't get to celebrate too many annual holidays. How can we make the next holiday season a more fruitful one? How meaningfully can we spend this holiday season to make our lives better and help others to achieve the same?

Intangible things

We need new perspectives, insights, ideas and energy and motivation and time and lots of other intangible things that can't be bought off the shelf. Happiness is in the hearts and minds of people.

It shouldn't limit itself to traditional holidays or statutory holidays. It can sometimes be found on the most ordinary of Mondays. Sometimes it just blows in like a swallow in December. Sometimes when you want it most you can't have it. And sometimes you're up to your elbows.

Holidays do not have to remain rigidly the same, year after year. By opening yourself to change and letting go of traditions that have become too difficult or expensive, you afford yourself an opportunity to shape your holiday experience to reflect your current lifestyle and personality and learn something for the future.

Bring everyone together

It's what holidays are really about - the chance to properly renew friendships and spend long-overdue time finding out what's going on in everyone else's life. So a gathering of friends is always a nice surprise to spring on someone.

The holiday season is typically a time when extended family members spend more time together. Leaving normal routines, hectic travel, and decreased personal space can all lead to conflict with the family members you ironically, want to enjoy with.

Offer and receive feedback - exchange ideas - mentor others or be mentored by someone who has something to offer you.

There is no better opportunity than the holiday season to interact with people with an open mind. Enjoy doing what you like to do but also find time to try what I have advocated.

I'm sure you will discover new ways of improving your life while helping the others with your new insights. This would offer sustainable happiness versus a gift offering instant happiness. Good balance between the two may be a good start.