Give the gift of Affirmations!
With all the commercialism and materialism of Christmas flooding our senses, consider giving the gift of affirmations to those you know and love. Here are 16 ideas to help start you off:
• Send a Christmas card to someone who inspired you to have hope amidst hard times.
• Write a short message of hope & love on a piece of paper for each person in your family. Hide it in their lunch box, on their pillow or in their wallet.
• Call someone on his or her birthday and sing “Happy Birthday.”
• Text friends and family members inspirational quotes.
• Send a picture to someone by e-mail, Facebook, snail-mail, or tweet, remembering a shared experience.
• Occasionally “poke” a Facebook friend you have not seen for a while.
• Send someone a birthday card with three reasons why you appreciate him or her.
• Write a handwritten note to a person, giving thanks for their friendship.
• Deliver a loaf of freshly baked bread to a friend.
• Make a donation to a cause in honor of someone.
• Send a person a prayer stone to carry as a reminder that you are praying for him or her throughout the day.
• Offer a morning prayer and blessing to each family member.
• Take time during meals to affirm friends and family.
• Provide unexpected treats or token gifts that recognize a person’s uniqueness.
• When appropriate, offer hugs and appropriate expressions of affection.
• Tell your kids daily, “I love you... l am proud of you ... My hopes for you are…”
(Affirmations found in “Tool 3” from Surface to Soul, by Jim Ladoux)