How do you get along with your relatives? No time like the holidays to work on these relationships! 🙂

I know, this may not be what you want to think about right now with all the shopping and preparations and other stress going on. However, this is the best time to think about it. How you deal with other people is a true tell of your character. Your goal should be to be thoughtful, considerate and calm in all your dealings with others; whether they are your relations or complete strangers.

Our treatment of others can be hurtful and harmful. You never know when or if you will see those relatives again. Try to grow gentleness in your relationships.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and it itself set on fire by hell.”
James 3:5-6

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

At the end of conversations, the people you speak with should feel better, not worse. Think before you speak and give God control of your tongue. Just because you think something, doesn’t mean it has to come out of your mouth. Being silent is a lost art, let’s revive it. 🙂 If you absolutely can’t be silent, give compliments!

Here are some guidelines for what to say or not to say to others.

1. If it isn’t TRUE, it is not beneficial. “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” Colossians 3:9
2. If it is BOASTING, it is not beneficial. “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Galatians 6:14
3. If it is GOSSIP or SLANDER, it is not beneficial. “to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” Titus 3:2
4. If it is said in ANGER, it is not beneficial. “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” Proverbs 29:11
5. If it lacks GRACE, it is not beneficial. “Let your conversations be always full of grace…” Colossians 4:6
   

   “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,
   live at peace with everyone.”
   Romans 12:18

• Depression is the difference between reality and your perception of it.
• Happiness is the difference between reality and your perception of it.

It’s all in how you look at things. It’s up to you to be happy. If you don’t feel like it, fake it ‘till you make it! Smile and be nice 🙂 Before long, you’ll feel happy and cheerful!

Things don’t make you happy. Just like money can’t buy you love, it can’t buy happiness either. We have everything we need in life to make us happy but we don’t realize it or appreciate it.  Look around and find the little things that bring a smile to your face. Happiness is a state of mind!

• Don’t look for things that are out of your control to bring you happiness. Happiness comes from within.
• Don’t wait for life’s circumstances to be perfect to be happy. Life is never going to be perfect but laugh and be happy anyway 🙂
• Have an “attitude of gratitude.” Being thankful for what you have will make you happier.
• Be forgiving, to everyone. I know it’s hard but you can do it! I have faith in you!
• Don’t dwell on negative things. Think “happy thoughts.” Make the choice to be happy.
• Talk to someone. That may sound silly, but you’ll feel better after some human interaction. I don’t mean texting, tweeting, or facebooking. I mean speaking out loud face to face with another person 🙂
• Get busy! Do something! Be productive! Find something to do and do it. You’ll feel better and be happier.
• Get enough sleep. It’s amazing the fresh outlook you’ll have on life after a good night’s rest.
• Go outside! It’s God’s beautiful world out there for you to enjoy! Run around a little bit! Exercise will boost your mood and make you feel happier as well.

It’s not about you. It’s easy to forget that life isn’t all about you. Try thinking of yourself and your circumstances less and think about others more. Don’t worry so much about what you look like or your clothes or your hair or whatever you worry about. Relax!

We all need a little stress reduction from time to time, or maybe all of the time! These tips will help you slow down and enjoy your days, rather than stress through them. 🙂

• Simplify! Make life easier on yourself.
• Identify things that you know cause you stress and look for ways around them.
• Concentrate on one task at a time – finish one then move to the next task.
• Don’t be late! Allow extra time to travel and get things done. You’ll be amazed how much stress this removes.
• Learn to say “NO!” You don’t have to agree to every request from every body. You’ll still be a nice person 🙂
• Live within your budget. Don’t use credit cards or have excessive loans. (More on budgeting later)
• Don’t worry! Worry doesn’t change anything and it’s hard on you.
• Weed out unnecessary trivia. Write down important things and don’t worry about the rest.
• Live in the present. Enjoy today, it will be your yesterday tomorrow.
• Take a walk! Get up and dance! Get away from your stress for a few minutes, it will help.
• Every night, thank God for something. If it’s been a rough day, thank him for two (or ten) things!

Helpful tips to simplify your life

Clear out clutter: bedrooms, closets, kitchen, bathroom, garage, basement, storage spaces

Simplify food: plan and prepare food ahead, eat lean, lose the weight

De-stress work life: lay out your clothes the night before, be on time, make a difference with your work

Finances: pay off debt, don’t be a slave to it – Proverbs 22:7 “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Get rid of extra things – cars, clothing, shoes, storage buildings, hobby/craft things, electronics, books, junk. It’s rarely necessary to rent storage space (unless you are in the middle of a move or waiting on your house to be built) otherwise, clear it out and save that payment.

• Giving sets us free, while hoarding entraps us
• Giving changes the lives of others
• Giving brings blessing back to us
• Giving allows us to store up treasures in Heaven rather than on earth
• Giving makes you feel good

Walk with Jesus through your home, work, emotions, relationships and let Him show you what you can let go of, get rid of, and what to keep.

Stop doing things that aren’t important and waste time, there are many things we think we must do that really are not worth doing.

Too much stuff can leave too little room for God. With all the time required to shop for, use, store, clean, maintain, organize, insure, and worry about our stuff, there can be little time left for reading God’s Word, prayer, ministry, church, and reaching out to others. Is it any wonder that the Bible encourages simple living?

Keep these things in mind:

1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
2. Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
3. Develop a habit of giving things away.
4. Refuse to be swayed by advertising.
5. Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
6. Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.
7. Look with a healthy skepticism at all “buy now, pay later” schemes.
8. Obey Jesus’ instructions about plain, honest speech.
9. Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
10. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the Kingdom of God.

Align your life with your values and pursue what matters most to you. Your sense of worth and self-esteem should be increasingly based on values and not material things and possessions.

Try these. You’ll feel better for it. 🙂 ♥

1. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
2. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
3. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
4. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
5. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
6. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. The best is yet to come.
9. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
10. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
11. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
12. Yield.
13. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift..
14. Gossip is talking about a situation with somebody who is neither a part of the solution nor a part of the problem.

Little helpful tips – I especially like the first one – quit worrying about what other people think! It really doesn’t matter anyway, right? 🙂

1. What other people think of you is none of your business.
2. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
3. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
4. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
5. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
6. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
7. Always choose life.
8. Forgive everyone everything.
9. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
10. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
11. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
12. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
13. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
14. Believe in miracles.
15. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

    

Some more little gems for you . . .

1. Make peace with your past so it won’t mess up the present.
2. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
3. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
4. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
5. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
6. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living.
7. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
8. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
9. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
10. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

I can’t remember where I found this little list but these are things worth remembering.

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. 
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.