year it is amazing the number of things that can turn from joyous to stressful in just the blink of an eye. Money, or the lack of it, is often a source of stress and anxiety as the holidays approach. It can lead to arguments between couples, stress in families, and a sense of anxiety for those making it on their own. It is a facet of modern living that greatly influences our relationship with ourselves and others and yet it is a subject that very few people are comfortable speaking about openly.In many cases, our associations with money have become such a negative influence and our expectations of the holidays so high that it becomes impossible to balance the two. There is also a huge amount of pressure from friends, family and society to buy the "perfect gift", or at least display the material symbols of success.
One approach to altering a negative relationship with money and relieving some of the stress that relationship causes is to redefine your view of money. Look for emotional rewards in your holiday interactions and recognize that money is merely a manner in which society agrees to recognize achievement. Generosity in gifts is reflected in the care and thought given to the choice of that gift instead of focusing on the cost.
By shifting our relationship with our holiday finances we can eliminate some of our anxiety and feel more powerful in our associations with money. Money itself is neither a positive or negative force, it is simply the manner in which we recognize the exchange of time and energy. It can provide us with many comforts, experiences and opportunities but money is only one of many tools at our disposal that we can use to improve the quality of our lives.
If we allow money to become one of the results of our journey rather than the main goal, then we are recognizing a bigger form of achievement and will often be surprised with how much more fulfilling our journey through life becomes. As we release the fear and anxiety that money can stir up in us we will find there is an opportunity to find deeper meaning in our holiday experience.
This shift in perception creates room for a holiday filled with meaning rather than just an orgy of gift giving and gluttony. Make room in your life for generosity of spirit to be just as meaningful as generosity from your checking account.
