On the drive home from the Boston area and a wonderful Thanksgiving gathering, my family and I were listening to public radio. one particular woman spoke about Christmas. She had many terrific messages to share: Do less, cultivate giving and to remember the holidays are NOT about YOU.

While I wholeheartedly appreciate her thoughts and ideas and certainly concur with doing less and cultivating giving, I have to say I beg to differ with having the holidays be a time when we forget ourselves. I believe it’s important to always remember ourselves. When we give to others and not ourselves we become tired, stressed, frustrated and eventually resentful.

When we think of ourselves too- taking time out to take a bath, read a book, get a massage, go out with our significant other or a friend or maybe attend a yoga class… whatever the activity, it doesn’t matter. The purpose is to fill our cup. To replenish our minds and bodies (and yes our souls). When our cup is full we can then turn our attention to giving to others. We feel good, grounded, and happy, there’s more of us to share, and now, we’re not sharing from a place of sacrifice, but from a place of sincere interest.

So, this holiday season, make a point to add to the top of your “to do list” something that will help you feel good, once you do, then you can let the giving begin!!