December Editorial: The Gift You Should Give Yourself This Christmas
In this month's editorial , PHS Founder and Editor Trish Wylie, talks about the season of giving and how you shouldn't forget to place yourself on the gift list...
I love this time of year. Not because of all the pretty lights or the precious time you get to spend with family and friends or the mountains of good food or the magic sparkling in children's eyes. Though those things are fabulous, what I love most is how it reminds people to be good to each other and grateful for what they have when so many have so little.
The spirit of giving is something we should carry with us every day of the year. If everyone did, the world could be a much brighter place! And it doesn't have to involve money or any of the commercial bruhaha which now surrounds the season we are in. After all, giving comes from the heart. Offering to help someone with their workload when it gets on top of them or taking the kids off a busy mother's hands for a few hours or listening to a friend's woes or hugging someone who is low or doing the dishes when your partner is tired; none of those things involving opening your wallet. What you're doing is gifting them something far more valuable: Your time.
That time is precious and can't be exchanged or refunded. That's why, when it comes to the gift list you're compiling or currently working your way through (and if you've got everything already I'm not sure we can be friends anymore), one of the things you should remember to include is what you want for yourself. Another year is all but over, so let me ask you this: How much closer to your dreams are you than you were twelve months ago?
We've established that every little thing counts. But there comes a time when all those little things have to add up. Do you have a plan for the coming year? Have you been taking notes from our articles about writing as a business? Perhaps you're simply determined to appreciate the small things, so you can refill the creative well and put it to good use. You have to look after your physical and mental health, too, particularly when it comes to surviving the holidays. But when the season of goodwill ends and a brand, shiny new year begins, it's time to make those dreams come true!
Just to prove I practice what I preach, I have a little story for you. Fourteen years ago, Santa brought me an early gift in the form of a request for the full manuscript of what would become my first sale and my first contract and my first book. Now, after working hard to rebuild my career - sometimes with dozens of little steps, sometimes with what felt like herculean leaps forward - Santa is bringing me another contract to sign. (More on that in the New Year) And if I can do it, so can you!!!
So, think about what you really, really want - the one thing you've put off while you took care of other people and paid the bills and tackled the challenges everyday life tossed at you - and put a big, bright, imaginary bow on it with a label that says To You, From You. 2018 could be the year you turn things around, get back on your feet and grab hold of your dream.
And when you do, come tell us, so we can celebrate with you!
Trish's latest book is Mostly Married and it is currently FREE for a limited time! To keep up to date with what she's doing you can visit her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
