Christmas is almost here. We remember when we were kids. We couldn’t wait to see what gifts we might get from ‘Santa’. After Christmas, the excitement we felt would often slowly disappear as the gifts would either break or we’d lose interest in them.

As we have ‘matured,’ we think about gifts somewhat differently. We don’t need more “stuff”.  Physical gifts can go out of style and, unless they have some sentimental value, they’ll be replaced or forgotten. Martin Seligman, PhD, author of Authentic Happiness, talks about how physical things, such as the latest shiny objects, may satisfy immediate gratification but then can lose their significance over time.

As Christians, we’re thinking about the real ‘reason for the season’ and what ‘gifts’ would be important from the standpoint of our faith. What ‘gifts’ could we give to ourselves and give/share with others? Some other religions also celebrate holidays at this time of year. The ‘gift’ ideas given here may also fit their faith values.

Here’s a list of seven no cost, yet priceless gifts, to consider giving to yourself and others, not just at Christmas, but year around.

Love: When you learn to truly love yourself, you’ll nurture and be kinder to yourself, and others. If you don’t feel self-love yet, try repeating affirmations such as “I love myself, just as I am” – or use words that make the most sense to you. What you repeat and focus on will grow. Loving yourself doesn’t mean you think you’re better than anyone else, it means that you know you’re worthy of being loved, just as you are. Wayne Dyer adds, “If you don’t love yourself, nobody will. Not only that, you won’t be good at loving anyone else. Loving starts with the self.”

Faith: Have faith/belief in yourself and in your Higher Power. Allow yourself to go for your dreams. As you act, know that God and the Universe will bring people and circumstances to support you to develop your gifts and talents to reach success. James Allen said, “The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.”

Health: Give yourself the precious gift of good health by taking care of your body, mind, and spirit. Treat your body as a temple, instead of an amusement park. Taking steps in the direction of good health helps you get there. There are plenty of people in the world who would trade all the money they had for good health. Mahatma Gandhi, said, “It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver.”

Hope: Hope is what helps people to keep on living and striving for things to be better. It can be the motivation to get out of a “slump” and a driving force to achieve goals. Dick Beardsley, a world-famous runner who beat an addiction problem, shares his philosophy, “They say you can live forty days without food, seven days without water, a few minutes without breathing, but you can’t live one second without hope. If you hang on to that, it will help you get through the days.”

Peace: Finding peace brings serenity and helps you let go of anxiety in many situations. The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr can go a long way to contribute to having peace. It goes like this: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference. “

Gratitude: Live each day with gratitude. By looking for at least three things you are grateful for each day, you’ll naturally become more positive. Steve Maraboli said, “If you want to find happiness, find gratitude.”

Forgiveness: It’s important to forgive others and to forgive yourself. None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes as part of living and learning. When you forgive, you allow yourself to move forward with the knowledge and strength to make better choices. Don’t allow the negatives from the past to create the forecast for the future. Each day’s a new beginning! Forgiving and letting go of guilt and anger, allows you to advance in life with a lighter heart and renewed spirit. Louise Hay said, “Forgiveness is for yourself because it frees you. It lets you out of that prison you put yourself in.”

What about you? What priceless gifts will you give yourself and others?

We offered some ideas here and we would enjoy hearing what additional gifts you would consider as priceless. Remember, the priceless gifts you give yourself will be much appreciated as you also share them with others! Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

See related video at https://vimeo.com/378694536.

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@TheBalanceCenter.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2023 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.