{"id":37449,"date":"2015-12-12T10:42:22","date_gmt":"2015-12-12T18:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=37449"},"modified":"2015-12-15T14:46:41","modified_gmt":"2015-12-15T22:46:41","slug":"12-things-holiday-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Things You Should Do This Holiday Season"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p><\/p>\n<p>As the holiday season approaches, there can often be mixed feelings. It\u2019s a time of giving, spending time with those we love and for reflecting about how to move forward in our lives.<\/p>\n<p>But the holidays can also be a difficult time, serving as a reminder of solitude, hardships and anxiety about what the new year will bring.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been through all of these thoughts \u2013 so if you feel the same way, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n<p>In honor of this special time of the year, I\u2019ve put together 12 things you should remember to do during the holidays to help you on your personal journey and to make the most of this season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Help someone in need.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s your grandma or the local shelter, taking a little time to help someone will mean the world to them.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, I donated blood to a charity and cannot express how great it felt to know I could be saving someone\u2019s life<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Let go of the past.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>We can easily become disheartened at setbacks. Instead, learn from them. Understand why something negative happened and what you can take away from the experience. And once you\u2019ve done so, set it loose.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Send a note to someone who you lost touch with.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>I know, it can seem strange to contact someone you haven\u2019t spoken to in years. But you might be surprised at how much people appreciate it.<\/p>\n<p>Just a simple message saying, \u201cHey, how\u2019s it going? Haven\u2019t chatted in awhile and hope things are well,\u201d will do.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Treat yourself to something nice.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>How often do we set aside time to treat ourselves?<\/p>\n<p>Do something nice for yourself today.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Take a walk outside.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With all the things we need to do everyday, exercise seems like an afterthought. Take a walk in your neighborhood or a nearby park, even if it\u2019s snowing outside (bundle up!).<\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Tell someone how much you value that person in your life.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s easy to take someone in your life for granted, especially if that person is there everyday.<\/p>\n<p>Now is the time to tell that person how much he or she means to you and how grateful you are, whether it\u2019s your partner, child, parents, or a friend.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7. Write down what you\u2019re grateful for.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jot down the things in your life that you are blessed to have. Maybe you are surrounded by people who care for you, or you have a roof over your head. Or, maybe it\u2019s a nice day outside and you get to enjoy it.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing is too small or unimportant to appreciate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8. Write down things you look forward to in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even if you\u2019re having a bad day, there are always things to look forward to down the road.<\/p>\n<p>You could write down how you look forward to spending more time with loved ones, or traveling the world. You could even write down how you look forward to learning to cook a delicious meal tomorrow!<\/p>\n<p><strong>9. Read a book.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>In this increasingly fast-paced world, it seems like we are always looking for instant results and feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, take a moment and slow down. Take some time and read a good book, whether it\u2019s fiction or non-fiction. It\u2019ll do wonders for your mood and you\u2019ll likely learn a thing or two.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a010. <\/strong><strong>Teach someone something new.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Whenever I teach someone a skill, I find it incredibly rewarding and learn new things in the process.<\/p>\n<p>You could teach someone something simple, such as saying \u201cHello\u201d in another language, or an interesting fact. See how the other person responds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>11. Thank someone for what they\u2019ve taught you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Being taught by someone is just as rewarding as teaching. Reach out to someone who has taught you a lot, whether it\u2019s a teacher, parent, or even an influencer that you have never spoken to.<\/p>\n<p>Send out an email and thank the person for what you\u2019ve learnt. It\u2019ll brighten up the person\u2019s day and let them know how much you appreciate them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>12. Remind yourself that every day is an opportunity for change.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>No matter how old or young you are, it\u2019s not too late to make a change. Every big change begins with a small step in the right direction.<\/p>\n<p>And you can begin taking that small step today.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A Special Bonus For You<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Happiness is there if you want it. Click below to grab my free guide:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jumpstartyourdreamlife.com\/welcome\">How To Get Anything You Want<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>set and achieve milestones for your goals<\/li>\n<li>develop a strong mindset to getting the most out of life<\/li>\n<li>deal with setbacks and turn them around to come out even better<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ready to bring positive change to your life? <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jumpstartyourdreamlife.com\/welcome\">Grab your free guide here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I look forward to sharing my secrets with you and happy holidays!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>the holidays can also be a difficult time, serving as a reminder of solitude, hardships and anxiety about what the new year will bring. I\u2019ve been through all of these thoughts \u2013 so if you feel the same way, you\u2019re not alone. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10663,"featured_media":37485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[35,32,58,6,31],"tags":[1743,4642,129,4641,3919,66,4629],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>12 Things You Should Do This Holiday Season<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The holidays can also be a difficult time, serving as a reminder of solitude, hardships and anxiety about what the new year will bring. 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I\u2019ve been through all of these thoughts \u2013 so if you feel the same way, you\u2019re not alone.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pickthebrain\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-12-12T18:42:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-12-15T22:46:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Screen-Shot-2015-12-12-at-10.41.47-AM.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"847\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@pickthebrain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@pickthebrain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Melissa Chu\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Screen-Shot-2015-12-12-at-10.41.47-AM.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Screen-Shot-2015-12-12-at-10.41.47-AM.png\",\"width\":847,\"height\":576,\"caption\":\"12 Things You Should Do This Holiday Season (To Feel Great)\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/\",\"name\":\"12 Things You Should Do This Holiday Season\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-things-holiday-season\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2015-12-12T18:42:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-12-15T22:46:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c8710de8e3fedf3c82f3e2f479b7db5c\"},\"description\":\"The holidays can also be a difficult time, serving as a reminder of solitude, hardships and anxiety about what the new year will bring. 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