Tips to Serve Others with Holiday Optimism

Dec. 2, 2010 - PRLog -- While the Holidays are supposed to be a time of optimism, they can also bring on thoughts of pessimism as we approach the years end and ponder all the problems in the world all the goals we realize we will not accomplish.

Now that Thanksgiving is over and we have given thanks for all the blessings bestowed upon us and our families and friends, it is now time to pass on those blessings by giving back.  Giving back means serving the needs of others particularly those less fortunate.

Acts of giving to others inspire the brightest possible positive view.  There are still more than 12 days to Christmas.  No, I do not mean shopping days.  I mean Holiday days to serve and give back.  Stretch the season of giving to New Years and there are 7 more days available.  Imagine the optimism you can accumulate, stockpile and carry forward into the new year if you made it a point of doing one thing to serve and give to others every one of those days.

If you want to increase your Moment-to-Moment Optimism, you will joyfully embrace these TIPS designed to help you serve and give back to others.

Holiday TIPS for a Time of Service

1. Give a partridge in a pear tree, French Hens, Cally birds, Geese-a-Laying and Maids-a-Milking. All of these objects from the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” are symbolic of food.  A partridge is a medium sized bird smaller that a pheasant and larger than a quail that is native to Europe and Asia.  For me the partridge is symbolic of meat and a pear tree of fruit.  A Cally bird is a blackbird that was a plentiful source of food in 16th century England. Goose eggs and milk are very nourishing.  More than any other time in recent memory, people are hungry here and around the world. Make a contribution to your local food bank, a food basket collection, or to a world hunger drive.

2. Give two Turtle Doves.  Turtle Doves form strong pair-bonds and have long been a symbol of devoted love.  A gift of love is a gift of caring.  Give a ride to someone who cannot drive, spend uninterrupted time with a grandparent just being in the moment, visit and volunteer at a nursing home or elder care center, send a card to someone with your own handwritten special message.

3. Give Swans-a-swimming.  Swans are a symbol of royalty, beauty, and love.  Help a charitable organization decorate its premises with holiday greens, bells, and ornaments.

4. Give “Golden Rings.”  To me a ring made of gold is symbolic of a commitment.  Make a commitment to serve in your church or other volunteer or charitable organization for the long term, extended, well-beyond-the-holiday period.

5. Give the gift of dancing, piping and drumming.  These acts are all associated with the cheerfulness of holiday music.  Help spread the joy of music by lining up a high school choir or Madrigals group to sing at various venues. Or, if you are so inclined, join a singing group yourself and be part of a concert at a school, children’s group home, or rehabilitation center.

For more Moment-to-Moment Optimism go to: http://www.drrussbuss.com

# # #

About Moment-to-Moment: Our mission is to teach "skilled optimism"- how let go of a negative in a moment and view life as one continuous learning curve with multiple "do-over" opportunities. Products include a daily blog, seminars, publications, speaking, radio show, & coaching.