The holidays can be a tricky time. We want and expect so much during the holiday season. But life holds no guarantees. So, I was thinking about how we could all set the stage a little differently for this holiday season? What if we were to create a new 100 Year LifestyleⓇ holiday tradition inspired by the timeless wisdom of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in their book, The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World? Here’s what I came up with. The 8 Days of Joy 100 Year LifestyleⓇ Edition. Let’s all accept these eight gifts for the holiday season and beyond. They will clearly strengthen our adaptability, expand our energy, and support our personal growth as we live our joyous, long, healthy life.
Day 1: Perspective
Zoom Out to Avoid Burn Out
Perspective is everything, including longevity in action. When we zoom out, we are able to see patterns instead of problems. We see options instead of obstacles. Develop your perspective muscle by learning to ask yourself if your current “problem” will matter in a day? A month? A decade from now?
If the answer is no, relax. It’s not worth your energy. If the answer is yes, show up fully and do what needs to be done. That’s living at 100%. That’s how you begin to see that joy is all around you!
Day 2: Humility
I Don’t Have to Be Everything for Everyone
Humility isn’t about shrinking or super-sizing yourself or your commitments to others during the holiday season. It’s about right-sizing.
This pillar frees you from the belief that you are responsible for everyone’s joy during the holiday season. You’re not able to or meant to control everything, fix everyone, or run yourself into the ground. Humility helps you stop over-functioning so you can start choosing wisely, with perspective, and with a joyous heart!
Day 3: Humor
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Humor instantly shifts your physiology. It releases pressure. When you laugh your adaptability strengthens. It brings your nervous system back into balance.
When the cookies burn, when the plans change, when moments get messy… laugh. Laugh at yourself and help others to laugh at themselves. Laughter connects us and creates memorable moments. Use it often. Laughter is joy!
Day 4: Acceptance
Stop Fighting the Season, Start Living It
Acceptance isn’t giving up. It’s getting real. When you accept what is, you free up the energy to respond instead of react. You move from stress mode to adaptability mode, which is one of the core principles of longevity. So, when things don’t go as planned tell yourself that this is the reality in front of me. Then figure out how you can show up at 100% for it with joy.
Day 5: Forgiveness
Release the Weight You Can’t Carry for 100 Years
Carrying a heavy load of resentment and anger just doesn’t go with living a long, healthy life. Negative emotions are self-destructive. Plain and simple. Saint Augustine was right when he said that “resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
Sometimes, something can be tough to forgive. Those are the most important ones to deal with. Realize that you aren’t erasing the past. You’re just moving something out of your emotional closet that isn’t serving you and creating space for joy and peace. And that, by the way, includes forgiving yourself.
Day 6: Gratitude
Train Your Brain for What’s Working
Gratitude is a game-changer. It changes our focus from what we don’t have to what we do have. It’s also a pattern interrupter. Practicing gratitude teaches your nervous system to shift out of survival mode.
When you anchor into what’s working, even in tiny ways, you begin to live with more intention and less reactivity. You choose better habits, and that rewires the system that powers your 100 Year LifestyleⓇ. And that leads to more joy, for a longer time!
Day 7: Compassion
Empathy and Action Lead to Connection and Joy
It’s just a fact that you’re not going to live a long, healthy life without compassion for yourself and others. It might just be a superfood when it comes to your wellness strategy. Looking at life through the lens of compassion leads to less stress, improved relationships, and an improved ability to adapt. Like I said, it’s a superfood feeding both your physical and emotional longevity.
Day 8: Generosity
Give in Ways That Strengthen Your Life, Not Drain It
It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of spending during the holidays. But real generosity isn’t about buying. Real generosity is about what sustains you and strengthens others. That includes your:
- Presence
- Attention
- Kindness
- Time
- Authenticity
- Support
True generosity is a gift to others and yourself. It expands your life because it stretches your capacity to connect, which is another essential longevity skill. Pro tip: When you give from overflow instead of depletion, everyone benefits. There’s no way authentic generosity doesn’t lead to joy!
Big Picture
While the 8 Days of Joy would be a wonderful addition to your favorite holiday traditions, the fact is that they are actually year-round tools for living your idea 100 Year LifestyleⓇ. If you start practicing them now, you’ll end the year with the peace and joy that we all seek during the holiday season and then take those feelings with you into the new year!
Wishing you a healthy and joyous holiday season!
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