Merry Christmas! May you enjoy all the gifts of the season, especially the priceless ones, like:

Starry nights

Clean, white snow (or sugar-white sand)

Childish delight and anticipation

Suspended disbelief

Temporarily throwing diets to the wind

Kissing tenderly

Dancing expressively

Singing exuberantly

Praying gratefully

Feeling at home in your body

Being surprised with a gift you really want

Giving a gift that was really wanted

Precious moments with family and friends

Precious memories of loved ones no longer with us

Experiencing how rich you really are

And as the year draws to a close, I hope you’ll take a few quiet moments to reflect on how far you’ve come in 2023. Pause to appreciate yourself for the promises you kept, the fears you faced, the grace with which you handled mishaps and disappointments, the pivots you made when you came to a wall, and the goals you accomplished—even if it wasn’t the complete list.

Consider your life and the surprising ways it might have been better than you even hoped: a new love from “out of the blue,” an old friendship rekindled, a family member reconciled, the arrival of a child, or grandchild, or pet, a new skill you acquired, a happy career move, books or music, or movies or meals you devoured and loved, bad habits you dropped, good ones you adopted, a spontaneous recovery or improved health.

If you find yourself dwelling on “failings,” setbacks, or disappointments, please forgive yourself. (Doctor’s orders!) Remember that mistakes are opportunities to learn and improve. Remember too that “Perfectionism leads to pessimism.” And that those who are imperfect live longer!

Finally, take a few moments to set your sails for the year ahead. Where do you want to go (literally or figuratively)? What steps will you take to get there? When you arrive at this point next year, what do you hope to be looking back upon? Who will you become over the next 12 months?

Remember, it is not enough to simply Be yourself. You must Become yourself. Your life is your ultimate creative act, so make it sweet, happy, and healthy.

That’s #ModernWellness!