| Dear John, Ten days ago, one of my oldest friends, Kelly, moved to South Carolina for the winter. She and her husband love to golf and they were ready to enjoy a climate instead of braving the snow here in the Northeast (and, as luck would have it, the first storm is blowing in tonight!). Because Kelly knows I’m not a big fan of the cold and ice, she sent a Fast Company article called: The Norwegian Secret to Enjoying a Long Winter, and the advice in this piece inspired me to change my tune about this time of year. I’ve now made the conscious decision to host a positive mindset and to look for ways to add a sense of coziness and magic to each and every day. This week I took the first step. Michael and I drove a friend visiting from London, to a nearby neighborhood to see some Christmas lights. And this is not your average holiday show – it’s an event 🙂. I posted a video of the experience on my Instagram account and I thought I’d share it with you (click the link below). With imagination, creativity and a willingness to act in new and different ways, you, too, can change your mindset about almost anything you fear or dread (or simply dislike). I’m excited to focus my attention on this idea over the next several months and I intend to share with you some of what I do to add a little coziness and magic to my life. That way you can steal the ideas if they appeal to you regardless of the season you’re living in right now. Mindset research about surviving winter, shows that it doesn’t take much to shift your experience of something distasteful. It’s often just a matter of deciding to make it enjoyable that kickstarts a whole new, positive experience of something you expected to be negative. So, regardless of where you live or what you dread, this week I invite you to pick one thing you’re not looking forward to and shift your mindset. Tell yourself: This will be one of the best experiences of my life! Then, take some kind of action to get things rolling toward that outcome within 24 hours. Dreading holiday shopping? Invite a friend to go with you. Overwhelmed with the thought of decorating? Celebrate minimalism and limit what you do to three very special adornments. Afraid of getting everything done on time? Play a game and challenge yourself to finish everything in 12 hours in some outrageously fun way. Then, be sure to reward yourself afterwards 🙂. This morning I’m remembering that my mind, attitude, and intentions are some of the most powerful creative tools I possess. I intend to use them to my advantage this winter. You can, too. It all starts with this step: Decide. ❤️ Watch the Christmas light show here. Love, Cheryl PS – I’m coming to London! I’ll be speaking at Alternatives on Monday, December 16th and you can learn more and get tickets here. PPS – If you’re looking for a holiday gift for that special someone who needs to take better care of herself (or himself), please consider, The Art of Extreme Self Care. A revised and updated version is now available where all books are sold and you can get a copy of the eBook version for just $1.99 wherever you purchase your electronic books. Need a little Divine Direction? Use the "Touch of Grace" button on our homepage here. | 