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Successful Relating Fulfillment Through Connection and Community Alice G. Vlietstra, Ph.D. Editor November 2006
In this issue:
1. Welcome
This stress does not need to be negative. Actually, it gives us an opportunity reflect on what it really means to be happy.
2. Is the Holiday Grinch Hiding at Your House?
Quite honestly, the holidays are quite a hassle, and there are aspects of the Grinch that resonate with me. You may feel like a Grinch too. Does any of this apply to you? *You hate the hassle of shopping. Alternative gift ideas are a great option. *Decorating takes too much time. A simple decor is just fine. *Thinking of the traditional family holiday gets you down. You wake up irritable, decide it is no fun and develop a family of friends instead. *You find that stuffing yourself with holiday food increases your fat cells. That is not a good idea either. *When you look at the extra bills, you go to sleep. A creative, more frugal solution will present itself in the morning. I would like to share with you some Good News. Being a Grinch might not be all bad. Indeed, you may be among a new breed of Holiday Gatherers. They include 50 million people that are positively changing our culture to bring hope for a healthier planet.
3. A New Breed of Holiday Gatherers
If so, you are among a group of Holiday Gatherers who are redefining holiday happiness from getting and spending, excessive parties and food, to quieter spiritual values and the merriment that comes from enjoying our relationships with each other. Happiness during the holidays for this group is not about the material items outside ourselves, but from honoring the deeper qualities from within. It is about maintaining family and business traditions in a way that express and upholds shared values, honesty, fairness, and dignified treatment of all people. It is about maintaining good relationships and giving back to the community. It also is about savoring healthy food, enjoying the small daily pleasures of life, and honoring the strengths that bring deep gratification and meaning to ourselves. Finally, it is about finding our own unique creative solutions, instead of blindly following the path of the media. In order for me to help you better understand this, let me tell you a story.
4. Two Trees
Over the years we have gone to the woods get a tree. Three years ago my brother decided to help my aging parents and bought a nicely decorated, artificial tree. The word barely got out when I received a phone call from my sister in Norway. Did you hear what happened? The sound waves roared across the seas. “They put up a PLASTIC TREE. Nobody in Norway has a plastic tree." Little did we know that we had created an international crisis. Another sister quietly talked to everyone to calm the ruckus while we searched for a solution. It was to have two trees. We went out to the woods and followed the forest management tradition exactly. We found two trees growing closely together, and chose the smaller one. So we got a scrawny little spruce, planted it in a flower pot, and decorated it with my sister’s Norwegian homemade ornamental hearts. Then we set it in the middle of the dining room table for the holiday meal. In order to have two trees we had to grow our hearts, and it was the scrawny little tree that was the most meaningful. It honored our family traditions, our ancestors, and everyone’s interests could be taken into account. This made us deeply and authentically happy. Would you like to learn more about creating these Authentically Happy Solutions? Join us for “Authentic Happiness, Health and Wealth for the Holidays.” See below. Have a Blessed Holiday, Dr. Alice
5. Announcements
We will hold an AFT support group to release the collective blueprints that underlie holiday stress. This group will meet on Monday December 11. The fee is $30. Email me for a flyer, or phone me at 314-729-2855. A New Look at Stress introductory workshop on the Attractor Field Techniques will be held January 20 and 21. Email me for a brochure. Copyright 2006 Alice Vlietstra. All rights reserved. You have my permission to forward this newsletter to those who might be interested. To subscribe: E-mail alice@successfulrelating.com, and put subscribe in the subject line. To unsubscribe: e-mail alice@successfulrelating.com, and put unsubscribe in the subject line. About Dr. Alice Alice Vlietstra, Ph.D., formerly of the University of Missouri St. Louis, was first trained as a researcher in Human Development. This training provides the integrative developmental focus of her work. Currently, she works as a family psychologist, coach, and family business consultant. As a graduate of the Authentic Happiness coaching program, she is trained in promoting the positive. As a certified practitioner of mind-body techniques, AFT and NET, she is also highly skilled in understanding and releasing our blueprints from early childhood conditioning. This combination leads to high-powered strategies for enhancing our well being by advancing our consciousness.
Alice Vlietstra, Ph.D. |