Betweens

So here we are between Thanksgiving and Christmas - between thanks and giving. Between you and me, I LOVE this time of year - holiday decorations, generosity, music, time spent with family and friends.

However, despite my tendency for optimism, other “betweens” do come to mind: between a rock and a hard place; few and far between. No one wants to feel stuck someplace where they must choose between two unpleasant or difficult situations. And, the joyful feelings felt in this season between thanks and giving sometimes seem scarce throughout the rest of the year. But they don’t have to!

We celebrated Giving Tuesday yesterday. In conjunction with National Philanthropy Day, I mentioned in my last newsletter that lending a helping hand boosts happiness. But, did you know that this is a physiological fact? A biological link between giving and happiness has been found in your brain. The demonstrated changes in happiness are induced by being generous to others. And, this happiness lasts longer than happiness experienced from receiving gifts.

As I write, it occurs to me that between every stimulus and response, there is a space. And, that space gives us a chance to choose a response. Choose to respond with joy and live generously!

Living this out doesn’t ensure that you won’t feel stuck between a rock and a hard place again, but hopefully those moments become fewer and farther between. So, step out from between the holidays of thanks and giving and live generously all year long. LifeBridge Partnership is here to help.

Learn more @ https://www.lifebridgestl.org

Happy holidays and best wishes for 2023!

Karen Schuster, CEO