Thought I'd copy and paste what a good friend of mine (Karen) wrote in her blog earlier.  It's about how one can enjoy the Christmas holidays and let the true Christmas spirit last.  I was going to write a blog entry similar to this, but Karen seemed to have summed it up quite nicely.  Below is entirely cut-and-paste from her blog.  If you are interested in learning more about Karen, I have included a link to her blog at the bottom of this post.  Happy Holidays, everyone!

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Karen - TimeOfYourLife:

It's that time of year again! And what a wonderful time it is - that is, if you have the time to stop and smell the holly and the ivy.

Last year was my very first official working world Christmas, and boy did it fly by. Being in school and having the majority of December off for the past 16 years did nothing for my ability to really stop and enjoy the season. Last year came and went like a drop in the frying pan, and with Christmas being my favourite time of year, there was no way I was going to let it happen again. So here is my 12 Ways of Christmas that I've concocted to make sure I make the season bright!

12. Make your own christmas decorations - while rooting through some old boxes of christmas decorations, I found a plain green wreath with no decorations on it, stowed away. So I decided to hit up the dollar store to stock up on everything the glittered and jingled. After spending 3 hours staring intently at the placement of red, green and gold bells, pointsettas, pinecones and bows, I couldn't help but feel a little warmth of the ol' christmas spirit.

11. See the Santa Claus Parade in your town - Every year I make an effort to attend the Santa Clause Parade. In Toronto, we're spoiled to have one of the biggest and oldest parades in the world, but Santa makes sure to stop in, in every little town across the world. And so do a lot of cute kids dressed up as various fairy tale creatures, and marching bands to pump up the volume on the christmas carols. And if it snows - bonus!

10. Go downtown to see the decorations - particularily the mall windows and city hall - the Cavalade of Lights in Toronto is highly recommended by myself - the fireworks display was amazing (what doesn't say Christmas more than a rendition of "Thriller" with human torches running up the side of a massive building?). The trees all lit up and a night-lighed lap or two around the skating rink really sets the mood.

9. Watch every Christmas movie you catch on television - twice. - I will never, ever get tired of the classics like Home Alone (1 and 2. 3 was a disaster.), Charlie Brown's Christmas, A Christmas Story, and my favourite, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I can remember watching these movies as far back as elementary school (I saw Christmas Story for the first time in Grade 2 on the last day of class, and I sincerely reconsidered asking Santa for a BB Gun. Was it too late to change my mind?). Watching these movies definitely brings back fond Christmas memories.

8. Get that Christmas tree up, deck the halls, and the mantle, and the cat - Sure the Christmas tree can be a major hassle to assemble (or cut down, and drag home), each year (hello pine neetles EVERYWHERE), but once it's glittering with lights and decorations, it adds a very nice touch to any room. I also love pulling out the decorations one by one from storage, each one with a story from Christmases past attached. Add wrapped presents, and voila, you have Christmas excitement.

7. Bake Christmas cookies and cakes - Enough said.

6. Make a Christmas-themed cocktail - Ditto.

5. Attend every Christmas party you can - Even if you're not in the Christmas spirit, seeing old friends and singing a couple Christmas carols can really bring the spirits up.

4. Spend the time to find that great gift for that special someone - it might be hard to get something for that special someone who's very picky, or has everything, or even worse, you've known so long that you swear there's nothing left to surprise them with - but the greatest feeling is getting a gift that you know they will love, and you just can't wait to give it to them and see their face on Christmas day.

3. Give to charity - Those Salvation Army pots are not going to fill themselves! At Christmas it's especially important to remember those who need assistance, and are not in the position to have the luxuries of family, friends, presents, parties, etc. this time of year. Even if it's a few dollars, a toy or a just your donated time, every little bit helps to brighten the season for someone else who may need it. Remember, the true spirit of Christmas is of giving!

2. Attend a Christmas mass or service - Now I know this subject can be a little touchy for those who are not reglious (I'm not much one for religion myself), but the story of Jesus' birth and of the spirit of Christmas is very touching and I believe, still rings true in today's society. The Church service I attend each year is very open and rather than preaching damnnation, tells the story of Jesus' birth through carols, and modern-day tales of Christmas spirit in the city. I look forward to it every year!

1. ENJOY IT - Life is short, and even shorter are the days we are given to celebrate. Enjoy when you can, endure when you must.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010! May this year be the one where we finally get it right.

http://timeofurlife08.blogspot.com/

After all this talk about angels lately... I recently watched the Victoria's Secret Fashion show and all 30 of the VS Angels on Tuesday night.  I look forward to this fashion show once-a-year and each show trumps the last. After all, being a graduate with a Fashion diploma (and of course a degree in Media), I need to be up to date with all these fantastic events in my industry - no matter how little the wardrobe, lol. 

What this says to me is that, one should always follow his/her passion.  I may not be doing much in the fashion industry (or at all, let's face it the industry is scarce), but following trends, keeping up-to-date with the current times is absolutely thrilling!  I wouldn't have it any other way.  I could be some accountant locked up in a cubicle with a calculator hating my career, yet following and reading up on something I am passionate about can result in so much joy for me! Of course, I am not locked up in some cubicle crunching numbers and thank goodness for that because I could never stand for math as I was growing up to present! I'm an artsy fartsy. It's no big surprise to anyone who knows me.  Anyway, this post led to me to go off on a bit of a tangent...

I read an article today in The Toronto Sun.  I receive both The Sun and The Star to my house and this particular article in The Sun, which I hardly ever read, caught my eye: Believe and You Shall Receive: http://www.torontosun.com/life/2009/11/20/11841306.html

It basically talks about the belief that we have angels watching over us.  They're there to guide us, protect us and provide unconditional love for us.  The article also discusses ways in which we can call upon our Guardian Angels for answers when we are stuck in a situation.  While we can't expect them to work overnight miracles or be like a genie-in-a-bottle figure granting us our every wish, angels will always be there to show us the right path in life.  I found this article particularly interesting because I am in a point of my life where I am in a constant struggle over identity, career and even my love life.  I like the possibility that angels exist whom can eventually steer my life into a positive direction.

My mom read this article this morning after I did and she told me that she regularly prays to an angel - her cousin Pina who passed away from cancer at a younger age than my mom.  Mom says that she believes Pina is an angel watching over her everyday as she's always had a strong connection to her (despite that Pina lived in Italy all her life) and whenever she prays to Pina, a result/answer comes to my mom almost instantly (or within a day or so!).  I never knew this until she told me today, but it got me thinking:  Is there really someone out there always watching over us?  Could we go by what the article suggests and learn to contact our watching angel for help?

I find that when planning for future events, I can easily get excited! Like today for instance. As a work assignment I had to look up new years eve events to write about in our magazine and that got me thinking about my plans for New Years (and the Holidays) with friends and family.  I couldn't help but strike a wide smile that stretched across my face because the possibilities are endless for what I can do during the Holidays! 

Planning for something is really thrilling! It may be a bit stressful because gathering everyone, waiting on people's answers and trying to figure out who is "in" or not can be a timely process but in the end, it's what's going to happen - the end result, the creme de la creme, the icing on the cake - that gets me really revved up.  It's the clinking of glasses, sharing of laughter and great times that I am looking forward to, not all the hassling of planning but what will come from it.  I know that the stress of planning for this will have an amazing outcome, no matter how it goes. 

I have tingles going up my back just thinking about all this excitement!

Every moment counts. From beginning to end; when something happens in your life that makes you feel good, always count that treasure in your life and hang on to it.

Today I hung out with four of my greatest friends.  But of course, while I consider all my friends to be wonderful in my life and I am so thankful I have them all, four of them in particular came out with me to Buffalo, NY today to enjoy an all-ladies shopping excursion.  The sales were going strong, glittering jewelry and flashy clothing was tried on and echoes of "ooh" and "ahh" were heard as we walked through each of the stores in the shopping centres we visited (which were only three: Target, Walden Galleria and Niagara Outlet mall).  I couldn't help but think: "I want to ensure that every second of this is remembered."  Although it feels like the day zoomed by so fast, each moment that I was shopping I was also thinking to myself, "I am enjoying every second of spending time with such wonderful people and I wish I could let this moment last."  I have memories of the laughter we shared and what clothing we thought looked good on the other, discussions over the lunch time break at Subway ...but what counted the most was that I was truly living in the moment - in every moment that was shared.  I am very glad I got to spend some quality time with those I care about.  These little breaks we take with the company we enjoy the most says so much about the importance of having positive company around and engaging in activities every once and a while that warm the soul. 

I know I am sounding poetic here but I couldn't help but feel this way the entire time - about how truly happy I am among those I care about. I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon these great memories of today.  Thanks girls, I had lots of fun today.

You're having a bad day; everything from the boss yelling at you to the bus coming late, today is just not your day.  Until you flip on the radio, your favorite song comes on and suddenly your day doesn't look so bad! Everything becomes a blur and you're in a complete trance with your favorite song.

Yes, what I am talking about today is finding that "switch" that gets you going from "bad-day-mood" to something that keeps you going and forgetting all about the negative in your life.  Recently, I've found that when I am having a bad day, I put in my new David Guetta CD (I loveeee David Guetta!!) and immediately I am taken into a trance of amazing music.  Something about his tune just drives me away from the bad feelings and negative drawbacks to something upbeat and energetic.  Yes, I've found my "switch."  While I can't say it will last forever (afterall, I just got his new CD! Eventually I will find a new muse when the time comes) I can safely say that tuning into something that you really enjoy just instantly lifts your spirits! I can't believe how simple it is! It could be a song, a television show that you wait all week for, an exercise move or just moving from one room to another.  Instantly, using your switch has you going from off to on, negative to positive. It's not just a cliche!

What's your "switch"?

Ever have this happen to you: when you think something's not working out and you're ready to give up... then suddenly to your surprise, something occurs to make you realize that your hard work has paid off some how and something works out to your liking?  This happened to me today.

For the past year-and-a-half that I have been writing in this blog I've believed that no one has been reading my entries.  I wanted to literally give up on blogging for a while (today, actually!) because while I try to maintain a positive outlook on life and enjoy writing it as a means of encouraging others, the only people who really know my positive attitude are my closest friends ...not in a million years who I think some random readers would believe this online. While I want to spread the word about living positive and being the best you can be... it seems like my words and thoughts have been going into outer space and affecting no one.  Until now.

To my surprise I find that someone by the user name of 'Blake' posted on my tag wall today letting me know that he considers me a winner of the blog award of the week, an award issued by Bravenet (the hosting service of this blog), and that he too thinks my positive thoughts have been a real impact! I will treasure that comment for a long time because for once I feel that my blog entries have been going somewhere and I am not just posting into outer space.  I am creating a real impact - even if its for one person - with my positive thoughts and words.  I hope there are others who are as equally affected by this as our world can always use a touch of positivity!   Thanks again!

I'm sure you all want an update on how I am doing since my job after 4 and-a-half years, along with several co-employees, has been terminated due to the economic downturn.  I have to say, I am handling this loss quite well.  I cried a lot before, I really let out all the pain that I have been experiencing, but I have been proactive about the situation. Coping with loss is tragic and never something easy to overcome. Losing a job during such economic turmoil has not been easy for me at all since I was used to receiving a regular income at a job I absolutely enjoyed working every minute of - and I know many people can agree with me on this, losing a job is like losing a person close to you. But the great news is that a past job I had in retail a while ago has taken me back, so I do have a new part time job to look forward to.

I think there comes a time in every loss where you have to accept it. Not to repeat the common notion of the "5 Steps" to overcoming a loss with denial, depression, anger, realization and acceptance but I strongly believe that you never truly get over a loss.  I believe, whichever way the steps go, it will always end in acceptance.  Of course, there is never really anything I can do about this loss, I can't turn the clock backwards, I can't march into head office and demand my job back till they get security to escort me out, I can't even beg for an alternate position! I just have to... accept.

You ask yourself all the familiar questions: could I have done anything? was there anything I should have done? Most often you'll find that the answer to that is "no."  It's unfortunate but once you know that you've already done all you could, believed in the best possible outcomes and lived each moment leading up to the loss with a good outlook, that's what can keep you going: knowing that you lived the best way possible and whether or not this outcome was expected, it happened and you walk away with no regrets.

"Move on," "let go," "set it free."  "If it was meant to be it will return."  We've all heard these sayings but are we able to actually consider that when something suddenly happens to us? Well, that's a different story.

Recently, a job I've had for over four years has been discontinued as the current economic downturn has affected the workplace.  It was not only my job that was terminated, but all jobs surrounding my position except for Head Office. I really enjoyed that position I held there - well duh, I lasted there for more than four years! I was saddened by the unexpected loss of my job and realized that I, too, now in a way fall under that unemployment category that so many people are facing today with the economic crisis (although I have another part-time job... two part-time jobs equaled a full-time job in my eyes!).  It was so sudden, unexpected, I didn't know what to do but cry and feel this emptyness.  I felt like everything in my world was moving in a slow pace and I felt stuck.  In the words of Bella Swan from the Twilight Saga, "New Moon," when describing her breakup with Vampire lover, Edward Cullen she says, "it is as if someone punched my chest in and I now have a hole in my heart."  Hm, now reflecting back on that book, she went months feeling this way and it actually made me believe that she had a serious form of depression that wasn't solely from the breakup itself.  Okay bad example, anyway!

I know there will be another path for me to take.  This isn't the end of the world as I have a great job elsewhere in a field I am interested in and very happy to be working there (although it is part-time, three days a week).  Among that, I have the tremendous support of friends and family who understand that this difficult time is quite upsetting and have been a great sounding board for me. I just feel stuck in a rut at this moment with the loss of such a great job that was part of my life for so long. I know I will have to let go, but until then, this is the sad journey I must overcome. Eventually I will find what I am looking for. Eventually.

I thought I'd all share with you that my 48-year-old aunt exchanged vows with her boyfriend of 4 years yesterday.  This got me thinking about another blog idea: the notion that we have to do things at a particular time without slowing down and taking the time to enjoy all the qualities life has to offer.

The common sayings like, 'there are plenty of fish in the sea' or 'if something's meant to be, will be' can sometimes resonate as cliche or be a discouraging concept to someone because we've placed time frames for when something should happen or major emphasis on something happening in a certain way.  With referring to my aunt's recent wedding at her age, it really made me feel that being 25-years-old shouldn't have to be scary to me when it comes to preparing my life for major changes.  While lately I've been undergoing changes and doing things that go toward my future, such as starting a business and making a career move into a slightly different field I can't help but be scared about such common fears like, "will this work out?," "am I doing the right thing?."  Lately, the concept of marriage has crossed my mind "should I be considering marriage or finding the right person because I am getting 'old'?"

I think what I should also consider is that there will be a time for anything (whether you believe in fate or meant-to-be) and it will happen at the time it does.  For my aunt it was the age of 48-years-young and for others it could be at 25 (or even less!).  What I have to really consider about is living and enjoying my life as it happens.  Worrying about the future will always happen but I must follow my heart for what I feel is right at this current time.  I've made some decisions that I am not too proud of, even let go of a person I've believed was 'The One' from the moment he walked into my classroom three years ago (including gushing to friends about it... probably one of my mistakes!).  But I think in instances like this, I should leave it up to the ol' saying: "if it's meant to be, it will be."  If certain things are not "meant-to-be" then the time when everything becomes clear will come eventually! Point is, there is no time frame of when things should occur.  They happen instantaneously, especially when you're caught off-guard.... it's the sponteniety that makes living in the present a constant surprise that rejuvinates your life in so many magical ways!

Don't say "I'm waiting for my life to happen".... instead say, "It's happening now... what happens next will be a great surprise when it arrives!"