Passion and Purpose: Time and Reflection

Betsy Cerulo

The Christmas tree is up, the lights are blinking bright, the gifts are wrapped under the tree and all is perfect.  Uh oh, then everything falls apart – the lights go out and life unravels as Christmas day approaches.  This is what happens when we race through the holiday season getting everything done… we lose sight of what the day and the season is all about.

For anyone who has watched A Charlie Brown Christmas, one of the precious moments was Linus coming up on stage and pointing out the craziness of the Peanuts gang by saying “Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Linus reminds us of peace on earth and goodwill toward men.  It took that simple reminder to bring the gang around Charlie Brown and praise him for the effort he put forth in finding a tree, albeit small.  Once the love was expressed, the tree became something beautiful.  It had nothing to do with bright, shiny and big things.  It was about friendship, peace and empowerment.

So, year after year, why do we play the same game during the holidays – over-spending and going through the month of December in a stressful trance to get it all done? You can stop this at anytime.  You can spend wisely, give thoughtful gifts or perhaps, give the gift of love.  Instead of buying you a gift, ask your family for help in setting up a creative space in the house for you. Ask them for a family night of playing games and having them cook you a meal.  How about a day out in nature or a day where the only music in the house is your favorite?  At this point in life, don’t most of us have everything we need?  Isn’t it peace and time we crave the most?  Go back to the real meaning of the season, stop the madness and ask for what you want.

And, if you celebrate Hanukkah? Though it has passed, you still can ask for eight days of whatever you need and spread those days throughout the year. Imagine, eight days where your kids support you to set up your new creative space, write you a poem or story, play you music on the instruments you gifted to them, cook you a meal and pamper you. Celebrating is for kids of every age!

As New Years Eve approaches every year, we write down the things in the ending year that we want to shed and toss them into the fireplace.  It is a cleansing to prepare for the New Year.  We then write our dreams and goals for the New Year.  It is a wonderful exercise that forces you to stop, be with your thoughts and look forward to the coming year.

Take time this holiday season to slow down the best you can and ask for what you need.  The meaning of this holiday is the joy of love and new life.  Hold it in your heart and let it carry you through the New Year.  Let time and peace be your gift to yourself.

Happy Holidays.

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Betsy Cerulo is the founder and CEO of AdNet AccountNet, Inc., an integrative business solutions company offering recruiting and placement of accounting, financial, administrative, healthcare, human resources and information technology professionals and staff in the private and government sectors.  Her company and employees were recently honored as a 2013 SmartCEO Future 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the Baltimore area. Check it out on YouTube to know more about AdNet’s successful path during turbulent economic times.

Betsy can be contacted directly at 410.715.4035 or by email at [email protected] for Business Advisory Services.

Contact the AdNet team at 410.715.4040 for guidance on your next career change, interim/contractual opportunities while you are between jobs, and/or for strategic solutions to adding to your workforce team.