Well, in a few weeks we will all be enjoying the festivities of the Christmas Season. It will be a time of laughter, a time for catching up, a time of joy and of course a time for pressies and we all love those! Yes, even when its that perfume you can't stand from your well meaning daughter, or the practical slippers from your son! Okay, OkayI know its not that bad but you get the drift, some pressies are just loved because of where they came from and not because of what they are.

And that is just like us, I am not loved because I am the Rolls Royce of mums, I am not loved because of all the things us Mums do, I am loved because I am me and in turn I love my children and husband because of who they are. Sometimes we lose sight of this fact and try to change the people around us to who we think they should be, and just where do all those ideas of how they should be come from? The "perfect" people we see on TV, the neighbours children who have 'done so well"or perhaps we just want them to have a "better ' life than us. Perhaps its time to just be thankful for the beautiful gift of family that we have, perhaps its time to look at your loved ones through a new set of eyes?

As this year draws to a close, do I dare to challenge you to sit down before Christmas, yep, before the New Year even begins, at a time when it is the most inconvienient, a time when I can almost hear you say, "Not now, after Christmas, I'll get to it, then I'll have time."

Yes, let me be bold, and let me encourage you to be bold to. Take the time, go for a walk, find a quiet space of time and a place where you won't be interupted. Take a notebook with you, a fresh one if you have one, or an old one, this is going to be where you write your thoughts, your reflections and you will want to look back and see what you have written in 90 days. That is going to be your magical number, remember it 90 days.

Now as you walk, or sit or lie, blot out all the things you have to do, all the thoughts about "Johny or Suzy" or that.......that happened. Take a BIG breath in, pull up/scrunch your shoulders, your rib cage, try to separate it from those hips of yours, NOW let it out with a big phew, Repeat. Repeat a third time but this time, as you breath out, relax into the breathing out slowly and gently. Relax and feel the heaviness of your body as it sinks into your surroundings, close your eyes and breath gently, normally.

Let your mind think of the last time you felt really happy, or the last time you laughed, feel the smile come, now as it comes think of your daughter, your son, your partner, husband, those you love take them one by one and put them one by one in that joy. See them walking toward you in the midst of that joy as your smile gets bigger and bigger, see them reach out toward you, embrace.

Now as you hold them, in your mind think of 3 great things about them, the twinkle in their eyes, the way they were as babies, the joy of the first kiss, the kind thought or deed even if it was years ago....it doesn't matter, you are filling the place with good energy and that will go on and on. You will be able to bring back this time to help you through the times ahead when it just seems rush and more rush. Enjoy the whole feeling. Slowly let them go and holding that feeling take out your notebook, date it and write..."I am....... and I feel.......I am so grateful for........I am grateful for the way he looks at me, for the kind words he spoke yesterday, for the way he treated me when I was upset, for the time he......WRITE what comes from within!

Now get up and go out and enjoy all the lead up to Christmas, and when you think there is just no time, or you feel pressured, stop, think of that time, remember and smile, then get up and go. this Christmas is going to be different, its going to be special. You will see those around you with fresh eyes and will savour the blessings in your life. True, they may not be as spectacular as someone you know, you may or may not have parties or people around. But however you spend this Christmas and the days of this month, they are yours, your days and you are investing in them with your life and they are your treasures, yours and yours alone!