Are you Ready?

Uh oh! Guess what time it is? That’s right, its that time of year again to start planning time to get away, to send out invitations to parties and get-togethers. It is time to check the balance on your account and I hope you’ve got plenty saved up because now is the time of year when everything starts spinning.

Come on, you know what I’m talking about. First comes Halloween with the costumes, the parties, the candy, and the crazy drunk people shouting out their windows. You also have to take the little ones out in their costumes and knock on door after door. Or, you get to be the one sending your daughter out of the house in something barely less than scandalous. Or maybe your son walks out the door for the evening with a big fake axe sticking out of his head covered in fake blood. Perhaps you get to be the one standing on the porch all night with the big bowl of candy waiting for those all too familiar words “trick or treat!”

Then the big feast of Thanksgiving. You’ve got to get all that food prepared or be smart and go to someone else’s house. You have to get to the store before everyone has picked over all the good ham and have taken all of the pumpkin pies and sweet potatoes. Its all of the hustle and bustle of families and friends either stopping by, calling, or sending holiday cards. All the stores will be decorated with giant turkeys, pumpkins, pilgrims, and Indians as if to once again tell that tale of the first thanksgiving.

Now comes the hard part and you’d better have your cash and credit cards ready because this one’s a doozie:

Christmas. You already know what I mean don’t you? Visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads indeed! All children of this age are dreaming of is the next best thing. Its going to be the newest toy, the hottest game, the best electronics. Maybe it will be a new bike, a toy car, or the new Hannah Montana electric guitar. Whatever it is they want you to buy it for them. Though most of them refer to it as Santa Clause bringing them toys for being good, they follow the myth and the story of a jolly man bringing those toys and he has a long list of every kid in the world and he is only going to give toys to children who have been good all year. So they write down what it is that they want and you are the one who is going to have to take their little lists, check them twice and surmise by how much money you have exactly what it is that will actually make it under the tree. The stores will be cram packed with people pushing and shoving one another, possibly fighting over certain items because these items are going fast and will continue to do so until sold out. And don’t think you’re slick by jumping online and ordering everything. Online stores can be sold out too and sometimes items can be on back order. There will be Christmas dinners, cookies and other sweets. I mean it is really the time of year where you get to see both sides of the coin. On the one side you’ve got happy families hanging up lights and sitting by the fire reading holiday stories while drinking milk and cookies. On the other side you’ve got the people and children who hate Christmas because they miss their families or they don’t have families. They don’t get anything for Christmas except another cold night of winter to get through. Actually it reminds me of Valentines Day where you get to see those who are in love and those who wish they were.

My point in all of this is that you know as well as I do that it’s coming. Come hell or high water, there will be a holiday season. I know you’ve seen the Halloween decorations hanging up in the local drug and grocery stores. This is just the beginning too. I haven’t even gotten to New Years. So why not get a head start on all of this? Why not prepare yourself?

Mike Dillard teaches that you should think in abundance and guess what? He’s not the only one. There have been many others before him like Jim Rohn who teach lessons on personal development. In one of his seminars Jim Rohn says to do something different in the next 90 days than you did the last 90 days.

In this case, why not do something different this year than you did this time last year?? Think in abundance this year. If you get started now you could be the person whom everyone will remember as giving the best gifts because you didn’t wait till the last minute and then throw something together. You’ve got time now, so jump in! Think of this holiday season the same way you do your business.

When you first start in business you get your list together of all the people you know right? This is your warm market. Or maybe this year since you’ve got so much traffic and so many leads maybe you’ll write to one of them or send Christmas cards to them. Maybe you’ll contact the ones that were your first prospects and send them gifts for being the ones who got the ball rolling in your business. The holiday season is a lot like business in that it creates a relationship environment. In business you send out newsletters and emails to teach and direct those who read and follow your leadership. During the holidays you send out greeting cards and gifts to show those that you’ve already got a relationship with that you care. So what is wrong with stirring up that pot a little? Mix it up! Give to those who gave to you. They decided to follow you, they joined your opportunity, so show them your gratitude. In the book “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne it states that it is impossible to bring more into your life if you are feeling ungrateful about what you have. The book even quotes Dr. John Gray, a psychologist, author, and international speaker who says “Every man knows that when his wife is appreciating him for the little things that he does, what does he want to do? He wants to do more. It is always about appreciation. It pulls things in. It attracts support.”

He couldn’t be more right. I mean, if I were to join someone’s opportunity and they bought me something for Christmas in thanks for my contribution I’d want to either buy more for them or send them something back.

So its up to you to make the choice this holiday season and to spread the spirit of gratitude. I promise you, you’re business foundation will be stronger for it.

And worry not, I know exactly what you’re thinking and you’re wrong. You don’t have to get them anything huge and you don’t have to get them something extremely cheap either. How about something illuminating or fragrant? Candles make the most sense to me because there are a lot of holidays that have to do with lights. Halloween, do you not carve out a pumpkin and create a Jack-O-Lantern?  What about Christmas? Many people hang lights, or light a fire. During Chanukah eight candles are set aflame are they not? Even on New years we light up the sky with fireworks. I think candles are a perfect way to capture the spirit of all holidays because they can glow the whole way through.

So, do you want to kick start your holiday season by taking the time out to spread the gratitude spirit? Let me know and I’ll send you a free Partylite holiday catalog.

Why wait till later? Start now. Trust me; they’ll thank you for it.