The Best Gift Ever

Tis the season to think of our friends and family during the holiday season. What gift should I choose? What would they want as a gift? Sometimes the answer does not come so easily, right?

Then comes the financial obligation to gift giving. How much should I spend? Etc. Etc.

The best gift to give that someone special actually cannot be found in any department store or mall or even online. This gift is something no one else can go get for you.

If you spend any amount of time thinking about what to give as gifts this year, consider the one item that cannot be replaced or made up with something else in its place.

Time. It is the cheapest, most valuable gift you can give anyone and it is the most appreciated. In today's world where we are spending less and less time with the people that mean the most to us, time has become a commodity that is quite valuable. The trick is finding extra "time" in our schedules to free up to make other plans.

But ask yourself - do you really try your best to free up time for those special people in your life? Do you find yourself making excuses for things that maybe you accidentally are forgetting are more valuable than other elements? Do you need to rethink your priority list? What parts of your day can be redone to save time?

There are lots of help out there to help us rethink our activities and to help us be more effecient. Since there are a finite number of hours we can work with, we must rely on ourselves to refocus and put forth more energy to what is most important in our lives - family and friends. I know you have heard of the phrase "stop and smell the roses". When was the last time you did so? Don't wait until it is too late!

So this year, work on the gift that keeps us socially and emotionally healthy - give time doing things you and others enjoy doing and use it to capture life long memories! Dinner, movies, traveling, visiting, - just take any time you have to spend with others! (And you may find that to be the best gift ever!)