Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over. The malls are busier than during any other month of the year. You may be juggling your schedule between Christmas celebrations at the office or at school, family events, and special church services honoring the Christ-child. And most of you are probably planning to give presents to those you care about.

This year our family is having a gift exchange for the adults. It simplifies how many gifts we need to think about and purchase. But the grandkids – I know these grandparents won’t be able to get through Christmas without getting something special for each one!

Around Christmastime there’s a lot of talk about safe toys for kids, and gifts that encourage physical activity or creative mental learning rather than simple entertainment. That’s a good thing! And there’s new evidence that more physical activity and less TV watching during childhood pays off with better cognitive function decades later. So if you’re a parent or grandparent, giving a soccer ball or jump rope rather than an iPad makes a lot of sense.

But what about those of us who are already adults? What about presents for us? If you’ve been following Dr Carol Ministries at all, you’ve seen our updated tagline – “Being Fully Alive – From the Inside Out.” And that leads me to suggest to you a Healthiest Christmas Gift.

Gift Suggestion

Whether you’re choosing gifts for family and friends, thinking about what gift you want to give Jesus this year, or even planning something to give yourself, here’s one that promises to be a gift for everyone on your list – including you. And here it is:

Live Your Life On Purpose

Living intentionally will look different for everyone. But it really is the very best gift you can give your family, your God, and even you.

Living intentionally maximizes the impact you have on other people for good. It will improve your physical health, make you happier, and lead to more success as a spouse, parent, or friend. It will make you a better employee or business person, increase your wealth, and allow you to come to the end of your life without regrets. It will bring more meaning into your days and your years.

Living intentionally means spending everything you have on purpose: your time, your money, your energy, your attention, your influence, your love, your Yes’s. Life will always have curve balls waiting, but living intentionally will help keep you on track through them all.

Living intentionally may mean for you:

• Saying NO to some opportunities and people because you have already said YES to the most important opportunities and people in your life
• Deliberately eating healthier one week at a time
• Moving your body more today than you did yesterday
• Creating a spend-give-save plan for your money
• Dealing with old relationship baggage before it’s too late
• Investing time TODAY with the people who matter most to you
• Learning new skills, information, and ways of behaving
• Taking time to enjoy experiences that will leave good memories
• Replacing bad thinking patterns with ones that are more positive
• Nurturing your inner soul more regularly with refreshing time alone or away from the routine
• Reading the Bible daily to nourish your spirit
• Adding value to someone else every day 
• Investing time, energy, even money in the legacy you want to leave

I’m sure you can think of many other examples of what living your life on purpose would look like for you.

Why Living Intentionally is the Healthiest Christmas Gift

To understand how healthy this Christmas gift will be, just imagine what it would mean for you, for your family, and for God, if you spent everything you have on purpose. None of us will do this perfectly, but we can all make a more positive impact by increasing the degree to which we live intentionally.

Here’s some of what Living Intentionally would mean to you and those you care about:

• You would have more energy to do what means the most to you
• You would have fewer sick days or “off” days
• You would look and feel better more of the time
• You would have a greater sense of control over your money
• Your family would have a more loving and PRESENT spouse or parent
• Your closest friends would have more of you
• You would waste less time and energy worrying about the people who don’t like you or your choices
• You would feel as though you are accomplishing more of what matters
• You would have a greater sense of significance and meaning
• You would know more next year than you do right now
• Your spirit would be stronger and more connected with God

So here’s how to give yourself and those you care about this Healthiest Christmas Gift.

1. Decide to Live Your Life On Purpose. No more excuses. No more living by default. Tomorrow won’t be perfect, but you’ve made the decision to live intentionally.
2. Choose two or three things to be more intentional about. It may be how you spend your time, how you care for the people you love, or what you believe God is encouraging you to do for Him.
3. Do the Next Right Thing. You won’t get this perfectly, but you can move forward in doing so. When you get discouraged, look back at how far you’ve come. And then take the next step.

If you’re choosing to give yourself and those you care about the Healthiest Christmas Gift, I’d love to hear from you. What are you going to be intentional about this year?

Your Turn: What is your Healthiest Christmas Gift? What are you going to be intentional about? Leave a comment below. 

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• Here’s my suggestion for the Healthiest Christmas Gift – for you and others.        Tweet that.

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