Three Gifts to Give this Holiday Season

1. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness

Simply put, to forgive is to let go of the negativity caused to you by another person. It does not “let them off the hook” or give them a free pass to continue the negative behavior. However, it does relieve your burden of pain, anger, and resentment. What greater gift to give yourself than forgiveness.

2. Give your spouse the gift of empathy

Believe it or not, the bottom line in communication is that people want to be heard and understood. There is no deeper expression of understanding than to empathize with another person. There is also no more powerful way to strengthen your emotional connection. Nevertheless, we often withhold empathy because it can be scary to open one self up to the emotions felt by another. Don’t hold back. Find out what might be bothering your spouse. Discover his/her feelings, and then give the gift of empathy.

3. Give your relationship the gift of time

Relationships need quality time in order to maintain a strong and healthy connection. With so many obligations pulling us from one place to another, it is no wonder that we tend to spend the least amount of time with the people that matter most. Without dedicating an appropriate amount of time to one another, your sense of connection will be lost and your relationship will suffer. Instead of letting life run away with your marriage, give each other the gift of time. Your connection will strengthen and your love will deepen.