FEELING REFRESHED?
 

For the last six weeks, we’ve been building on themes personal, professional, big, small, local, and global. We tackled the holiday season with tact, thought, and structure. We also let go of what didn’t serve our vision for a peaceful holiday season. We listened to our desires for richness and meaning, depth and purpose. And we took action within the framework of what already exists, moving ever closer to a season that energizes and nourishes us.

Together we recognized our opposition to the dark corners of the holidays, and opened up to greater understanding. We encountered chaos in the overwhelm of obligations, family, and traditions. And we moved into greater alignment, not in spite of, but because of it. And when apathy arose, we let it guide us toward wholehearted participation in what was most important.

We’ll admit, we get sad when the challenge ends. But instead of dwelling on its absence, this week we were reminded to shift focus away from scarcity, the feeling of not enough, physically and materially and emotionally. Instead, we’re focusing on a major lesson we learned through the 2016 Holiday Refresh: the wisdom we innately carry is abundant, and we need not want for inspiration, community, or substance.

With this, we’d like to leave you with our bonus theme to carry you through until the next holiday challenge: find balance on the spectrum of scarcity and abundance.

Rather than framing the new year in terms of what you’d like to lose, cut out, end, or stop, try envisioning what you’d like to do, create, make, and share. See how you’d like yourself to look, imagine the best case scenario, and move positively towards it. We think the best way to do this is by sharing:

• Do you have skills, goods or services someone else needs? Offer what you can for barter or trade whenever possible - you’ll be surprised how a non-monetary transaction changes the feel of a material good or a relationship.

• Draw a web connecting your community support system and network.

• Remember that everyone eats - to reset, invite someone to eat at your table and share food.

• Whenever you can, choose cooperation over competition.

• Emphasize relational over transactional choices.

As we process the last six weeks of challenge and growth and move into a new calendar year, we hope we can all enter into relationships - with colleagues, food, family - from a place of abundance. Imagine how beautiful 2017 can be if we all share our resources, time, and talents with each other.

LET'S CELEBRATE

Six weeks of micro-challenges is no small feat. We invite you to join in celebration with us:

• Post a celebratory photo on Instagram with the tag #gfjholidayrefresh (next week, we’ll announce the winners of beautiful handmade pottery by Mollie - each post enters you in the drawing!)

• Email us a highlight or story from your last six weeks

• Dance! Dance! Dance!

• Treat yo' self
• Write about the lessons you gleaned in your journal

• Tell a friend about your experience

• Have a celebratory meal, glass of wine, or decadent dessert (we'd like some, too!)

When we plotted out the 2016 Holiday Refresh, before the holiday season really set in, we were optimistic it would apply in the ways we wanted it to. We adapted and responded in real time along the way, and we hope you found each week’s message relevant and helpful. We were especially thankful to have so many incredible, dedicated, and creative souls joining us in this endeavor.

Together and individually, this challenge was a testament to the desire for a more fulfilling, nourishing holiday experience. When we draw our awareness to the small, daily, consistent actions, and our mindset shifts, the rest follows. Small drops of water make big ripples in our lives during the holidays and throughout the year.

Thank you for joining us. Cheers to building a wonderful, rich, and meaningful 2017.
 

From Presents to Presence,
Gina + Mollie + Taylor + Dorothy