The joy of traditions

About a week ago, as the holidays neared, I sent a message to many colleagues which was extremely well received and so I have decided to share it more broadly. I hope it offers you a moment to pause, reflect and recall some of the traditions that are important to you and your family.

2017 has been a year of reflection for me. It has also been a year filled with talk and awareness about wellness, mindfulness and overall good mental health. This has recently led me to practice guided meditation, reflection writing and attempting to slow down and enjoy every moment as it passes.

For the past few weekends I have baked biscotti for my staff to share with those I spend a lot of time with. This past weekend I went for a long walk and admired the stunning lakeside views and took deep breaths of the fresh winter air and actually felt its cooling effect on my lungs. Yesterday I stopped for an entire minute with my 8 year old daughter to look at the unique shape of dozens of snowflakes as they accumulated on the car window. And for the past two weeks, I have had the pleasure of manually opening holiday cards from colleagues who took the time to write my name, personalize a message and actually mail it. I take great pride in displaying these cards in my office and it puts a smile on my face as I walk in each morning.

Unfortunately, over the past years, I have less and less cards to display since the trend has gone towards e-cards. While I enjoy viewing the student art or videos contained in the electronic cards and am thankful to the sender for including me on their robust mailing list, it just doesn’t feel the same. As I send this, it feels shallow, it feels impersonal and I know that my heartfelt wishes will disappear as soon as you close this message. So, before you do...

I want to wish you all the very best holidays and health (mental and physical), happiness (as you enjoy life) and mindfulness (as you slow down to appreciate all that you have) for a wonderful 2018.

This will be my last e-card. Next year I will take the time to write to my colleagues and friends and think of each of them individually and appreciate the time we have spent together, the conversations that we have enjoyed and all that I have learned from their presence in my life.

Life goes by quickly and our jobs speed it up that much more. My new year’s resolution is to slow down and accomplish less but with more quality, frequently disconnect from technology in order to connect in a more meaningful way with people, go for coffee or a meal and enjoy someone’s company, pick up the phone and talk instead of relying on texting, spend quality time with family and friends and finally enjoy this life that we are all so fortunate to be living.

Since I originally sent out this message a week ago, I have received a dozen handwritten holiday cards. Thank you for that.

Whether it is handwriting a personal note or card, playing outside with the kids, curling up by the fire with a good book, going for long walks, getting together with family and friends, doing what you are most passionate about, making time for your hobbies or picking up the phone and calling someone who you have not spoken to in a long time, I encourage you to prioritize what is most important to you and be mindful and present in all your interactions.

Warmest wishes for this holiday season and may you and your family be blessed throughout the new year.

Be good to yourself and to others,

Michel