Traditions And The Meaning They Bring To Our Lives

This 2021 holiday season, we yearn to feel deep meaning and belonging in our lives more than ever and? we cherish our time with loved ones more dearly.?

This feeling of belonging isn’t limited to our personal relationships. The Great Resignation is signaling that employees long for more from their employers as well.?

Employees give of their time in exchange for a monetary return. But the relationships we form at work go far beyond the monetary.?

As an employer, in addition to a paycheck, you can help create meaning and belonging for your employees at work by fostering a culture of meaning, empathy, and connection –– values we express and strengthen through traditions.

Traditions are the tapestry of life that thread us together and they facilitate bonds between people and add richness to our lives. We feel a greater sense of connection and belonging, enabling us to be more empathetic toward one another.?

Traditions help fulfill these core needs described by Saul Levine M.D., Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego :?

1. Being –– our sense of inner peace and self-acceptance of our strengths and weaknesses, and feeling grounded in our core identity.
2. Belonging –– our sense of comfort from being part of a group of people such as a family or team that share our values and provide support, respect, and friendship.
3. Believing –– our need to believe in a system of moral principles and ethical behavior, be that religious or secular.
4. Benevolence — our predisposition to help others in need, to enhance the lives of others in our group of people or even strangers.?

It is my hope this year that we understand the importance of creating meaning and value to our daily lives, not just at Christmas time.?

In light of traditions this season, the #BlissPoint team shared some of their holiday traditions that enrich their lives:?

Lia (Creative Director, LinkedIn Sales Team Trainer, Executive LinkedIn Coach, Mindset Coach) :?

“Growing up each year, each of the family members got to pick a new Christmas ornament that summed up their year or represented themselves. As an adult, all my decorations are vintage and passed down generationally. We’ve kept this tradition going, and my fiance and I even got a ‘we’re engaged’ ornament. Marshall, my son, got to pick one for himself as well.”

Claire (Project Design Coordinator & Executive LinkedIn Coach):?

“Christmas stockings are a big deal at my house. My great-grandma knitted us these beautiful stockings my family has used since I was a baby, and I look forward to seeing them hung on the mantle each year.”

Jennifer (Lead Editor):

“On Christmas Day we usually watch some overly-long movie we know all the words to, like “The Sound of Music” or “Coming to America”. ”

Kimberly (Content Writer):?

“Ever since I was a kid, we would get to open one gift on Christmas Eve. When I was much younger, we got to pick the gift we wanted to open. As I got older and had more siblings, we siblings would choose names out of a hat, and each sibling would get a gift for one other sibling (because there are 8 of us, and that's a lot of gifts for each person otherwise). Our Christmas Eve gift became the sibling gift. I have extended that tradition to my children where Christmas Eve is for opening gifts from their siblings.”

Marcie (Executive Assistant) :?

“Our holiday tradition is baking cinnamon rolls for breakfast and being able to open one thing from our stocking on Christmas Eve.”

Sheena (Content Writer & Strategist):?

“Growing up, every year, my family would drive to the desolate ghost town of Eureka, Utah, and cut down a Christmas tree (after obtaining a permit, of course). In Griswald fashion, my dad would ALWAYS pick the largest and most obnoxious tree. This tradition was always a source of frustration and laughter as us kids struggled to clean up all the pine needles after getting the gargantuan tree put up.”

Richard (President of BlissPoint)

"As a gag gift many years ago I began giving my children soap for Christmas. It wasn’t normal soap, instead it was soap I purchased as I traveled the world. There was Swedish soap, Pineapple soap (with real pineapples), Glacier soap and many others. What started off as a fun gag became a heartwarming tradition as my children grew up and began gifting me with soap.?

It became a great conversation starter. What did you get your Dad for Christmas?...Soap!

As it turns out, the spice of life is found in all of these moments we share and enjoy together. Don’t forget about the things that truly matter, which is what this holiday season and our lives (even our work lives) are all about.?

From me and my team to you and yours, we’re wishing you a very Happy Holiday season. May you feel purposeful and incorporate more meaning into your daily life and at work.?

I’d love to hear about your holiday traditions in the comments below.?