[Originally published 2016]
BWWE friends: I hope you are doing well as you are reading this. In reality, some of you may be emotional right now, some may be held hostage in your own home by the television as you sip your hot chocolate, wine or tea while feverishly clicking the buttons on the remote in search of your favorite holiday movie. And that's fine, but there are other things that may pique your interest for the sake of your emotional well-being. Here are 5 short tips on how you can make the holidays just a little brighter 1) Tell a joke to a friend or post it on Social Media. Okay, you may think this is crazy, but hey, I bet it will make you smile a little more while still contributing to your usual home alone-time activities 🙂 I recently found out that a widow in my widow's private Facebook group used to be a stand-up comedian. (She admitted this during our Dinner, Heels and How To's event in October (2016) I couldn't believe it. My mouth was wide open. She had lost her husband at sea on the El Faro vessel in 2015. Nevertheless, she is doing amazingly wonderful and often thinks back on that season of her life to help her cope. She now is the creator of the Hamm Alert, a petition that calls for more oversight of maritime vessels. 2) Go to the movies alone. As Mikey from the 70's Life cereal commercial so calmly stated, "try it, you'll like it.” It will give you a chance to practice on doing something you've never done before. Grown and with kids, he does admit that his children enjoy other cereals, but he still loves the cereal that garnered him nationwide attention 3) Take selfies! We are in the age of technology where everyone is taking selfies. We love selfies! We love looking good. We love memories. So with that said, get the lip color right, snap and smile! (I recently tried a new lip color and love it!) Also, be sure to be careful and alert. Selfies can literally kill you if you're not careful. I found an article that writes about how to take good selfies. Yes, there's an article that tells you how to take good selfies. LOL...Oh, did I mention there is an article on how to take good selfies? I digress. 4) Take yourself out on a date. Whether you are newly widowed or have been widowed for a while, you deserve a great date and it doesn't have to be with someone else. Face your fear and gear yourself up to do something different. Stop wishing someone would take you out (whether it be your girlfriends, family or special someone). There's no written rule that eating at a restaurant requires two people. Order something you've never had before and post about it. Don't be afraid to step out on faith❤️ This leads me to the last tip... 5) Open up a Social Media account There's Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest where you can post all of your exciting new ventures! If you are not familiar with how to do so, just ask any teenager. They will show you all of the tips and tricks on how to use these computer-mediated technologies. Or try my best friend, Google, or my second best friend, YouTube. Both are great sources of information when it comes to Social Media networking. If you would like a more in-depth training course on how to use these new generational applications, try Lynda.com (for a fee). This expert-led training allows you to learn various types of software and business skills to achieve your personal and professional goals. So, ladies, I urge you to face your fears this holiday season. I guarantee you that it will add value to your daily routine. Do YOU and don't be bothered about the naysayers because they do not understand our journey .. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!