Whenever Christmas comes to mind, it always makes me feel happy. Everything about this time of year exudes joyfulness and warmth. No matter what is going on around me, I have always been able to put everything else aside and fully enjoy this season; however, this year proved to be different for me. Leading up to Christmas, I found myself caught up with a crazy work schedule and copious amounts of schoolwork. After finally coming home and talking with some friends, I came to realize I was not the only one who felt this way. One friend had lost her grandfather, another was experiencing her first Christmas without her father, and I too found myself dealing with some family drama of my own. For the first time ever, I somehow was not able to put my worries aside. I couldn’t figure out why this was - what was different this year? Why did I let such insignificant problems take away from my joy?

I thought about why this might be, and it all finally became clear that it’s all about perspective. As a kid, Christmas always seems perfect. Everything is happy and you typically get the presents you ask for. You don’t usually have to worry about putting effort into buying other gifts or about larger issues going on outside of Christmas. You are not aware of the bigger picture that’s at stake. Every year, I used to get this special feeling around Christmas. I would feel all warm and tingly in my stomach – Christmas was coming and that could only bring good things. Despite what a great, positive mindset this is, it fails to acknowledge all other aspects of life that may or may not have to do with Christmas. It does not mention that as wonderful and magical as the Christmas season is, other problems you may face do still exist. Christmas sadly does not eliminate them. So, as silly as it may sound, I think the reason Christmas felt different this year is that I have officially crossed over from being a kid to being an adult. Christmas is not great simply because it exists. It is made great through one’s mindset.

This Christmas opened my eyes to the importance of one's outlook on things. I was able to realize the benefits of looking on the bright side of situations I am met with, regardless of the season. No matter the circumstances, how you choose to think about and/or approach something is extremely powerful.