Greetings 4am Fitness Crew.

I love the Holidays. I love the musicals (how many times can one person see the Nutcracker?), the Holiday lights, the aroma … It is truly a magical time. 

I love running in big cities in the early morning and having the Christmas lights and decorative storefronts to myself. And every over size Santa Clause seems to be clamoring for my attention. It is the Holidays, and I am a kid all over again. 

My dad and mom came from two different holiday traditions. And yes, socio-economic and family dynamics/realities can often influence our holiday traditions. 

My mom’s childhood holiday season was indeed a season and not just December 25th. Her holiday memory is filled with such pleasantries as helping bake cakes and pastries, caroling, and putting up the Christmas tree. Christmas day continued the magic of the season, with gift openings and a sumptuous dinner. 

My dad’s Christmases were not memorable or magical events. He usually received just one gift. He never referred to this one gift with sadness or indifference – but gratitude. Economics and family dynamics dictated his holiday season reality. Not sad, but certainly not festive. 

My dad and mom were intentional in ensuring the holiday season was special, fun, and enduring. 

The sparkle of gifts while very pleasant is fleeting. I can hardly remember the Christmas gifts I received as a child, but I can certainly remember those intangibly enduring gifts. 

The Joy of family, the sense of community, the gratitude of receiving and the selflessness of sharing. As I look back from adulthood, I can clearly appreciate my parents intentionally building those lofty principles into our holiday experience.

My parents started a tradition of us kids giving away a gift to a kid less fortunate, materially speaking. We never knew who this kid was. The lesson here was - our gratitude for receiving (more than one gift as my dad did) must translate into an attitude of giving. I initially despised this custom – even though I dare not show it. But I grew to appreciate this tradition and even looked forward to it. 

Let us be transparent – one of the main reasons for our after-holiday blues is, the gifts have been unwrapped, the Christmas tree is dark, our families have returned home, … the magic is gone. 

Is there a wellness solution to this holiday season roller coaster? Yes!

Am I going to suggest to you a healthy eating regimen? No. But please, don’t gorge on ice cream to get out of that rut. Yes, I am guilty. Vegan ice cream – but still ice cream. Am I going to map out an exciting and easily implementable fitness program? Nope. The best wellness gifts for 2022 are not the newest and most technologically advanced gadgets. The best Wellness Gifts are non-material and enduring and necessary for our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those we love and care for. This treasure trove of wellness gifts can be exhaustive, so I will suggest three. 

1. Gift of Gratitude

I try to embrace daily this powerful sentiment from German mystic Meister Eckhart:  

If the only prayer you say in your entire life is thank you, that will be enough.” 

“I try” because gratitude does not come naturally to me. I struggled with gratitude. I was always so focused on the next project or acquiring the next thing – I simply did not have time for Thanks and Praises. 

But a life without a conscious appreciation of what others and Grace has gifted you is a toxic life. Filled with rage and selfishness and pride and condescending confidence. I hated that me. 

I had to find that 4am hour. I had to emotionally detox. I had to be intentional about gratitude. I had to give gratitude primacy. 

Gratitude cannot be an emotional appendage. Gratitude MUST be a state of being. You must breathe it. You must speak it. You must live it. You must be intentional about it. There can be no wellness without gratitude. Repeat! 

Lift your spirit. Lift your hands. Lift your voice. Dance!!! Celebrate the tangible and intangible blessings that grace has gifted you. 

2. Gift of Family

Family is the only Christmas gift I truly remember from my childhood. Our Christmases were an absolute blast. Almost utopic. Whatever stress or tensions we had as a family would magically vanish during the Holiday season. Then July 1997 visited us.

My dear big brother passed after a heroic fight with colon cancer, eight days after celebrating his thirty-six birthday - leaving behind a loving wife and two beautiful kids. 

As a family we were obviously devastated - and as Christmas approached anxiety was added to devastation. You all can empathize; that first birthday, wedding anniversary, Thanksgiving - whatever special day your family holds dear. For our family it is Christmas. 

We all watched with dread as the Holiday season approached too quickly. We had no template, no formula, no reference to celebrate Christmas without my older brother Colin. 

Breakfast on December 25th, 1997, was magical. We laughed (at the same jokes we repeat every year) we cried, we hugged each other tightly, danced and sang aloud. We partied in true Caribbean fashion until the wee hours of December 26th, 1997. My healing had begun.

Let your healing begin this Holiday Season. And what better way to begin that healing than by surrounding yourself with the love of family. 

3. Gift of Community

Uplift your community. Support your community. Commit your time and resources into making your community a better place for your family and for generations of families to come.

Do not just write a generous check, but also get your hands dirty. Put your hands into the communal soil and work with others to build a rich and enduring and embracing space. 

This is a challenging but necessary labor of love. If we do not, we will only pass on to the next generation a toxic, personal, environmental, social, and political space. A space where growth is extremely challenging. 

Wrap all these three wellness gifts with a giant bow of intentionality. If you are not intentional your absolute best wellness goals will slip through the emotional cracks. 

These three Wellness gifts are so empowering and uplifting and fulfilling, you can unwrap them liberally every day. The residuals are enduring as time itself. A sizable number of our readers will persuasively argue, the residuals transcend time.

Enjoy your wellness gifts 4am Fitness Crew. 

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