a month for others

Posted: December 1, 2010 at 12:08 pm

Morning and happy first day of December! I can hardly fathom that. December? If things keep at this rate, baby B really will arrive before I know it. I had a moment of “holy cow!!!” yesterday where it suddenly hit me that I will have two! Two! In a very short amount of time. Of course, I have always known that and I am very excited for it, yet sometimes it still feels a bit like “whoa”. Does that make sense?

I have enjoyed having a mini “theme” to share here over the past couple of months. September was the official 30 Days of Self Love. October I featured other bloggers. November was all about the Q + A. I don’t know how long this little monthly process will continue, but its fun for now. Plus I have the perfect personal challenge for December which reflects the season.

source

December’s focus/theme/challenge will be all about others. Each day in December I hope to do something to show kindness to another. It can come in a variety of ways. I can complete a random act of kindness for a stranger or reach out in love and support to a friend/family member. I don’t want to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and lose sight of what truly matters – loving others. After all, that’s the sole reason Jesus came to be a little baby in a manger. 😉

I also want to mention that even though November has ended, I still have some questions to get to from the Q + A requests. Don’t worry! I haven’t forgotten about those questions if you sent one in. Also, I will still continue to keep up my Formspring account to take reader’s requests or be open to any future questions you may have. Call me crazy, but I actually enjoy being available to answer things you may wonder about. Like the following I received:

What was your favorite first experience with M?Brooke @ B and the Boy
Oh goodness that is a tough one! Does the first time I breastfed her count. There is something so magical about that moment. Otherwise, I enjoy moments this past year most. Many aren’t firsts, but now that she is old enough to understand and get more excited I enjoy them so much more as well. Like this past year at the beach or her excitement right now over Christmas trees (Christmas tree! Look, mommy! Happy Birthday Jesus!). I also cannot cannot cannot wait to bring her to Disney World in the next couple of years after seeing the fun she had at the fair!

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How much about your disordered eating history do you plan to share with Makenzie (and Braedon)? If you plan to share, what has lead you to that decision? Is your husband on board with it? When will you share information? Under what circumstances?
I’ve decided I don’t plan to hide my history with disordered eating from my children, but won’t discuss it just for the sake of sharing either. I more plan to live by example for them on having balance with food and not giving it control. I plan to uplift my children for the wonderful people they are and work to build confidence in themselves, as well as a love for others. I pray that by guiding them to care for themselves, with healthy and balanced eating being a part of that, they don’t find themselves struggling negatively with food. As they get older, if I ever do notice signs of a negative relationship with food or their own perceptions of food heading down an unhealthy mental path, then I will likely share on an appropriate level. I guess I will just have to trust my motherly instinct on that one.

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56 Comments to “a month for others”
  1. I love this effort of showing kindness. This time of year is so wonderful and so MAGICAL! I just love it but we got caught up in the shopping, the doing, the gift giving, the running around…

    this year we are focusing on celebrating the many simple moments in our day during the holidays. The decorations, family, friends, the music, the cheer. I really want to soak it all up.

  2. I love this initiative! It’s so important to focus on what really matters this time of year (and always). I feel so blessed in my life to be happy, healthy and without struggle, that nothing is more fulfilling than paying it forward with Toys for Tots, Salvation Army Adopt-an-Angel or simply donating food for those in need.

  3. I LOVE your monthly themes! This one is perfect. Religion always becomes even more of a focus during December in my life. I definitely want to join in on your challenge:)

  4. I’m interested to see what all you come up with! I’ll certainly try to be nicer, but I don’t see that many people in a day, so it gets tough!

  5. “Christmas tree! Look, mommy! Happy Birthday Jesus”

    Ok – that completely melted my heart!

    • Tina says:

      It melts mine too. She gets SO excited over every little thing. And she tries to sing along to all the Christmas music but really she is just making these cute little noises.

  6. Sarah says:

    I want to join you! I think that is a great idea.
    Also, I’ve been thinking about the blogger gift exchange, and I’ve been wanting to join, but…I can just see me forgetting or not getting myself to the post office in time, so I’m going to opt out this year. I think it’s great you’re putting it together, though! (Maybe if you do it next year, I’ll have myself together enough to feel comfortable committing.)

    • Tina says:

      And thanks for doing that! I want people to sign up that 100% know they can handle it. You actually just reminded me to send out an email to the list I have to be sure those that signed up are still on board before matching them up with someone. Thanks!

  7. Jamie says:

    Love your December theme! I just posted something similar and I’m glad I’m seeing other people feeling the same way! 🙂

  8. I love your random act of kindness idea!!! What a wonderful way to celebrate the season of giving!

  9. Tis the season of giving! I believe charity starts at home, so this season, I’m giving back to my family. I’m going to make them cookies, purchase grocery store gift cards, and just take the time to call them and pay them visits. I don’t see them often and I know that this year has been quite the financial/emotional struggle for them.

    • Tina says:

      That sounds like a great idea!! Family is one of the biggest places we should be serving and sharing our love. 🙂

  10. i love that you are so kind in doing things for other people 🙂 i think that focusing on the joy of the season in attitude and just talking to others makes a huge difference!

  11. Astrid says:

    I would love to join you on this challenge. I want to try to be more giving this holiday season and to reach out to others’ more. Since this is my last full month in Texas for a while, I need to solidify some ties here.
    When I have kids, I plan to be the same way with my ed. Set good examples and not hide anything. But I don’t plan to flaunt it either.

  12. I love your idea of helping others this month. I believe that we get so preoccupied in our own lives that we forget about others. Not only should we help people this month but all months out of the year! 🙂

  13. Nichole says:

    CUTE! Love this, it’s so important to remember how truly fortunate we are!

  14. Love your showing kindness in December. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the material things during this season. You are such a wonderful person. 🙂

  15. Honestly, I feel like I do a little something everyday or a least try to for others. I want to do more, like some day I would like to volunteer at a food bank for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

    • Tina says:

      I have no doubt that you do, Sarena! You are so giving and kind. 🙂 Your comments and friendship mean a ton to me each day.

  16. lindsay says:

    I always focus on sharing more in december. More time, more love, more giving of a hand. Thats what God did for us with his son. Thank you for this reminder!
    LC

  17. Holly says:

    What a GREAT idea, Tina. I definitely want to join you! It always makes me so sad how people get so incredibly caught up in the hustle and bustle of buying gifts this season. I’m going to start this today. Going to link back to you, too! 🙂

  18. I love your December challenge! ‘Tis the season!

  19. I enjoyed reading about your plans with your children- it’s something I think about a lot even though I’m far from having kids!

  20. What a beautiful idea – perfect for the holiday season, but I bet it’s something you’ll find yourself doing far beyond December 31…!

    • Tina says:

      I sure hope so! I think focusing on something for a month can make it even more of a habit so it does continue past the month.

  21. I think that’s a great challenge for December. Tis the season 🙂 It’s easy to get caught up in the stress and hustle and bustle, but important to remember to share the warmth 🙂

  22. Katie says:

    I definitely want to participate in your December kindness month. This has already been my goal the last month – to be more pleasant and perceptive of others’ stress.

    Random Q: Did you always want to have kids and always want to have 2+?

    • Tina says:

      Haha! I wanted kids when I was little…then in college I became Heck NO!!! I didn’t want kids or to get married. Then Peter came along and it all changed so suddenly. I did come back to my faith about the same time too and just saw new things that God had in store for me. The prospect of those excited me so much that I ran with it. Now, here I am. 🙂

  23. I love your Dec challenge idea!!! Such a small thing can make a huge difference in someone’s life.

  24. marlo says:

    I love to try to spend more time with my family. Christmas is about family and food to me! I try to be kind to people all year long.

  25. Angela says:

    I love this theme!! Random Acts of Kindness day is actually one of my favourite days of the year, but I think it should last far longer than a day! I’m in on your challenge! 🙂

  26. […] Tina had a wonderful idea of dedicating the month of December to OTHERS.  I get so sad that each December, it seems that people are more concerned with buying the perfect gift(s) rather than remembering the reason we are all celebrating (if you are religious).  And even if you aren’t religious, I would like to think that people in general are more kind around the holidays.  Maybe that’s being naïve?  But I truly do believe that. […]

  27. Ah, I totally forgot to e-mail you about the blogger gift exchange. I’m on it! Look for an e-mail soon! 🙂

    I am trying to “like” FFF on FB from my Texas Gunslinger page. Still figuring out how to do it from my TG page to keep all “blog” friends together:) My FB page can be found by searching “Texas Gunslinger”. It should take you right to my page. I’ll add you!!! 🙂

  28. Tatianna says:

    Wow Tina! What a genuine and wonderful idea for December! I’m totally on board for this one.. this is what the Christmas spirit truly is about 🙂 I can’t wait to hear the things you come up with!

  29. Chrissi says:

    what a fab idea….i am in 😉

  30. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tina Reale, Tina Reale. Tina Reale said: a month for others: Morning and happy first day of December! I can hardly fathom that. December? If things k… http://bit.ly/fYNb07 […]

  31. It is soooo hard to believe that it’s really December. Time has just flown by. I love the idea of trying to remember to do random acts of kindness. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in ourselves isn’t it.

  32. Jessica says:

    I am blog hopping today and I think this is my first time to your blog.

    I think its great you are focusing on how to help others!! :0) My husband and I host a Christmas drive every December…that is one way we do it during December!!

    Hope you will stop by either or both of my blogs and follow.

    Jessicas Lil Corner is my family blog at http://jessicaslilcorner.blogspot.com

    So Stylilized is where I am currently offering FREE custom blog designs at http://sostylilized.blogspot.com

  33. Jess says:

    Tina! Awesome idea!! I would totally like to join you in this little project. I smell another widget coming 😉

  34. Camille says:

    Oh my gosh, I can’t believe how soon B is going to be here! Crazy!

  35. Rachel says:

    I like to spend time with family members during the holiday season. I try to donate to charities throughout the year, so I don’t amp up much during the holiday season since money is usually tighter than usual around this time anyway.

  36. I’m really enjoying the monthly themes! I’m excited to make a point of doing something kind for another person each day. 🙂

  37. Great idea Tina!

    BTW – my hats are off to you – adding a second is WAY harder than adding the third baby. Good luck with everything!

  38. Lauren says:

    I love that card at the top – it’s so cute and great for the holiday. I love seeing everyone’s Christmas cards every year!

  39. Nic says:

    I’m with you and love the idea behind the Chirstmas season of being kind to one another. I volunteer thoughtout the year but I plan to rev up my volunteer efforts in December so that others can enjoy the season as much as I do 🙂

  40. […] tonight was a [Month For Others] event! Without even […]

  41. Caitlin says:

    A truly worthwhile Christmas challenge 🙂

  42. Ela says:

    Thanks for pointing me at this. It’s great – I love the congruence of the monthly themes, and especially the outward oriented piece.

    Great questions and answers! I love your positive spin on the disordered eating history and the ways that you plan to uplift your kids away from any of that.

    love
    Ela

  43. […] on the plus side, I suppose today’s [Month For Others] ”Random Act of Kindness” has been […]

  44. […] under: Uncategorized — Becca @ 10:41 pm Tags: Month For Others, Random Acts of Kindness [Month For Others] Random Act of Kindness for the day = trying to encourage a friend on […]

  45. […] [Month For Others] Random Act of […]

  46. […] Yesterday’s [Month For Others] Random Act of Kindness was holding a door open for someone at […]

  47. […] Um, [Month For Others] Random Acts of Kindness for the […]

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