The Gift of Rest

Who do you know who is exhausted this year? Who do you know that has been pushing hard and needs a break?

You could set things up for this person to have one entire day of rest. Sounds like a great gift to give and a great gift to receive.

The Gift of A Hand Up

Do you know of someone who needs a little bit of help this year? Not a hand out, but a hand up?

I'm thinking here of someone that needs a bit of your wisdom or time.

The Gift of Giving

New Orleans is a six hour drive west from where I live in Tallahassee, Florida. In the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, many survivors of that disaster were staying in town. At an event set up by the local marriage and family therapy group, I talked with some people whose home and job was gone, and who did not know the whereabouts of his elderly mom.

People struggle for a long time after something like this, and still need lots of help. What a great gift to give this holiday season.

The Gift of Follow Up

Do you know anyone that lost a loved one or suffered other kinds of major loss this year?

When someone dies, there are lots of people around for a while. And then it can get awfully quiet.

Weeks and months after the loss is a great time to follow up with someone that has suffered a loss. Now is an especially good time if this is the first holiday season following the loss.

Keep this in mind - it's not so much what you say or do in these situation, it's your presence that counts.

Jeff Herring

Jeff is a marriage and family therapist, singles and relationship coach, mentor coach, speaker, syndicated relationship columnist and author.

Jeff has a full time private practice in Tallahassee in which he specializes in couples, teen and parent counseling. He also is a relationship coach specializing in working with couples and singles. Some of his professional activities include:

==> Internationally syndicated relationship columnist through Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services, with a weekly readership of over 10 million worldwide

==> Sought after speaker for organizations, associations, churches, and corporations

==>Twice weekly appearances on The Steve and Sara Show on Magic 107.1

==> Author of "Keep the Changes: 52 Tools for Successful Living" a collection of his best columns, as well as several e-books including "How to Create a Passionate and Loving Relationship.........Forever," "How to Beat the BOZOs: Dealing with difficult people without becoming one," and "Tame Your Teen: THE survival guide for parenting your teenager.

==> Founder and CEO of TheArticleGuy.com

==> Founder and CEO of SecretsofGreatRelationships.com

==> Founder and CEO of ParentingYourTeeanger.com

==> Founder and CEO of ToolsforSuccessfulLiving.com

==> President of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com

==> President of ConsciousDatingTallahassee.com