I used to have terrible Seasonal Affect Disorder (SAD), which means that as the days got shorter, so did the span of my optimism. It got so that the dread in me would start in late autumn and just keep building. By mid-January, I was usually flat-out depressed.

Then one gloomy December several years ago, as I was feeling the encroaching darkness of each day dragging my spirits down further and further, I happened upon a realization: if I could just make it until the day after Winter Solstice (December 23 this year), then the worst of it was over; each day would then have a few minutes more light than the last. Such a simple thought, and yet for me it was life-changing. Just that shift in focus made all the difference as it effectively cured my SAD. By January, I was noticing how green the hills were from winter rains and I found myself enjoying winter for the very first time. It’s been so ever since.

Holidays can be wonderful. Or not. For many people, all the hoopla just magnifies the possible absence of the Perfect Mate, Perfect Children, Perfect Family. This time of year can even bring to mind disappointments and pain from the past, from one’s childhood however many years (or decades) ago. And the dark days become even darker.

If you are one of those people, remember that shifting your focus can make all the difference. There’s no better way to do that than to look outward, beyond your own needs, to the needs of others that you can help fill. There are so many ways to make a positive difference in someone else’s life at this time of year. You can volunteer at the Contra Costa Food Bank, collect Toys for Tots, adopt a family. And before you know it, the darkness just doesn’t seem quite as black. Before you know it, you are having a wonderful holiday, just like in the movies and on TV. It’s all about the return of the Light – within you, around you and shining out all over the world from your beautiful soul.

May your holidays be full of Light and joy and magic. Make it so!