Yo blues ain’t like my blues, but if you were disappointed by last month’s election results and are walking around like the Grinch stole your Christmas, don’t despair. Not even a president-elect that led a campaign centered on stoking racism and misogyny can steal your inner joy. In the classic Grinch tale, the real moral of the story, is that although the Grinch stole the Whos of Whoville’s presents, he couldn’t break their Christmas spirit because that was something that came from within. Likewise, Trump, the Grinch personified for millions, nor his contemptuous cabinet picks can break or destroy the heart and soul of folks who are committed to protecting the values upon which this country was built-values that ensure a safety net for the most vulnerable.
Trump and his cabinet of greedy trolls may try to gut social services programs that help many of us, but he can’t take away our power to affect positive changes within ourselves. So, in the spirit of the 12 Days of Christmas, here are a dozen Trump Proof things we can do to better our own lives:
On the first day of Christmas – you can give yourself a healthier you! Join a gym, or buy some running shoes and a jump rope and hit the streets for a run. Becoming fitter will make you feel better, increase your confidence and improve your mental outlook.
On the second day of Christmas – you’ve tackled health, now give yourself wealth, too. Start or join an investment club. You might as well make some cash, all of Trump’s friends will.
On the third day of Christmas – fire up that laptop and start blogging. Writing about your passion can be immensely rewarding. And if you turn out to have the knack, you may even make a little cash on the side!
On the fourth day of Christmas – start or join a book club and read some great novels. Nothing will stimulate and enrich your mind more than reading great books.
On the fifth day of Christmas – now that you’ve read all those books, get motivated to write one of your own—that novel you’ve always TALKED about. There’s never been a better time. If the New York, big boy publishers won’t publish you, you can go around them and self-publish your book on Amazon!
On the sixth day of Christmas – Give the gift of time or money to your favorite charity. I’m all in for kids and have been collecting toys for the organization I co-founded, Special Needs Network, Inc. I’m on a mission to give thousands of toys away to kids with autism and special needs. University studies have shown that the act of giving makes the giver happier than the person who receives the gift. So, put a smile on your face.
On the seventh day of Christmas – reinvigorate your career. If you’re feeling like you’re stuck in a rut, change your circumstances by setting some new, exciting professional goals. Come up with a clear plan of attack and get after it!
On the eighth day of Christmas – reward yourself with an adventure. Get out of the house and explore. If you can’t afford exotic or international travel, plan local trips. Go on a journey!
On the ninth day of Christmas – Give yourself the gift of new knowledge. Go back to school and take an extension course. Whether it’s improving your culinary skills, learning a new language or even learning to code. You’re never too old to learn!
On the tenth day of Christmas – Raise your voice, literally. In the next four years, there are going to be plenty of pulling your hair out moments. You’re gonna want to scream. Might as well make it count by signing up for a local march or protest. You can even super achieve by signing up for the Million Woman March in Washington!
On the eleventh day of Christmas – Run a 5k. I do this one myself. Training for a race, and then actually finishing it, gives you wonderful feeling of accomplishment. In fact, you may enjoy it so much that you make it a regular thing!
On the twelfth day of Christmas – commit to seeing your friends and family more. In an App obsessed world, it’s easy to wall ourselves off from others and stay at home and order what we want. But studies have shown that strengthening our bonds with family and friends not only make us healthier, but happier too!
So, let’s all take a lesson from the Whos of Whoville and use our inner strength and spirit to self- actualize and improve our lives. After all, do any of us really expect the Trump–oops, I mean–the Grinch’s shrunken heart to suddenly grow three sizes larger?
