Calling All Earth Angels

Are you an Earth Angel? That’s what I call people who notice when others need a bit of help to smooth out the wrinkles that show up in life. With the holidays upon us, we need as many Earth Angels as we can get to truly live and share the spirit of the season.

The holidays push people out of the comfort of their established patterns and into a sea of obligations, expectations, and unfamiliar experiences. Older people and young families who rarely travel fill the airports and highways, often to the chagrin of more seasoned travelers. Mothers with already overstuffed schedules try to find the time for shopping, decorating, and hosting family gatherings. And new chapters of familiar dramas unfold as families gather and old characters take up wherever they left off.  Challenge and celebration swirl together in a heady mix that amps up stress levels, sometimes to the max.

Stress shows up in many ways. You may notice:

• „ People become easily irritated, more demanding or more emotional than usual
• „ Some people push themselves to the limit, damaging their health and well being
• „ People try to hide their feelings of vulnerability and become angry if others suggest they don’t have it all under control
• „ Some people “attack” and criticize others when they feel vulnerable

Earth Angels look beyond these outward displays and see the person underneath who is scared, overwhelmed, lost or confused, and they offer to help. Rather than being annoyed with their neophyte travel companions’ confusion, they offer to help them navigate the confusion of the airport. They notice that their colleague is overwhelmed and ask if there’s anything they can take off the plate for the moment. They compliment people on their efforts to make the holidays festive, even if the outcomes are imperfect. They come to family gatherings with peace in their hearts and refuse to take the bait again and end up in the same argument as last year.

The more people who unfurl their Earth Angel wings the happier the holidays will be. If you haven’t got yours out yet, now would be a good time to unpack them. By the way, you don’t have to put them away when the holidays are over. Earth Angel wings are always in style.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season!

Dianna L. Anderson, MCC

CEO, Cylient