Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. We know. We put heroes to work every day; people dedicated to providing healthcare, education, community health and other essential support for our communities.

Today, we want to introduce a new breed of heroes; those who are dedicated to helping us weather the emotional storms of 2020 and the pandemic. We call them our Heroes of Hope.

From time-to-time, our GHReat Tips for Health emails will feature one such hero to introduce you to some of the expertise and resources available to help you maintain a positive perspective on life during tough times.

This week, we want to introduce you to Gretchen Rubin, a best-selling author and recognized expert on habits for happiness.

Gretchen is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. In her work, she draws from cutting-edge science, the wisdom of the ages, lessons from popular culture, and her own experiences to explore how we can make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.

She is the author of many New York Times bestsellers and a regular columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine. Her award-winning podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, was named in iTunes’s lists of “Best Podcasts of 2015,” was named in the Academy of Podcasters “Best Podcasts of 2016,” and won a 2020 Webby Award for “best of the internet.”

With the holiday season upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to share some of Gretchen’s advice on how to Plan to Make This Holiday Memorable and Special, Even If It’s Not Traditional blog article.

Here is a short excerpt:

As you make your own plans, you might think about how you can...

Figure out the essence of the holiday for you. What foods, decorations, traditions are essential? Invoke your favorite smells, tastes, sounds, and sights of the holiday: decorate gingerbread cookies, drink eggnog, open gifts, put out evergreens, play music.

Decide how you're going to handle gift-giving if you’re not there in person to exchange gifts. Many arrangements can work, but make sure everyone understands expectations. You don’t want to disappoint anyone, cause resentment, or feel bad about what you did or didn't do. This may take more planning, too, if you have to mail gifts and can’t make a last-minute run to a mall.

If you can afford it, splurge a little to make your holidays at home feel special! Buy those extra twinkle lights, buy a big wreath for your front door.

Take advantage of where you are. If your pandemic plans mean that you’re not traveling, find fun, interesting things to do at home.

Watch your favorite holiday movies and play your favorite holiday music. Great for setting the mood.

Be grateful. Even if you’re disappointed, look for things to be grateful for. You don’t have to travel, or spend money on travel. Maybe you get to make that stuffing recipe that you’ve always wanted to try. And remember, this holiday will be memorable, because it will be so different from most holidays. So take the time to make those memories great.

Finding resources to help you discover joy in your life and maintain a positive attitude – whether it’s Gretchen Rubin, a mental health professional, a close friend or family member – is essential to your mental health and overall sense of well-being. Even more so during the holiday season.

Stay well.