I wrote this article originally before Christmas, but it disappeared from the site, so I try to recover it from memory.

The holiday season used to be a dreadful time through most of my life, until a few years ago, when I discovered the teachings of Florence Scovel Shinn.

Florence was an author, artist and spiritual teacher in America, best known for her written works The Game of Life and How to Play It (1925), Your Word Is Your Wand (1928), and The Secret Door to Success (1940).

Using the affirmations of Florence, I learned to turn around any given situation. For most of my life, Christmas time was something I feared. I got anxious just by thinking of having to spend time at home during school breaks, because my family would just fight, I missed my favorite family members who couldn’t be there with us anymore, and someone was always crying at the dinner table. Not to mention my gifts were never satisfying to anyone, but I had to pretend to be happy for the most useless things (like when I got a whole set of hair items for long hair from ma parents, when I had short hair for years).

The thing is, these affirmations work best when you have unshakable belief in them working. Some of them are quite Biblical, but feel free to replace the word “God” with the word “Universe” or whatever other word that feels better for you. It’s all about you, anyways.

So here is my list of my favorite affirmations I like to use around the holidays:

• Adverse appearances work for my good, for God utilizes every person and every situation to bring to me my heart’s desire. Hindrances are friendly and obstacles springboards!
• Rhythm, harmony and balance are now established in my mind, body and affairs.
• Endless good now comes to me in endless ways.
• I spend money under direct inspiration wisely and fearlessly, knowing my supply is endless and immediate.
• My happiness is God’s affair, therefore, no one can interfere. As I am one with God, I am now one with my heart’s desire.
• I love everyone and everyone loves me. My apparent enemy becomes my friend, a golden link in the chain of my good.
• Happy surprises come to me each day. “I look with wonder at that which is before me.”
• I am now deluged with the happiness that was planned for me in the Beginning. My barns are full, my cup flows over with joy.
• I am awake to my good, and gather in the harvest of endless opportunities.
• I give thanks for my permanent happiness, my permanent health, my permanent wealth, my permanent love.
• The Divine Plan of my life now takes shape in definite, concrete experiences leading to my heart’s desire.
• I do not limit God by seeing limitations in myself. With God and myself all things are possible.
• God is my unfailing and immediate supply of all good.
• I call on the law of forgiveness. I am free from mistakes and the consequences of mistakes. I am under grace and not under karmic law.
• What God has done for others He can do for me and more!
• I do not resist this situation. I put it in the hands of Infinite Love and Wisdom. Let the Divine idea now come to pass.
• I know there is nothing to defeat God, therefore, there is nothing to defeat me.
• God works in unexpected places, through unexpected people, at unexpected times, His wonders to perform.