​By Eliana Barriga
Publisher and Managing Editor for The Retail Observer

An article by Zdravko Cvijetic shared the idea that, “We don’t need to add things — we need to give up some of them.” This following excerpt from his article illustrates this profound concept:

• Give Up The Short-Term Mindset — Successful people set long-term goals, and they know they need to develop short-term daily habits. They shouldn’t be something you do; they should be something you embody.
• Give Up Playing Small — If you never take great opportunities or allow your dreams to become realities, you will never unleash your true potential. “Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you.” – Marianne Williamson.
• Give Up Your Excuses — It’s not about the cards you’re dealt, but how you play the hand. Successful people know that they are responsible for their life; no matter their starting point, weaknesses, or past failures. Own your life; no one else will.
• Give Up The Fixed Mindset — People think their intelligence or talents alone creates success — without effort. They’re wrong. Successful people know this and invest an immense amount of time on a daily basis to develop a ‘growth mindset’ to benefit their lives.
• Give Up Your Perfectionism — Fear of failure (or even fear of success) often prevents us from taking action and putting our creation out there in the world. But a lot of opportunities will be lost if we wait for everything to be perfect.
• Give Up The Toxic People in Your Life — Take a look at around you and see if you need to make any changes. Make sure the people you spend the most time with are enriching your life. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn.

Cvijetic states, “Life isn’t always easy, especially if your heart yearns to be doing things differently. It may seem hard at first to take the plunge–committing to being the greatest version of you; truly living your life how you envision it, will be the best decision you will ever make.”

Time to start subtracting!
Eliana Barriga
[email protected]

Well, we’ve made it through Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday— and Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas and New Year’s are yet to come. The holidays can bring hope, joy, stress, and the inevitable shopping credit card debt.

Holiday shopping can be a crazy scene; to be uprooted from family, food and football, just to stand in lines longer than those at Disneyland to get that incredible advertised deal. Yes, the holiday spirit is in the air—but is this what the holidays have come to?

I hope we haven’t forgotten the true reason of the season. It’s time to ask ourselves, “What is the true meaning of our holidays?” We personally carry on our holiday traditions through storytelling and rituals that bind us together and create family traditions that we pass on to the next generation. We celebrate our cultural history. While growing up, I understood the reasons we celebrated and what the true history of the celebration was. Today, many seem to celebrate Easter and Christmas on a level that has no relevance to their true meanings.

What is a Holy Day and what is a Hallmark holiday? Sure, retail sales go up and the economy flourishes, but what was the original intent of the remembrance? I was raised with the belief that giving was more important than receiving. The act of giving should be an expression of the heart as opposed to the need to buy an obligatory gift. We took care in making sure we handled ourselves in a courteous manner and would never do harm to anyone or anything (except the Turkey) in creating our holiday atmosphere. If you couldn’t afford to give gifts, you made them. If you couldn’t afford the big dinner, you came together potluck style. Everyone joined together and celebrated the true meaning of the holiday.

It’s time to get back to basics. Let’s talk about family and bringing back the values that make a difference in the world by starting at home with the ones you love. Again, this isn’t about the religion or the holiday, it’s about the truths and teachings. They have been held sacred in the past; let’s keep our traditions rich and meaningful for the future.

Joyous holidays to you and your families,
​Moe Lastfogel
[email protected]