Editors Note: Do you ever feel like we are losing touch with those we love thanks to our obsession with all things web and social media related?  When was the last time you called someone to say “hello” instead of texted them?  With the holiday season in full swing there is no better time to get reconnected with the people you love and after reading this article we are sure you will be inspired to do just that.  Want to go one step further and embrace the giving spirit of the season? We have just the place for you to do that! ~Nitika~

The early days of winter are my favorite. The sensation of cold on my skin is surprising and exciting, as if I had never known winter. I inhale the moment through my nose and breathe out its visibility with consciousness and joy.

In deciding which Out & About hot spots I would discuss in this article to kick off winter, I started brainstorming about what I enjoy doing around the holidays. Very quickly, I realized that it’s never been about where I am, but rather who I am with and the intangible space of ease and laughter between us. In honor of that intuitive realization on my end, I want to explore how we can spend this month reconnecting with our “who” crew instead of focusing on the “what” and “where” questions.

Gratitude, why not now?

‘Tis the season to express our gratitude for what we have in our lives, most importantly for who we have in our lives. When was the last time you actively reached out to family and friends to thank them, for the big reasons, for the small details, for the brilliance in between? I’m talking about more than a fleeting “thanks” which pops out of your mouth by habit. I’m referencing that deep-down-know-it-in-your-toes Love that is born from genuine gratitude.

Last year I took on a 30-letters-in-30-days project and wrote one letter per day to the people I appreciate. The journey was so moving for me as I became increasingly aware of how blessed I am to be surrounded by such great Love. The experiment lasted well beyond the intended 30 days as I kept thinking of more and more people I wanted to thank.

Try it. One phone call. One letter. One email. One effort at gratitude will transform your day and the recipient’s.

It’s not too late.

We’ve all lost touch with people we once cared about for one reason or another. The days, weeks, and months pass by, growing into years. I know we may tell ourselves that it’s “too late” to reach out to so-and-so after all that time has elapsed. But really, who created this “too late” concept anyway?

Picking up the phone in a perceived “too late” scenario can seem overwhelming and out of the question. But more often than not the fear is much greater than the actual act, a doubt built upon a story line we have spun in our heads that may not even be true. I’m not telling you to right all the wrongs you can find in your little black book, but I do encourage you to just start with one. Bridging the gap will let you cross over into uncharted territory you never would have known otherwise.