Glenn Beck, an NLP Reframe, an NLP Presupposition, Christmas, and me.

It was 1 a.m. on December 14, 2010, I am watching TV in bed trying to decide whether to stay awake and watch Glenn Beck, or go to sleep. Imagine my surprise when his show began with him being challenged trying to open a carton of creamer for home made hot cocoa. Now I am intrigued!
Where are the chalk boards at the back of his set filled up with all the topics he would like to enlighten America on? They are blank. Instead, he has food, books, and a variety of other products laid out on a table in front of the audience. Is he going to do an Oprah style give-away? I’m staying up to watch this!
For my readers that are not familiar with Glenn Beck, he is a late night newscaster on the Fox network, a nationally syndicated talk-radio host, author, entrepreneur, and a conservative political commentator. The following is a quote from Wikipedia about his reputation. “Beck's array of media outlets have brought him wealth and popularity, along with recurring controversy and criticism. His supporters praise him as a constitutional stalwart defending traditional American values from secular progressivism, while his critics contend he promotes conspiracy theories and employs incendiary rhetoric for ratings.” [1]
Personally? I enjoy his show. It is filled with information that is not generally saw on other networks. Glenn Beck connects certain dots on companies, people, and government, and presents how it may be considered peculiar. He asks over and over again to not accept his opinion and to do your own research. I respect that.
Some of the comments I’ve heard in the past on Oprah’s Winfrey’s favorite things episode, is the products she presented were out of reach for most viewers budgets. I was hoping Glenn Beck would not be in that category too. He did not disappoint me. In fact, he impressed me.
The whole theme of his show was getting back to the basics of Christmas, giving without expectation, and especially, giving from the heart. The true gift of love as Glenn shared is between living beings. When you sincerely love someone, you want to give to them. His analogy is you cannot love a pizza, you do not give to it, it gives to you as you eat it.
In Hebrew language, the word love is broken down to mean ‘to give’, ‘I give’, and ‘love’. It is accepted that the process of giving, will flourish the bond between the giver and receiver, and a husband and wife. The more giving that is done for one and other, the greater the connection. Without giving, it is believed the connection will not be sustained.
What an incredibly beautiful way to view the word love from a different perspective. I always knew it was impossible to feel love from an intangible item such as a couch, coffee table, or new car, yet to have it described that it is not love since I cannot give to it, provided an incredible aha moment. The true key to love, is the ability to give.
One of his most appealing ideas he shared on the concept of giving was teaching the younger generation how to pay privilege forward. The last couple of years, his family contributes to a spare change jar, not for themselves, for a friend or stranger in need. Throughout the year it is filled up, and a week before Christmas, given to a family anonymously by leaving it on their doorstep. His children now thrive on knowing they helped another family who fell on rough times with their random act of kindness. As Glenn suggested, if you are in a comfortable position, top it up with a bonus bill or two.
The idea which I was able to utilize immediately for my Christmas shopping was that of searching for old books. Not 10 years old as you would find at a used book store, true treasures you can only find at an authentic antique store. For the history enthusiast, a pre 1930 book will provide a much different viewpoint than that of a modern book distorted with todays political agendas. Perhaps a classic children’s book to bring back memories and share with their own kids, or grandchildren. An original Gone With The Wind, or Shakespearian plays in a leather casing. Many possibilities were beginning to fill up my thoughts for those on my shopping list.
What was most fantastic about this concept of antique store shopping was not many people had the same agenda; the stores were sadly empty. Easy for me to carry forth with my mission and go on a treasure hunt. Three antique stores later, my Christmas list was had been completed.
I found a New York Times book full of top news articles from 1920-1955, a photo book of top news stories for 50 years, a memoir of the first seven astronauts that flew around the moon, a 1920 original Bambi, a 1914 book for women and nutrition, a 1934 book describing a Chinese Emperor, a book describing the history of golf, and a book on how to be a successful family from 1974. In my wildest dreams, I would not have believed these books would have touched all of the people so dearly to whom I gifted them to.
For an average of $4.00 a book, I was able to give an extremely memorable item. Everyone who received from me filled me up tenfold with their gratitude, and shock of how did I know? Sincerely? I didn’t. It was a crap shoot. However, I did take the time to think about the person, what were their hobbies, what age were they, and will they be able to relate to what is inside the book. I chose to take the time to give from my heart, and not the latest fad item at a high end store. My gifts this year weren’t empty and with that, I too became filled.
My best gift this holiday season? Listening to my instinct while chuckling over a man on TV struggling to open a creamer, and show that he really does have a soft side to him. Glenn Beck reframed my views on Christmas this year, and I will be forever grateful. He reminded me how I too, can do the best I can with the resources I have, an NLP Presupposition, and make it wonderful.
Thank you Glenn Beck, you made my Christmas, and personal views, return back to the true spirit of giving. I will be forever grateful.