Radio superstar Delilah, who has spoken out through music and comforting words to thousands of faithful listeners over the past five decades on the radio, had some advice for Newsmax watchers Saturday on how to handle the stresses of the holiday season.
"Well, I think a lot of the stress and difficulty comes from the expectations that we put on ourselves during the holidays," Delilah told "Saturday Report" host Rita Cosby. "We think everything has to be perfect.
"We think that the tree has to look a certain way, or we think we have to do all these traditions that we've done every year or whatever it is. And we put expectations on ourselves, and there's not enough of us to go around and we burn out."
That means people can't be present in the moment because they're too busy thinking of what needs to be done, she added.
"The No. 1 thing is to take those expectations off yourself," Delilah said. "Just take them off yourself."
Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah fall on the same day this year, which has happened only four times in the past century, she added.
"When you focus on the reason that we're celebrating and you stay present for your family and friends, you don't need to put all those expectations on yourself," Delilah added. "So you give yourself permission to just be in the moment instead of being everything to everyone. That's No. 1."
The No. 2 thing, she added is to "stop putting expectations on other people."
"When you go to family get-togethers or holidays, don't expect them to see things your way," she said.
"Don't expect them to believe like you believe or worship like you worship or vote like you vote, because that's not OK. Just let them be who they are."
And if someone tries engaging you in an argument or inflammatory discussion, Delilah added, "Remember the power of the polite 'no' and walk away."
Delilah said she's been playing a new Christmas song on her show, "Maybe This Christmas," which is a love song by Michael Buble and Carly Pearce, that focuses on respect.
"If we respect each other, we can love each other," she said. "We can have hope. We can share joy. Maybe this Christmas we can share the miracles of the season."
Delilah is celebrating her 50-year anniversary on the radio, after having started her career when she had just turned 14.
She said her role has always been to be someone who listens.
"Everybody needs to be heard," she said. "We need to be validated. We need to know we matter.
"And so it's not so much what I say on the air as it is the fact that I listen to what folks are saying to me and I give them a place, a space to be real, to be authentic, to be vulnerable. It's kind of like your hairdresser, you know, you're able to share from the heart."
Delilah added that she does her best to "shine the light of love of God into their heart, and say whatever it is you're going through, you will get through it. Just hold on for one more day."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE – See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.