Finding Balance During the Holidays
No, this blog post isn't late. True, Thanksgiving is past, but Christmas is just around the corner. After Thanksgiving, the whirlwind of activities really seems to thrust into full gear. I can't think of any time of year that I need balance more than during the holidays!
Let's consider Thanksgiving our warm-up. Though not nearly as hectic as Christmas, it has some of the same elements: meal preparation, decorating, getting together with family. Evaluate the positive and negative. What did you do right? What do you wish you had done differently? Did you begin preparations too late? Did you concentrate so much on the activities that you didn't enjoy the people? Was there interpersonal conflict that you'd like to avoid at future gatherings? Did you eat too much? Did you cook too much? We watched Rachel Ray prepare Thanksgiving dinner in 60 minutes! It doesn't have to be a three day cooking extravaganza, unless you want it to be.
OK, you've figured out the good, the bad and the ugly. Now you're ready to set goals and develop an action plan that accentuates the positive and minimizes the negative. Choose what is most important to you and concentrate on that this holiday. Do you want to avoid the Christmas Eve shopping rush? Shop for 1/4 of your presents each Saturday, beginning December 1. Is there a change you want to make in your holiday rotation with relatives? Discuss your thoughts with family members this week. Is there a holiday tradition you want to pass along to your children? Start this Christmas.
If you keep doing things the same way you've always done them, you'll get the same result. Different outcomes require different actions, which means you'll have to make some changes. Once you assess your holiday and decide what your priorities are, you'll be able to set reasonable goals and implement a realistic action plan for a more enjoyable, more balanced holiday season.
While you're here, feel free to share your holiday frustrations and we'll brainstorm some action plans. Do you have the holidays down to a science? Share your strategies for a balanced holiday! You may have just the solution someone needs!
Here's to a balanced holiday season!
Janey