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Hi Ladies,
I don't know how you feel, but every year the holidays haunt my thoughts, starting in September. Thinking about the coming holidays gives me an ever-increasing, low-grade, generalized anxiety, as I ponder what I'll do, cook, bake, volunteer for, promise, commit to etc. this year.
Then I blissfully say to myself, "It's only September, you have plenty of time." The next thing I know it's a week before Thanksgiving, I haven't cleaned the house or made my grocery list, much less done the shopping, and I now have to face the onslaught of a crowd for the holidays. Once Thanksgiving comes, it's nonstop pandemonium until I collapse on New Year's exhausted and tapped out. It's become obvious to me that if I'm not going to become overwhelmed and overworked by the holidays this year, I'm going to have to plant my flag, stake my claim, and take back some of my power.
This year, I'm thinking about what I really want to do. What traditions I like, as well as what my family wants. I've had honest conversations about what I am willing to do, what I don't want to do, and where I need help.
This year I want everyone to enjoy being together after the past year and a half of separation, but I don't want to kill myself facilitating it. I've finally had to come to terms with some of the physical limitations that my aging body has put on my endurance and energy. Getting older is not for sissies.
There are some upsides; I'm no longer capable of martyring myself to the cause of the holidays! Thank goodness! My daughter, who adores Christmas, has taken over all the household decorations. And, this year I started planning early. A big part of my plan is putting three activities each week into my schedule, actually written on the calendar, for me, for rest and renewal.
Another thing— I created a journal and planner to help me sort through all my feelings, likes, dislikes, and holiday wishes. I created a planner sections separate from my daily calendar, just for the months of November and December. I printed it out and I keep it on the kitchen counter. I use it to jot down notes, catch inspiration, organize my lists, ( to-do, shop, clean, decorate, cook, travel, appointments, and more) helping me to spread the work out evenly over the weeks to come.
If you want this to be Your Happiest Holiday Season, you're going to have to use your considerable life experience, skills, and wisdom to do some serious planning. Then you can actively create your best holidays this year.
If you'd like to take a peek at my 45-page, two-month holiday journal, and planner
click on the link below.
If you want one, you can order one. After you download it to your device, you can type in it, or print it out, as I did —the whole shebang.
Let's plan to create our best holiday season yet. Time's too precious to waste being disorganized and stressed.
Namasté,
Dr. A.
P.S. Dr. A's Holiday Happiness Workshop is sold out! To grab the Journal/Planner click below.