The holiday season is upon us, and though it is touted as the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” it can become a time of elevated expectations, stress, and strife. The lines are clogged at the malls and grocery stores, everyone’s in a rush, and patience runs thin. It is, for many, the most stressful time of year.
It is immediately followed by mounting pressure to make New Year’s Resolutions, which are carefully selected to make this coming year the best yet.
All are admirable goals, yet so many of us become disappointed and frustrated by the holiday rush/crush, and the pressure to reach self-actualization by the following year.
Let it all go.
This season, let it go (at the risk of sounding like my 4 year old, who STILL loves Frozen). Keep it simple, and focus on the things that truly matter most to you, for your situation, in your life. Take a little time-out before the season spins into full swing, and identify the things that are most important- and make sure those things happen. Let the rest of it go- I give you permission (not that you needed it). Find happiness in your life as it is today, rather than hoping the “Perfect Christmas” with all the perfectly selected gifts, the perfect Christmas brunch, followed by the perfect Christmas dinner, with the perfect iPod playlist, and the perfect New Year’s Resolutions aimed towards making 2018 the Perfect Year…let’s just stop while we’re ahead.
I mean, really…I still have easter egg decorations out, my son’s decorations from his summertime birthday party, and my Thanksgiving turkey tray (though clean) on the table. Maybe I will get that stuff put away (I mean, seriously…it’s December), and I’ll pull out some Christmas decorations in the next week or so.
My goals for this holiday season?
I want to sip hot cocoa by the fireplace while it snows softly outside.
I want to make snow angels with my kids.
I want to get snowed in up in the mountains, or maybe escape to the City for a few days with my family (I wish my whole, large, extended family could be there).
I want to watch my kids open some gifts.
I want to wake up next to my cute hubby to start our new year.
New Year’s Resolution? We’ll see.
xoxo
