It’s that time of year when expectations seem to mount. The Holiday Season is quickly approaching, family members are voicing their expectations of you, there’s a big sale at Sears you want to take advantage of and you just found out you have three Christmas parties booked the same evening. Match all these ‘extra’ demands with the demands of an already busy life and you may feel like you are out of breath.
So what do you do, how can you keep your sanity with all the additional demands this season seems to impose. It is meant to be a time of celebration and joy and yet as you look around you, you’re not sure there is a whole lot of that going around! Time to shift gears.
A Resilience Check-In
Here’s an opportunity to take your pulse and assess just how you are doing. You can do so by measuring your resilience, your ability to bounce back in response to added responsibility or adversity and not become overwhelmed. Take a look at the following statements and give yourself a score from 1, I strongly disagree to 5, I strongly agree.
| I remind myself every day of the things I have accomplished. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I am able to take things in stride and remain calm in most circumstances. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I have the ability to handle a number of different things at the same time. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I have a strong sense of what my priorities are and put these first. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I know when to say ‘NO’ and stick to my guns, even when others may not like my answer. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I am able to laugh at myself and circumstances when things don’t go as planned. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I have a strong sense of my core values and purpose, engaging these to guide me through each day. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| I am resourceful and can find my way out of most difficult situations. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Add up your score – you will have a range for 8 to 40. While this is not a scientifically valid questionnaire, you can use your score to understand the degree to which you are handling the demands of your life. A score close to 8 suggests you are approaching overwhelm, perhaps feeling frantic, fatigued or even postponing the things that need to be done. A score close to 40 suggests you are dealing with the day to day easily and effortlessly and coasting into the holiday season. Most of us will most likely score mid-range.
This is not a diagnostic, just a notice, and as you notice where you fall, let me offer you some strategies for managing the approaching holiday season in a way that will assure you that Joy and Celebration care the main theme.
Holiday ‘Sanity’ Tips:
- At the end of the day, bring your attention to all the things you accomplished during the day. You may notice that your habit is the opposite, focusing on what you did not get done. Stop that!
- Give yourself time during the day to come up for air – that may mean sitting at your desk and taking a few deep breaths, closing your eyes for a short meditation or going for a 10 minute walk.
- Be planful. Look at your days and make sure you identify your priorities. These are your big rocks. Once these are achieved, other things fall easily into place.
- When you are faced with decisions regarding your time and various commitments during the holiday season and the upcoming weeks, let your intuition guide you. Say NO to what does not serve you. This will make your YES’s much more powerful.
- Learn to laugh at yourself over the innocent mistakes. Little damage is done in most cases and laughing goes a long way to disperse any negative energy.
- Take some time to identify your core values. Your values are the guiding principles by which you choose to live. They help you to say NO and to choose the direction in which you want to move.
- Simplify – attend fewer events and buy fewer gifts. Focus on the meaning of the season.
The holiday season can be challenging or easy – the choice is really yours. Make this your best holiday season ever by making perfect choices for you. Pass this gift along to others.
Until next time,
Betty