- by Jaime Willis
"As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December's bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same."
- Donald E. Westlake
Ah! The holidays are upon us. In DC, students celebrated Friday as their last day of school for two weeks. The stores are packed with last minute shoppers. The roads and skies are full of folks traveling to the next holiday gathering. In all of this hustle and bustle, there are so many reasons to be stressed and upset--traffic is backed up, your flight is delayed, the perfect gift is sold out, your family is hard to handle, the weight is packing back on as fast as your bank account is dwindling, the list goes on. Maybe now is the time to re-frame and prime so you can ENJOY the season.
There are lots of ways to "Etch-a-Sketch" the holiday stress and focus on the positives.
1) 
Be Thankful. You may be scowling at the thought of having to listen to one more political rant from your Uncle John or pre-emptively popping the tylenol because your sister's kids have only one setting: LOUD. Instead, be thankful. Be thankful that your family is alive right now to bother you. Be thankful you live in a country where political ranting is protected speech (at least protected under the law--Uncle John may still get a biscuit thrown at his head!) Enjoy their quirkiness. Another blogger I read recently wrote her mantra is "This. Is. It." This is the only life we have, and this is the only moment that is guaranteed. Enjoy it! (At right is me and my nephew having fun with the camera.)
Be Thankful. You may be scowling at the thought of having to listen to one more political rant from your Uncle John or pre-emptively popping the tylenol because your sister's kids have only one setting: LOUD. Instead, be thankful. Be thankful that your family is alive right now to bother you. Be thankful you live in a country where political ranting is protected speech (at least protected under the law--Uncle John may still get a biscuit thrown at his head!) Enjoy their quirkiness. Another blogger I read recently wrote her mantra is "This. Is. It." This is the only life we have, and this is the only moment that is guaranteed. Enjoy it! (At right is me and my nephew having fun with the camera.)
2) Be Forgiving (and For Giving). I took a supershuttle from the airport 45 minutes to my house last night. Every five minutes, the van spit out a monotonal beeping noise for 30 full seconds warning the driver of some critical required repair. For those of you who know me, beeping noises are my kryptonite. I plugged in my iPod and cranked my music, but I could still hear the beeps throughout the drive. I started crafting my complaint email in my head while deciding how little I would tip the driver for such an awful ride. And then, I stopped. The driver's job is hard enough on a normal day, much less with a full vanload of people during the traffic rush. And, he's had to listen to that beeping not just for one ride, but for the entire day! Putting myself in the driver's shoes allowed me to forgive him for his beeping van and also made me tip him extra for his trouble. Forgiving and giving also helped my own attitude!
3)
Be Kind. How quickly we get enraged when a driver cuts us off or the person in front of us in line is insufferably slow. Just as easily, however, we can spread love and joy. Try smiling as you walk down the street, or sincerely wishing the cashier a happy holiday. Try laughing when the wait is long. Try making a silly face at the screaming kid in the restaurant. Being kind boosts your own spirit, but is also contagious. Share the love!
Be Kind. How quickly we get enraged when a driver cuts us off or the person in front of us in line is insufferably slow. Just as easily, however, we can spread love and joy. Try smiling as you walk down the street, or sincerely wishing the cashier a happy holiday. Try laughing when the wait is long. Try making a silly face at the screaming kid in the restaurant. Being kind boosts your own spirit, but is also contagious. Share the love!
4) Take a Breather. Remember that the holidays are not all about breaking the bank to give the perfect gift or making the perfect dessert or even being the perfect hostess or guest. Take a quiet moment to yourself and just breathe. Being perfect isn't the goal. Enjoy the moment for what it is -- imperfections and all. It is a tradition at our house to enjoy a cup of tea while listening to the story "A Cup of Christmas Tea" after our Christmas brunch.
5) Help Someone Else. I used to watch
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition all the time, and it never failed to make me tear up watching an entire town come together to make a family's dreams come true. I read a story about the show recently that really brought the point home. The night before the family was to come home, there are hundreds of people in the house doing everything from painting to landscaping. Most are volunteers from various local charities. When a young woman from "Make a Wish" sidled up to the production staff in a room, they put her right to work painting. After spending most of the evening working with her, they discovered that the woman wasn't from the "Make a Wish" foundation, but a "Make a Wish" recipient with Stage-4 Leukemia. Even in this young woman's darkest hour, she chose to use her "wish" to help others. We should all make an effort to help someone else -- give your time, your resources, or your money and enjoy the gift of giving. (story hat tip: Reddit)
Happy Holidays!
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In the spirit of the season, we have decided to give as well. On Saturday, January 8, 2011, we are doing a five-hour New Year's Resolution Goal Setting Workshop Extravaganza in Washington DC. And we are doing it for 60% off our normal 3-hour workshop price. There are only 60 seats and at $20/seat, they are going to go quickly, so sign up today!
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