I am having the hardest time getting back into it. I know. It’s just January 3. But I couldn’t wait until January 2nd for life to get back to normal.
Why do The Holidays take so much out of you? It seems like no one over the age of 21 likes them; everyone grumbles “Ugh. I can’t wait til The Holidays are over;” I hear a lot of “Next year I’m going away for the holidays and I am NOT coming back til the new year.” Most people don’t end up doing that. But the sentiment is there.
When did this negative feeling become the norm? Is this just an American thing? Do people in other countries complain about The Holidays as much as we do?
There are a lot of variables to The Holidays that cause much stress. Here’s what makes me grumble. (Actually, my list of have-to presents has diminished quite a bit because it was just getting out of hand: presents for family/extended family/inlaws/friends/hair stylist/the entire neighborhood/delivery people (mail, newspaper, and any Amazon employee).
My one and only gripe about The Holidays: Life is not normal for about 2 weeks – meals are different, gym schedule is different, the sudden rush to see a midweek matinee, exhaustion, and mainly, the brakes that halt any progress on my goals and ambitions. That’s what gets to me the most. It’s as if I’m watching another person living my life in another universe. This is not me. Who is this?
And this is why I am not a fan of the holidays. I just want to be my everyday me.
So what do we do about this next year to avoid complaining and grumbling and not spending a fortune on a resort vacation?
- Start with some positivity. Think about your favorite holiday memories. Be aware of the feelings you have while you think of them. How can you duplicate these feelings next time?
- The brain tends to focus on the negative rather than the positive. So be kind and do something for yourself that makes you feel good, rather than grumpy.
- Hard as it may be, try to minimize the amount of time spent on social media. Seeing others having the so-called time of their lives can only make you feel more depressed and “less-than”. Do Steps 1 and 2 first and see how you feel having done that before hitting IG, Twitter, or FB.
- Volunteer or give to others. When you see the joy in their faces in reaction to your giving, there’s nothing more soul-filling than that.
I will be the first to follow these steps next year. In fact, I’m going to start them now. Maybe by next year I won’t be Queen Grinch at The Holidays.
Please join me in this important step toward positivity. And please send updates on how it’s going. I would love to hear from you. (Another step toward positivity.)
🙂
Happy 2020.
Debbie Gerbec
secondhalftransitions.com
