Santa Claus is coming to town!!!
He’s making a list, He’s checking it twice,
He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town…..so do you have you Christmas list done… and are you checking it twice?
Many people stress about Christmas and there’s really no need. I know that’s easy for me to say – Christmas never stresses me cus Becky does it all. But putting that aside for a moment – we all know how to get through Christmas. After-all, most of us have done it 20, 30, 40 times before.
Keep making the same old mistakes?
If Christmas, or any other time of year for that matter, keeps getting you down, then maybe you’re doing it wrong! Or maybe not wrong as much as inefficiently. What are the lessons to be learnt, so you don’t keep making the same mistakes year in year out. One of the things I learnt as a nurseryman, growing flowers for a living, was that people make the same hanging basket mistakes every spring time. I think, just like Christmas, that they do it once a year and they don’t learn what works and what doesn’t.
The other pressure that people feel is the expectation of others. Yet, it seems, looking in from the outside, it’s actually unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves that cause us the most stress.
So what’s the answer Santa?
Well that’s the $64,000 question, that everyone wants the answer to. The answer to all questions really is to KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid!!! Any time you’re stressed you need to take a breathe and look at the problem/ pressure in a relaxed frame of mind. This will allow you to make good decisions. Prioritise your steps – which means making a list and writing it down. If it’s in your head it’s an idea, normally a fantasy. If it’s on paper, well now it’s a plan.
Start with the thing you least want to do – it’s probably the most important and what you’ve been putting off. Decide when each task needs doing by, and be realistic. Setting realistic, achievable goals helps to improve confidence, as you tick each thing off as it’s done. Making unrealistic goals, which you don’t then meet, drains and disappoints you, which erodes confidence.
Last thing – do something productive now – right now – this very minute. The longer we leave it the harder it is to do. Get up, grab a pencil and make some notes, but do it now. You’ll feel better for making a start and Facebook will still be there when you’ve finished.
Have an amazing Christmas time and enjoy the whole Christmas period – even the santa planning!!!
Love and peace.
Paul :O)
