This year I am going to change my strategy about the holidays. I am going to use a small mental trick to keep me focused on what really matters to me. I am going to spend some quality, private time thinking about how I want to feel after the holidays are over. In other words, I am going to pretend that it is January 2, 2011 and I am sitting on the couch. As I relive my treasured 2010 holidays, I am going to really take pleasure in all the festivities and family and friends time I enjoyed. I am going to congratulate myself on how this last holiday season turned out and really appreciate how I was less stressed and more relaxed than in years past. I am going to pat myself on the back for a holiday enjoyed with my family, where I was more present and loving every minute of it. And then I am going to invite my family to share in this new discovery and determine what they liked most.

This is such a great mental exercise to undertake. It is not very time consuming and it helps me stay focused on my desires. I can create my holiday plans in a different, more meaning way. Sometimes we need a new vision. We are often so mired in the details that we forget the big picture. And after all, it is the outcome of all our efforts that is important. We really can create wonderful holidays. We don’t have to be so stuck in getting it all done. We just need to paint a happy vision of the next 6 weeks and focus our thoughts toward that goal.

Cheers to all of you, and here’s to creating your best holiday season ever!

Becky