And more is never enough.

I don’t intend to get into a war of sexes game here by claiming that men “should” do more. My point is that The Big Holiday Question is an enemy of abundance. Anytime you are feeling overwhelmed with thoughts of all you “have to do” to prepare for dreaded upcoming holidays, you are not living in abundance. Driving yourself crazy with a massive holiday do-to list is a demonstration of lack rather than abundance.

Another Question

As a replacement for The Big Holiday Question, I offer you one of my favorite questions, “What is enough?” In another issue, I will tell why that question is so important to me. Right now, I offer you question to set you free from relentless demands of The Big Holiday Question, which never knows when to quit.

For example, instead of telling yourself that you have to bake ten kinds of holiday cookies, you could ask yourself, “What is enough?” You might decide that “enough” means baking only two kinds of Christmas cookies instead of ten. Or you could decide to skip baking cookies entirely this year. The question, “What is Enough?” changes equation. Instead of “trying” to do everything you think you “should,” you decide what enough means for you.

About time I began to notice The Big Holiday Question, I also made my own decision about holidays. I love holiday season. I love Christmas trees and sparkling lights. I love to buy presents for people I love. I decided that I would remain calm and peaceful in season, even if everyone else was going crazy around me. My own criterion for “What is enough?” question is, if I begin to feel even slightest bit frantic, I decide I have passed point of “Enough” into terrain of “Too Much.”

“Don’t worry about anything. Worrying never solved anything. All it does is distort your mind.” – Milton Garland

Enough

The truth is, feeling Abundantly Alive Now! never results from word “more.” This feeling results from word “enough.” Abundance means having enough to live joyously, calmly, and lovingly in present moment.

Ultimately, greatest harm done by The Big Holiday Question is that it diverts your attention from living fully in this moment and focuses it upon a future time. It is one thing to plan and prepare. It is another matter entirely to sacrifice only moment you have to live your life, which is this moment, to replace it with harried efforts to “Get ready for holidays.”

•Limit your bed activities to sleep and sex.

•If you cannot sleep – get up and do something until you can sleep.

•If worries are keeping you awake, try journaling – it may provide a way for you to “release” worry onto paper and thus relax and sleep.

There are natural supplements that can be tried. If you are a milk drinker, consider having a glass of warm milk. Milk when it is warm releases tryptophan, same substance that was in that Thanksgiving turkey that had you napping. On other hand, I recently read that warm milk also has substances that can keep you awake. Let your own body tell you what it likes about milk.

Other suggestions include valerian root, melatonin, passion flower and of course chamomile, catnip, anise or fennel teas. Some companies package teas in their own formulations for sleep, such as "Sleepy Time". Your local herbalist or health food store may also be able to give you suggestions. As with anything else, key to try different things and see what you respond to.

If none of these suggestions work, I would recommend following. First of all, see your see your health care provider to ensure there is nothing physical that needs to be attended to. Keep a sleep diary for 3 months with goal to see if there is some sort of pattern. Keep track of time you go to bed, awaken, how often you are awake and/or up at night. Are you tired when you awaken in morning? What time are you getting up? Is there something that is on your mind? Does any of this correlate with your cycles (if you still have them).

Use of sleeping medication is something that can sometimes be used to get your body back on track, but it's not for long term use, and should only be used when other remedies have been ineffective.