Are those bells ringing in your ears a sign of holiday cheer or a sign of too much stress? Don't let this Holiday Season slip by in a blur of over scheduling. Commit to making changes -- one step at a time and you'll discover
gift of a more enjoyable year-end celebration. As you juggle complexities of work, home and family, here are 5 simple steps that may help you become as jolly as ol' St. Nick. 5. Develop an list of everything you would like to do THIS Holiday Season, then prioritize in order to get most amount of joy from limited amount of time you have to spend with family, friends and coworkers. Remember, this year's priorities may look different than those of holidays past!
4. Express gratitude. What a great time of year to thank all of those people who make your life worth living! Don't let hustle and bustle of season steal away your opportunity to be thankful for people, experiences and events (both good and bad) that made this year unique and memorable. If you're sending greeting cards, why not add a personalized message about why you are thankful for having recipient in your life.
3. Learn to say NO -- put YOU first sometimes. It's ok to say no! I repeat: it is ok to say NO! Schedule some "alone time" during holidays so you can reduce temptation to take on too many responsibilities that may cause a meltdown at worst possible moment.
2. Choose your battles wisely. As end of year quickly approaches, you may be pulled in too many directions and it may be impossible for you to attend every get together. Holidays are often full of over taxed emotions so, rather than succumbing to a confrontation, try to approach each situation as an opportunity to accommodate most important needs of those involved. Express your opinion about little things that are causing extra stress instead of hiding those emotions that may cause your temper to reach boiling point.
