Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the holidays. Specifically I've been thinking about my bad attitude toward them. I've stated somewhere on my blog that I'm a bit of a Bah Humbug when it comes to the holidays. That I dislike all the stress, the hustle bustle and the sense of obligation that comes along with this time of year. I found myself grumbling about this a lot in recent weeks and I was actually dreading the holidays. How sad is that?
But then Thanksgiving came and you know what... It was AWESOME! Amazing even. The day went very smoothly. And I didn't feel harried, rushed or stressed at all. I felt happy. And peaceful. And full of joy. And then I remembered that I felt this way last year, too. How come I forgot about that? How come I only remember all the years when I did feel overwhelmed and stressed out? Because really, if I think about it, I seem to remember that the last few Thanksgivings have been really nice. Aha!
So, I spent yesterday thinking about why this is. And I think I figured it out. Sure I've eliminated some of the "extras" and tweaked some of the essentials to make things a bit less stressful. And I think that did help some. But, I've done that in previous years as well. What I think has made all the difference is that this year I have not gotten caught up in what I call The Christmas Crazies. I haven't done any significant Christmas shopping yet. And I'm not getting all stressed when people ask me if I've FINISHED my shopping. In the past I would get caught up in that frenzied state of mind. In a post I wrote last week about being annoyed with nonstop Christmas music before Thanksgiving, I joked about getting through savoring my holidays one at a time. Well, you know what? I think I was on to something. Taking the holidays one at a time and just being present for each one makes me happier. There, I said it. I'm happy. And it's almost Christmas. I don't feel stressed, overwhelmed or resentful at all. This just might be a Christmas miracle.
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16 comments:
I understand this from experience - attitude adjustment.
Many days I look upon my body as a burden. Having left sided weakness from stroke makes the body feel heavy especially if I've been sitting for a while.
One day my friend G. told me that I might want to adjust my thinking and look upon my body as a blessing because I'm still here and completely independent. I'm not there yet, but when I get there it will definitely be a miracle. Kudos for adjusting your attitude.
Enjoy the holidays!
Pam got her holiday groove back! Woo hoo!
I understand what you mean, Pam!
And I'm glad you're feeling the holiday spirit.
We all understand how you feel. When I looked at my calendar this week and realized I have something scheduled for EVERY night I started to panic and thought I'd cancel plans to attend two holiday parties. Then I thought...why should I do that? I deserve a little fun and diversion from the craziness. And so do you....so try to take it easy, or as they come, and enjoy.
Yay! :-) I hope you continue to enjoy the holiday season :-)
Pass some of that over to me, okay?
Not being stressed about the holiday? Right up there with turning water into wine, if you ask me!
Stopping by from SITS! Have a terrific Monday.
I am loving your attitude. I get stressed when people ask me about the shopping too.
I enjoyed a nice leisurely holiday weekend as well. It couldn't have been nicer. :)
That's a good idea. I have to remember the reason why we celebrate the holidays, and it makes a difference!
Ah, I really needed to read this today, Pam. I'm feeling somewhat stressed and overwhelmed by all I have to do for Christmas, while I'm trying to recover from Thanksgiving (we had a very nice but exhausting trip to see family). Thanks for the reminder to drop the stress and focus on the important stuff!
Sue
Amen, sister! You are so right! I think taking each holiday one at a time is the key to enjoying the holidays and of course remembering why we're even celebrating to begin with. I can't stand when my mom calls me in August and starts harping on what we're doing about Thanskgiving. Let me get through Halloween and then we'll talk, kwim?
Glad you've found your holiday spirit! I think you have the right frame of mind!
It's so hard to get into the holiday spirit! But once you get it, it's so much fun!
Good for you! I think it is so difficult for us not to get caught up in the competition of life. I try to let it roll off me. That is one negative of blogs, I think. We can see photographic evidence that everyone else seems to be "better" at being domestic than us. But, I moved furniture around all day and I can promise you, nobody but nobody is better at making dust bunnies than me:)
What a timely read for me. Hi, Pam. Found you through BPOTWeek where I had a post, as well. "Decking the Halls.". It's 3:00 a.m. here in California and I'm wide awake. Why? Because I've got so much going on in my head about everything I have yet to do for Christmas! Clearly, I need to take your advice. Good read. I'll be back. Oh, my favorite book of the year -- The Help. Couldn't put it down. - Jayne
I believe you're onto something there!
The Christmas Crazies horrify and exhaust me! But this year I have my two little grandsons living next door so maybe some of the magic will return.
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