Let’s face it, stress, anxiety, and overwhelm will creep up on us at some point or another as we plan and prepare for the family Christmas celebration.
Will Aunt Helen like the scarf I bought her? Did I remember to send the gift card to our niece Susan in college? What if I have too many gifts for my son and not enough for my daughter? Uh-oh…stuffed stockings!!!
Regardless of how soon we start preparing to have a quiet and peaceful holiday, the countdown to the last week before Christmas can drive us crazy! Our minds run through a mental checklist…because we want it to be PERFECT!
Does this ring a bell? It’s too familiar to me! But why do we do this to ourselves? How perfect do you have to be to be successful? What are the criteria and who is judging?
The truth is that we predispose ourselves to all negative emotions because we judge ourselves based on criteria that are not defined. Can we really measure the happiness and joy we experience based on the perfect wrappers or even the gifts inside?
Of course, the answer is no! However, until we learn to do better, we are somehow instinctively pushed out of our love for our children and family to try to provide them with nothing less than the BEST. And to make it the best it can be, whether it’s preparing the most amazing food, fulfilling all your requests to Santa, or making sure every gift is exquisitely wrapped and covered with the perfect bow, we’re willing to do whatever it takes. The problem is that this search for the perfect vacation experience comes at a price. Sleepless nights, overwhelmed days just to name a couple. And in the end we have lost the joy.
This Christmas, as we enter the countdown phase, join me as I vow to let go of the need for perfection and turn our focus to the love and joy that surrounds us. The frills of decorations and material gestures are just that…a means to add to the celebration of such a blessed day. Put more energy into enjoying this special day with your loved ones as a participant instead of a producer! Adjust your criteria of what constitutes “Best” and focus on JOY!
This Christmas feel the love and share your joy… after all, what could be more perfect than that?
