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I've been approached and beseeched a lot recently for happiness tips for the holidays. (Beseeched is my fun word of the day.) I'm giving programs, writing columns and blogs, and I have still more to share on the de-stressing topic.
One of my college accounting professors gave this bit of advice the night before a test: Go to a movie.
He said to relax and not worry about it. He reminded us that we know the stuff and a test day is actually a good day, not a work day; it is simply a review. His name was Mr. Goodman, and he was a good man.
Today I am taking the name Mrs. GoodWoman, and I am here to tell you to relax. The holidays are not a test.
No one will grade you on how many cookies you baked (or if you baked at all), how you decorated your house, the gifts you selected, if you wrapped or used gift bags, if you did holiday cards in rhyme, if you hosted parties or attended parties or avoided parties, if you cooked for 20 or bought a ready-made meal for one, or apprenticed yourself directly to the North Pole.
No grades. No gold stars. No pass or fail.
No judgment.
Relax. Go to a movie.
The holidays are not a work day. It is supposed to be a time of review, to take stock of what you know to be important, like friends and family and time in front of a fire. A time to eat, drink, and be merry. A time to TAKE TIME OUT from the rat race to be jolly, not add more laps to the race.
The season will come and go whether you "do it all" or not.
Pick and choose what activities you want to do.
Be radical this year. Do what brings YOU joy, not what you think is expected of you.
I beseech you.
Words to Ponder:
I do beseech you, sir, have patience. Your looks are pale and wild and do import Some misadventure.
(Quoting Shakespeare brings me joy.)
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What brings me Joy lately....
