Guest Blogger Erika Oliver, MPA, gives a good lesson in how to relax and enjoy the holidays more by getting rid of the "crap" that holds up back.
Whether you embrace the magic of Christmas, are kin to the
Grinch, or fall somewhere in between, the holiday season brings many
opportunities for both stress and joy. It's easy to get caught up in the stress
but often hard to tap into the joy. Holiday "crap" -- obligations,
deadlines, expectations -- can make the season more stressful than joyful.
Don't despair. You can cut the crap and enjoy the season by
choosing your perspective, deciding what you want to focus on, and taking
action to avoid or relieve the holiday pressure.
1. Cut the crap by sharing three good things.
Share three good things about the day or season before you even think about
complaining. The most common words during the holiday season are
"busy", "stressed", and "tired". Throw the
negative words into your mental back seat and replace them with words of
gratitude.
2. Cut the crap by revising, replacing or removing
traditions that no longer serve you. A child asks his mother why they cut off
the end of the holiday ham and the mother says, "Because that's the way my
mother did it." The child asks the grandmother, who says the same thing.
When asked, the great-grandmother says, "Because the ham wouldn't fit in
the pan!" Maybe it's time to recheck traditions and routines to be sure
they still fit, have the same meaning they once did, or produce the intended
results. If you are doing something that creates tension, cut the crap by
revising, replacing or removing something that no longer serves you.
3. Cut the crap by creating a holiday exit strategy.
Prepare for a positive finish to the holiday season. Decide what experiences
are important for you and how you want to feel when the season is over. If you
don't want to be tired, broke and stressed, then make a plan to end the season
with energy, joy and financial well-being.
4. Cut the crap by taking your eyes off your plate.
Holiday negativity festers in a closed environment. Stress can cause us to
isolate ourselves emotionally and physically, so cut the crap by reaching out.
The holidays are the perfect time to take your eyes off your own plate and look
to fill those of others.
5. Cut the crap by dousing the flames of negativity.
Firefighters teach people to "stop, drop, and roll" if their clothes
catch on fire. The same strategy works to cut the tendency to focus on the
negative and miss the positive. When you feel tension, stop what you are doing,
drop your negative feelings and roll into appreciation of the moment. Go back
to step one and share three good things about the day, moment or season with
someone to tap into the positivity of the season.
Happy Holidays to one and all.
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As a positive communication coach, business consultant, and
author of the award-winning Three Good Things: Happiness Every Day, No Matter
What! and Three Good Things: A Coloring Book for Everyone! and now Happy Crap:
The Power of Positive Assumptions, Erika Oliver, MPA, helps people, teams, and
organizations find their "happy." She uses the principles detailed in
her books to help people and organizations choose a positive approach.
Before focusing on spreading the happy kind of crap, Oliver
consulted with businesses of all shapes and sizes to build teams and share
their positive messages with the world. Oliver has taught at a community
college in business and communication and addresses audiences that are ready
for business -- personal or professional -- as unusual.
To learn more about this recovering pessimist's positive
communications approach, please visit Oliver's web site http://erikaoliver.com
