This year I am going to enjoy the holidays (there is a “dammit” buried in there somewhere, just for emphasis).  Shortly after my trip to Europe, before the high had even worn off, the holidays began to bear down on me.   Christmas trees before Halloween.  Inundation of holiday catalogs.  Thanksgiving logistics and free frozen turkeys.  The holiday tic was taking up residence near my left eye already.

I realized that I deserved something better.  Something better than the lengthy, and expensive, checklist that I usually slog my way through.  I’m shooting for something more along the lines of, “Thank God it’s Christmas”, rather than, “Thank God that’s over.”

Having been a coach since before it was a household word, I certainly know how to change things that aren’t working.  Time to kick in the formula:

AWARENESS + OUTCOME + ACTION = RESULT

Awareness was in the form of my bah-humbug attitude about the holidays.  I caught myself entering chore mode about the whole thing.  Time to stop and regroup.

Outcome was obvious.  I want to enjoy the holidays like I did when I was a kid (when someone else did all the work!); looking forward to putting up the tree, wandering the mall for the perfect gift (for me), and wishing the season would last a bit longer.

Action is the challenging part but I’m off to a great start.  I completed 90% of my Christmas shopping online yesterday in less than an hour.  There will be less under the tree this year but perhaps I’ll have enough holiday energy left to lie under it naked and Don won’t even notice!  We are doing Thanksgiving on a smaller scale with finer cuisine than comes from my kitchen, saving energy, money and waistline (no leftovers!) by eating out – a holiday first.  Christmas will be hosted here and my gift to the ever-increasing number of Prolific Pools will be a truly happy countenance and a large table to hold the pitch-in items.  I may even have the kids decorate the tree when they get here.

Instead of music at the Myerson, I’d rather see a Christmas play at church.  I want to find a to-die-for cookie recipe that doesn’t have trans fats (sorry Mom).  I want to talk to people rather than send out Christmas cards.  I want time to light a fire and energy to enjoy it.  I want to embrace the holiday spirit and share it gracefully.

So I’m off to a good start and see results already.  Now if I could just get past Don’s company karaoke party…