The Holiday Planning Conversation
Photo Credit: Shelley Fourney
Stop Letting the Holidays Happen To You
Ohhhh I hear the countdown for Christmas is ON! Not going to lie I am NOT that girl - counting down to Christmas in September. I DO NOT want to see Christmas decorations in October. I want to enjoy the slow roll out of Fall, leaves turning from green to various shades of yellow in the aspens, the smell of leaves in this season, and the shift to colder days that bring flannels and jackets. AND that being said the calmest holidays I have had are when I have thought through and even planned various things leading into the holidays AHEAD of time. You know ~ THINK about the holidays ~ WHEN you don’t want to EARLY.
Often I get accused of being organized(like it’s a bad thing) and actually it may look that way given that I have a holiday journal where I keep notes of things from year to year and a daily planner I treat like my life manifesto. These things came out of my anxious and easily distracted personality. The NEED to have a plan, the NEED to have enough time to do what is important, and NOT feel panicked and rushed all that time. This has resulted in lots of these conversations with my hubby and kids through the years. AND WAY more peace around the holidays.
So I have thought about how to make these topics useful NOT overwhelming. I have decided to break them into different articles so the information is more accessible.
For the next three weeks the following blogs will be published and I will also be covering these topics on social media - would love for you to follow along.
The People Part of the Holidays
"Who Gets Your Energy This Season?"
Your Holiday Reality Check -Time & Money
"You Don't Have the Bandwidth for Everything (And That's Okay)"
Protecting Your Peace During the Holidays
"Your Non-Negotiables Matter"
SOOO what if your home is anything but calm during the holidays. Ever felt like the holidays just happen to you? You have no choice, you are running on fumes, and so busy you are not enjoying anything? Resentments build. Already you are thinking about that “situation” that happened last year you desperately want to avoid this year. When is enough enough?
What if it could be different? Here are some things to consider - take what is useful and throw the rest away.
What if you took some time to plan? Things like…
Who makes the holiday decisions? Is that working? Or is your partner or spouse complaining because they never get any say? If you are the decision maker and holidays are peaceful and you never hear complaints from your spouse or partner - proceed - great! IF it AINT broke don’t fix it.
HOWEVER if you or your partner/spouse are feeling some tension, body language is x rated, or world war three is breaking out it might be time to evaluate. Consider deciding NOW what you and your spouse/partner WANT the holidays to look like? Not what you feel obligated to make happen. Take some time and really listen to the other person.
What do you and your partner want to keep?
What do the kids enjoy?
What Traditions, Activities, Food are non-negotiables not up for debate)?
Will you take Time Off during the holidays?
Who is keeping kids during holidays - if you’re working?
Giving ourselves permission to do the holidays differently can be a whole can of worms AND can you afford to do it like you ALWAYS have one more year? I don’t know about you, but I have sure found more peace when I stop doing things out of obligation. This isn’t selfish it is actually prioritizing what your family wants and needs. The people within our four walls are typically who we say are most important, however I have had to look at whether my actions actually say that also.
What conversation needs to happen this week at your house?
Next week we’re diving into the people part - who gets your energy and how to navigate the tricky relationships. See you then!
And of course, I am here and happy to help if that is useful. Thank you for trusting me, and remember - often the first step is considering what you want and what might need to happen to get there.
What questions came up for you while reading this?
I'd love to hear what resonated or what you're curious about. Because remember - I'm not the expert on your life. I'm just here to help you figure out what works for YOU one baby step at a time. 970-729-354
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Photo credit: Punky @punkturesphotography