'Tis the Season of Madness

It really doesn't change, this holiday madness time of year.  Some years it isn't too bad, but others make us want to crawl in bed and not climb out again until spring.

With Christmas only a week away, gasp...choke...faint and back to back deadlines looming into late February, the idea of crawling into a cave--hopefully a warm one--and staying there until sanity returns is whispering in the back of my mind.

Yes, life can be stressful, and holidays even more so.  There's never enough time.  There's never enough money.  There's never enough parking spots.  At the same time there's an abundance...of lists, chores, deadlines, wants and needs.  And yet we manage to do it, year after year, and actually survive.

If holiday stress is taking its toll on you this year, below are some quick, online tips to help lend a calming holiday for you and yours.  Simply taking time out to read them might help a little.  Giving thought to them might help even more.

So here they are, those tips to get you through the most stressful time of the year.  Click on the links to read more about each tip.

From Psychology Today...
10 Tools for Dealing with Holiday Stress and Depression

1. Keep your expectations balanced.
2. Don't try to do too much.
3. Don't isolate.
4. Don't overspend.
5. Mourning is appropriate at times.
6. Treat depression wisely
7. Watch your diet and get some exercise.
8. Be aware of the Post Holiday Syndrome.
9. Plan Ahead.
10. Learn forgiveness and acceptance.

Read more here.

5 Practical Tips To Deal With Holiday Stress: The RELAX Paradigm

1. Remember what the holidays are truly about.
2. Exercise.
3. Listen to music that you love.
4. Ask for help.
5. eXtricate yourself from unnecessary socializing.

Read more here.

from Psych Central...

Coping with the Holidays: Eight Ideas for De-Stressing the Holidays

1. Remember the spirits of the season.
2. Be a friend.
3. Remember the family members who are no longer present.
4. Discuss the issue of presents with your family.
5. Practice moderation in preparing holiday meals and consuming holiday goodies.
6. Plan enough time for shopping.
7. Understand that others may be stressed out.
8. Be grateful.

Read more here.

There are more tips, lists and articles at Psych Central's Coping with the Holidays.

Check the Mayo Clinic suggestions.

Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping from the Mayo Clinic

1. Acknowledge your feelings.
2. Reach out.
3. Be realistic.
4. Set aside differences.
5. Stick to a budget.
6. Plan ahead.
7. Learn to say no.
8. Don't abandon healthy habits.
9. Take a breather.
10. Seek professional help if you need it. 

Read more here.

Wishing you and yours Seasons Greetings, a very Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

Christmas... is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart. ~ Freya Stark 

Soothing the Savage Pre-Holiday Insanity

If the weather hadn't suddenly decided to turn colder and yesterday hadn't dawned with snow (barely) covering the ground, the idea that Christmas is only a few days away would be either laughable or a total shock to the system.

Oh, we've been working toward the insanity of the holidays.  There was Thanksgiving...which is barely a misty memory.  And there's been the shopping.  Even last night Mallory and I were buying a few more mini-bows for packages.  The tree has been up and decorated since...well, whenever the Heisman Trophy winner was announced...and wasn't Collin Klein.

I admit I've lost track of time.  Deadlines are part of the problem.  The last was just a week ago.   And although I shouldn't admit it, I'm not a big holiday person.  I'm not sure why.  I loved holidays as a child...a teen...and even a young adult.  Somewhere along the line, something caused me to adopt a slight Scrooge-view of the winter holidays.  However, I do try.  In fact, I decided I needed to put on my jingle bells.

Music.  Christmas music.  From Trans-Siberian Orchestra's A Mad Russian's Christmas to Gene Autry's Frosty the Snowman to The Carpenter's Carol of the Bells and I'll Be Home for Christmas and back to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.  Those are my jingle bells.  This year it started later than usual, but only because I've been focused on so many other things.

Yesterday Mallory and I attended the program at the elementary school where the four oldest of the g-kids attend.  Kindergarten through fifth graders gathered in the gym-sized lunch room, along with tons of family and friends.  It was a real crush. ☺  Afterward over an hour of listening to their Christmas songs, we gathered the two boys to take them home, while the two girls went to their after-school activity.  To my surprise, I was given a stack of twenty thank-you cards from the third grade class where I gave a talk on writing last week.  I still smile when I think of those hand-drawn cards and hope I encouraged those who are sometimes too afraid to share their dreams and ideas on paper.  And gave them a tiny glimpse into the world of published writing.

All of this is a round-about way of saying that music can often make a huge difference.  Of course choosing the right music matters, but when it comes to Christmas music, it's really, really hard to keep the spirit of the season--no matter what the holiday and in spite of sunny, warm weather--while listening to favorites.  Ooooh!  Harry Connick, Jr singing Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.  What gets better than that?

Once the holidays have past, I'll be back on a regular blogging and writing schedule.  In fact, after Christmas we'll get started again on setting goals...because it's THAT time of the year again.

Countdown to Christmas

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

It doesn't seem possible, but two weeks from today is Christmas Day.  I don't know about the rest of you, but this year has flown by so fast, my head spins just thinking about it.  The reason for that could be that in February I put my head down to write two new books.  The second of those was finished three weeks ago, complete with the usual revisions.  But didn't stop there.  I'd already done some work on a follow-up book, so with deadlines met, I pulled out that new story, made some changes and finished the synopsis to go with the first three chapters.  That was accompanied by a four-page synopsis for a second book.  Both were sent to my agent last Wednesday.

Motivation hasn't been something I've had to hunt for over the past couple of months.  Deadlines will do that.  So will new characters begging to have their stories told.

But it's nearly time for Christmas, and I'm ready to sit back and enjoy the holidays.  As much as possible, anyway.  Most of my shopping, except some online purchases, is done.  My daughter put the tree up Saturday evening, while I put some lights in the windows.  I can't say we're decorated to the hilt--far from it--but at least we've done something.  For a while, we didn't do even that much.  Small grandchildren don't work well with decorations.

What I'd really like is some time to be like that cat in the picture above.

It seems motivation is taking a holiday.  And that's okay.  In addition to myself, I know many, many writers who have worked through holidays, sometimes year after year.  It can be done, although it obviously isn't the most popular way to spend "the most wonderful time of the year."  On the other hand, bills must be paid, so deadlines must be met.  For some, it wouldn't be Christmas without them.  Literally.

But deadlines, whether writing or holiday ones, we each need to remember to spend some quiet time with family, friends, and even ourselves.  Especially the latter, because if family is around, we'll forget that we need some time to ourselves, if only for a few minutes to catch our breath.  Deadlines and holidays are both stressful, so below are some links to some de-stressing tips.

• 10 Ways to De-Sress During the Holidays from the Charlestown Patch, Boston MA
• 12 Ways to Destress Amidst Holiday Madness Woman's Day Magazine - Destress tips that can be done 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or 1 one minute segments
• 3 Easy Says to De-Stress Over the Holidays Shape Magazine 

Need more ideas?  Simply google/search using *tips to destress during the holidays* for many more.

'Tis the season to remind ourselves to take a break and relax.

“Just breathing can be such a luxury sometimes.” ― Walter Kirn, Up in the Air