Simplicity and Harmony this Holiday

On the wall in our coaching department hangs a quote from Einstein–

Three Rules of Work:

Out of clutter, find simplicity

From discord, find harmony

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

I pass by it every day many times, but today I stopped to read it.  I was waiting to speak with Dr. Schuster while he was taking time for discussion with someone else.  The wait caused me to stop and look up and there was this sign on the wall that I see every day.  Today it jumped out at me.  It said, “Read me!” so I did. More than that, it begged me to take heed so I am.  I am trying. 

It is always this time of year as the holidays approach that life can get hectic, and schedules can fall apart, and ahhhh…stress enters the once calm life!  How does that happen?  Is it the clutter of life?  How can I find simplicity?  Am I in discord?  How can I find harmony?  Will my difficulty really bring opportunity? 

The holiday season should bring joy and celebration. Yet instead it brings frazzled nerves and crazy emotions.  There are three areas that trigger this holiday stress: Finances, Relationships, and Physical Demands.  Relationship stress has a way of boiling over during the holidays as our expectations succumb to disappointment.  The cost of travel, entertainment, and gift giving leads to overextending the budget.  The commitment to all of the holiday events along with the guilt of eating all those holiday sweets surely taxes our physical well-being. 

All this stress doesn’t have to rob you of your joy this holiday season.  Prepare yourself spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically before the stress arrives so you will be able to ward it off ahead of time.  When it comes to relationships, you are only in control of yourself.  Come into relationships with no expectation from the other person.  Give your family and loved ones some slack and if you are feeling down, talk with a trusted friend.  Get counseling to find some strategies to help you cope.  Take your finances seriously and plan for the holidays in your budget.  Set monetary limits on gift giving and consider giving to charity in someone’s honor as an alternative gift.  To maintain your physical well-being, keep your exercise routine or start one if you haven’t had one recently.  Eat those holiday sweets in moderation and get outside for some fresh air. Remind yourself that it is okay to say “no” sometimes so that you are not over-committed. 

Recharge your inner spiritual batteries.  Take the time to read, pray, meditate, listen to music or just take a power nap.  Remember the “Reason for the Season!”  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)  Put the Lord first this Christmas.  You will find this is the best “de-stressor” of all time.

Barb Stackhouse

(Special thanks to Family Life Radio for their Inspirational Messages)