A special Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my fellow heathens

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

It's that special time of year when many of us will find peace and renewal with family and friends.  For many others, it has the potential to be a divisive time of stress and confrontation.

I wish I would whip some guru-esque wisdom on you - a Vulcan Mind Meld perhaps - that could convince you that it's all within your control and that it is all going to be OK.  But I can't, because that's bullshit.  Every relationship has multiple parties and responsibilities lie on both parties for the relationship to be a success.  We can only control our piece.

But we can control our reaction to the behavior of others.  We have a choice.  We can actively decide if we're going to buy-in to their drama and participate in it.  I know some who know exactly what they're heading for - whether it's a passive-aggressive family member or a drunken hot-head - and they see it as a game.  They're confident enough in who they are and know not take the aggression personally.   They understand the other person's behavior is all about the aggressor and not their target.  I know others who have decided to move on.  They've decided the cost of the relationship outweighs the benefits and they're done with it.  In business, this is a sunk cost, and there's nothing to be gained by throwing in good money after bad.  Wish them well and move on for your own sake.

No matter how you decide to deal with it, I hope you'll do so in a manner that puts you in a place of peace and renewal this holiday season.  Every one of us gets tired and weary from work, relationships, and all that is demanding of us.   It's time to recoup our sanity, peace, and strength.  To reclaim our zest for life and look forward to all the possibilities ahead.

I'll leave you with Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Habit 7: Sharpen the saw (https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit7.php)

THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW

Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples of activities: Physical: Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting Social/Emotional: Making social and meaningful connections with others Mental: Learning, reading, writing, and teaching Spiritual: Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so you can continue to practice the other six habits. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Not a pretty picture, is it? Feeling good doesn't just happen. Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you. You can renew yourself through relaxation. Or you can totally burn yourself out by overdoing everything. You can pamper yourself mentally and spiritually. Or you can go through life oblivious to your well-being. You can experience vibrant energy. Or you can procrastinate and miss out on the benefits of good health and exercise. You can revitalize yourself and face a new day in peace and harmony. Or you can wake up in the morning full of apathy because your get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone. Just remember that every day provides a new opportunity for renewal--a new opportunity to recharge yourself instead of hitting the wall. All it takes is the desire, knowledge, and skill.

Peace, love, and best wishes to all of you my friends!