12/15/2022
Feeling overwhelmed?
Ya, me too.
It’s struck me in the past few days that many people are feeling quite overwhelmed. Not just the everyday kind of busy or even sparking seasonal busy but a clear sense of too-much-ness. And it made me think, ya, me too.
So let’s talk about this because if we are already thinking to ourselves “I’m not sure I’m going to make it to the 25th” then guess what?
It means that we’re already recognizing that we actually might NOT make it.
The big thing is that this is The First One since 2020. I’m sure that 2019, and 2018 before that came with all its own, every-December, level of pressure but this year, it’s a big one. We’re officially back. For some of us that’s all those holiday concerts, volunteering, performances, and parties. I’ve had more kids choir concerts in the last week than I’ve had in the last half a decade! Or it’s family. Now that we can finally be together for all the holiday fun, it seems like everyone’s families have multiple events or plans with that extra post hiatus pressure to be perfect.
But here’s what it is for all of us, it’s the first time in a long time since we’ve done this so here’s a few things I am personally going to try to remember, maybe you can too.
Be kind to yourself, give yourself some grace to back off and be less than. It’s ok to step back and do less. Don’t “should” all over yourself.
Less is more. If all you can do is chicken fingers and store bought nanaimo bars, so be it.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you have to. It really is ok to skip parties 4 and 7 and that second matinee performance. Take a nap instead.
Prioritise and minimise. Simplify and be gracious to everyone but mostly to yourself.
Toughing it out and making it to the holidays won’t matter if you can’t enjoy them once you get there. What will really ruin the holiday is having a fight with your partner because you're exhausted or getting sick because you're so burnt out.
I was going to go shopping but I think I’ll have some tea and rest instead.
Be well folks!
