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“Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.”— Epictetus
The Obstacle
It’s the holidays.
We’re stressed out. Busy. Frustrated. Short on time. Under pressure at home and work.
The year is coming to close and there is so much left to do…
We’re stressed out about the parties.
About the kids.
About the gifts.
About the parents.
About all the stuff yet to do.
We’re trying rapping up work.
Closing the year.
Feeling the frustration and negativity… the panic.
It’s this supposed to be “The most wonderful time… of the year” (did you sing it in your head? I did as I wrote it)
The Gift and Opportunity
But we don’t have to be stressed, anxious, frustrate, or negative.
We don’t need to dread or fear getting the right gifts, going to the parties, or talking to our questionable uncle.
There is another way.
We can choose to be negative, or we can choose to be more positive. WE get to choose our reality.
We can have empathy for ourselves and for others by just wanting to understand better.
It doesn’t mean accepting, agreeing, or condoning. Forget about proving a point or being right.
We can be curious in our conversations with people we like and people we don’t like.
Just see where they’re coming from and explore that mysterious landscape and have fun doing it. Leave your judgements and ideas at the door.
Have some fun being creative. Try doing the same old things…differently.
Let go of the stress by remembering what’s actually worth stressing about. In a few weeks, none of this will matter.
Get busy by just getting started and doing what’s important.
Get the work done without the stress.
Buy the gifts. Plan the party. Show up. Talk.
Start the work. Finish the year.
Enjoy where you are and who you are with regardless of if that is where you want to be.
Letting go of the rest.
In a couple weeks from now, none of this will really matter and you’ll be better for it.
The Practice of Self-Mastery
Stop thinking about it and do the next thing
Take the stress out of doing the things
Don’t wish to be anywhere but where you are
Choose understanding and curiosity over being right
Choose to let the negativity go
