Wishing for a stress-free season

While out shopping for others this holiday, the temptation is high to reward myself with a little something too. Rather than get myself something of material value for the holidays, I decided to do myself a big fat favor - I'm cutting stress out of the holidays. Seriously. I'm giving 13 holiday gifts, most of which I already have. I didn't travel for Thanksgiving, but spent it in NYC about 10 blocks from my apartment. I'm going to my mom's an hour and a half drive away on the 25th. And then I'm likely spending New Year's at a house party less than a block from my apartment. In between I'll see friends, enjoy the lights, the special Christmas exhibits, window gazing. I'm looking to put the magic back into the holiday.

It's as easy as it sounds. I made the decision, after years of not really enjoying the holidays all that much for a variety of reasons, that I was really going to love this time. And the best way for me to have a good time is to mitigate the stress. I spend a lot of time taking on other people's energies, good and bad alike. This is part of the downside of being a sensitive person. I counteract some of this draining with yoga, or meditation, or seeing friends, or taking long walks in the park. My gift to myself is time to do whatever I want - a gift that really does keep on giving.