Wishing you happy holidays.

I’ll return to the usual format in January. Until then, here are some ways to consider increasing your enjoyment of the holidays. Mirroring an article I wrote earlier this year about meetings, it’s addition by subtraction.

December carries a lot of extras. Extra social activity, extra calories, extra alcohol, extra family time. Even when we like all the extras, it can be too much at times. In November, I almost always overestimate what I can do and who I can catch up with. And by now, you’ve already begun to feel the negative impact of some of those extras. But there is still time to cut back on the extras, keeping in mind they are not as enjoyable when you’ve run yourself ragged. 

Here are a few ways to consider getting more out of the holidays with less:

• Skip a social commitment. Or two or three. Don’t be afraid to miss a party you feel obligated to attend. Cancel something if it feels like too much of a commitment or you are just stretched too thin. Make it up to those who are important to you by getting together in late January or February. Grant yourself a little bit of extra space. Over-programming takes a toll.

• Skip 24 hours of being connected. Take a digital break from your phone. Our use of the smartphone has so many advantages, but we are addicted to scrolling. Looking at a screen becomes a default action when there is a free moment. Instead, look around. Wonder about something. Allow yourself to feel bored for more than 15 seconds. Give your mind a break. If you’re feeling bold, try this for 48 hours.

• Skip giving a gift. Instead of having to worry about what to buy someone, consider donating to a charity in their name. If you are reading this newsletter, odds are that person doesn’t need it.

• Skip the mindless eating. I like to indulge during the holidays as much as anyone, but it’s easy to lose track and not realize when you’ve had way too much. From special lunches to parties to holiday feasts, the opportunities to eat mindlessly are endless. Instead, eat everything you like, but pay special attention to the amount you consume and the feeling of being overly full. Apply this principle to alcohol, and you’ll likely feel a lot better, too. 
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  Skip the New Year’s resolutions. Use January to think seriously about one or two things you can make a concerted effort to change and put some thoughtful plans in place by February. As much as I love the idea that January 1^st will bring change, we all know most resolutions are in the tank by Spring. Or earlier. 

• Skip an argument. Notice the use of the singular “argument” here. When you are on the brink of an argument—or being pulled into one—catch yourself and drop it. Odds are you’ll have the same argument another time, but as a gift to yourself, be willing to drop the rope in the tug-of-war. Doing this well doesn’t mean substituting pouting, brooding, reacting, or avoiding. It means truly letting go and being willing to move ahead by being open and even warm. As I mentioned, once will be enough to make a difference for you and others.

• Skip work. For some of you, this will be hard outside of a legal or religious holiday, especially as many of you try to wrap things up for year end. But take at least a few days off for yourself and/or your family. U.S. employees left an average of 9.5 vacation days unused by the end of 2021. If you have family time, or just some time to yourself, resist the inexorable draw of checking emails or staying abreast on work-related matters. 

• Skip a rock or shell across a pond, lake, or the ocean. See what I did there. ☺ Ok, this is my way of saying to get outside. I know it’s easy for me to say while living in Florida, but find a way to spend some time outside. Play catch with your kid (or your furry friend). Go for a walk. Be intentional about taking six deep breaths of fresh air, doing a slow count to five on the inhale and exhale. Try not to think of anything else but those six breaths. It will feel good, I promise. And it just may shift your perspective.

Have a Happy New Year. Stay tuned for some exciting new developments in 2023!