Stress is a killer. It causes inflammation, weight gain, wrinkles; it has a way of multiplying and invading every aspect of your being. This time of year, full of love and gifts, folly and merry-making is also a hot bed of rushing and trying to pack a full schedule with more: meetings before the end of the year; family time; parties; more everything.
I face this myself, every year around this time. Once Thanksgiving hits, it is a major crush to get everything else in before the long winter break. Just this week, I had a major speaking event in NYC at IBM, meetings all over the city, commitments to family and friends; and in order to do that, I had to miss an all-team meeting in my Southfield offices and a holiday party at Farbman Group. And I was torn and stressing myself out, knowing I could not be in two places at once. And I have help: an amazing executive team to run things at HealthRise, a fantastic wife taking care of my home and our boys, support staff that makes sure I am where I need to be to make the most of my time. I can’t imagine how I would do it without them and I realize that everyone is not as fortunate as I am.
When things start to get stressed, I remind myself to get above the noise and focus on my Desired Outcome. I like to take five minutes in the morning to picture in my mind the events of the day and formulate a plan to stay on schedule. I factor in how I can take a break after each meeting or event to absorb the details and see how it will ultimately help me on the way to hitting my target. And then I let it go. Not every meeting turns out how I imagine, but there is always something to learn that will help me on future hunts.
I also have to remind myself that there are things I cannot control. The universe has a way of taking things out of our hands and there are times when it is best to give in to the traffic and the noise and just go with the flow. As with most things that sound very Zen, this is easier said than done. Who doesn’t rail at the congested mall traffic and say “What are these people doing? Don’t they know I need to… fill in the blank?” And odds are they don’t. And if they did, they wouldn’t care.
So here is my holiday stress-busting advice: Turn up the radio. Stay warm. Hydrate. Exercise. Appreciate what you have. Keep your focus on your target. Stay above and clear. Know that the greatest gift you can give someone is a good memory. Acknowledge all the blessings you have. Let the lights and sounds and the spirit of the season wash over you. Embrace your hunt for the things you want most in life. And be good to one another out there.
