Anyone having a holiday hangover??
Holidays can be tough. Although it flies in the face of the story we tell ourselves every year there are gaps between what we WANT and what we HAVE…. between what we PLAN and what actually HAPPENS. It’s hard not to get caught up in the swirl of gifts and get-togethers, meals and misunderstandings. And then, of course, there are the overs: over spending, over eating and all sorts of other opportunities for over indulgence.
It can really hurt when we see the results in our children.
Have you ever experienced that awful feeling in the pit of the stomach that goes along with mentally tallying up the time and money you spent on holiday gifts… only to see them tossed aside as your little ones clamor for “MORE”?
UGH.
MORE.
It’s in our brains: to consume more food, acquire more ‘stuff,’ conquer more space…. is one of those lizard brain survival ‘things’ that’s been with us for a long time.
But it seems to me that lots of people are paying attention to that feeling and using it to move toward both a smaller budget and a simpler life. Circumstances are pushing people to think more about the difference between wants and needs…. about how to live a life that better reflects their values.
One of my favorite things about this time of year is the way that resolutions and planning for the New Year can help us focus on what is most meaningful in our lives.
“In 2012 I want more ______________ and less ________________ for myself and for my family.”
How do you fill in those blanks? What changes do you need to make to turn those “wants” into reality?
