Maybe I Should Lighten Up. Maybe We All Should.

Today, I had one of those days. This is the wrong time of the year to have one of those days, I thought. As the clock slowly clicked by and I was getting NO closer to where I needed to be, my phone was going off constantly, I was moving meetings and then moving them again because I had no choice but to stay and wait until this appointment was done.

Worrying about it wasn’t going to make it go any faster, and I was in Houston! So nowhere close to where I needed to be either. I love going to Houston. It’s where I was born and I have many friends from college there, but this wasn’t one of those days. I went early to make sure I was on time, and then snafu, waited until it was finished. When I finally got to start on the way back home, my phone died.

What a blessing in disguise that turned out to be. Couldn’t apologize anymore, just had to drive. Turned up the radio, sang along, looked at the beautiful sky, and realized I was so uptight my shoulders had been close to my ears. That’s when it hit me, honestly. I needed to stop.

This is always a busy time of year, but it’s supposed to be happy. I’m not a neurosurgeon, although my rescheduling things might be a little embarrassing and inconvenient, and unexpected, it’s not life changing. Perhaps I need to lighten up.

Then I started thinking about all of us, frankly. It’s been a rough couple of months, harsh political cycle, and then poof the holidays are here. Russia, China, division, mean things on social media. Not the best climate. Then I was reading my social media walls. People being very hard on themselves. Are we all caught up in this? More stressed than we need to be over things we can do nothing about? Like Clint Black Sings: “Wherever you go, there you are.”

So, I made a December resolution today, and I encourage you to join me. It is a very festive time of year. Instead of being sure you are making it to all the Holiday parties you were invited to, make it to the ones you can attend. Don’t stress about those you can’t attend, just send regrets and move on. Play with the kids, play, really play with some of the toys. Take time to laugh. Take time. Okay, maybe not be late for your own job, but if you are, don’t let your shoulders wind up around your ears. It doesn’t make it any better. That’s my December resolution. I hope you have Happy Holidays, and may your cell phone die, if that’s what it takes.