by Deb Scott
There’s been a coup. Not a coup de grace, but a short-term interruption of our regularly scheduled Get The Lead Out. (The article that Christine would have written for us today has been set aside for next month’s publication.)
Why, you ask? Because I suggested to her, as I am with you: Take a Break.
The holidays can hold much joy and happiness. But they are also a drain on resources: money, time, energy, emotions, expectations and creativity. Many of us take on too much over the holidays: traveling, gifting and juggling multiple family units, and trying to schedule kids, jobs and families — giving up personal time to do so.
Some of us don’t enjoy the holidays at all. They bring memories we’d rather not look at over and over. Or highlight the families we don’t enjoy or have, the faith systems we don’t hold. Some of us aren’t keen on commercialization of any celebration.
Whatever your point of view, take some “you” time and write, if that is what you need to do, if that would be a delightful break for you. But try something different: write a nursery rhyme or a children’s story (a nod to Patricia Smith in the Jan/Feb 09 issue of Poets & Writers). Or maybe you need to do something else.
Exercise. Go to the movies. Rent a foreign film or a silly film. Or sleep in.
Stay in your pajamas all day. Ask someone else to go to the market for the milk you forgot. Offer to go to the store for the milk they forgot. Walk to the store. (Maybe not in your pajamas. Depends on the weather, of course.)
Stay home; get out.
For 2 hours or so, do something you would not normally do: Take a hot-yoga class, browse for craft supplies at a thrift store (start your Halloween costume early or make the one you always wanted), go to a (small, locally owned) hardware store and wander up and down the aisles. Take a bus from one end of the town and back, just to see where it goes. Go to a music store and listen to stuff you don’t usually (or stay home and browse Pandora).
Change your perspective for a little bit; give yourself a guilt-free break.
And enjoy it.
Have a holiday survival hint? Leave it in the comments.
