Don't sweat the small stuff!

The Holiday Insanity continues!  The pace on the roads quicken, people in the grocery stores move their carts around the aisles like they are on a two mile oval.  People often grumble and groan at check out lines.  There is a heightened level of stress all around.  What toy do I buy the kids?  What do I get for that special someone?  The commercials on TV make it seem, that if you don't get that perfect gift, you don't care enough.  Talk about pressure.

This holiday season (I'm using my radio voice from years gone by) why not try something completely different.  SMILE!  When something or somebody pisses you off, SMILE!  When someone is in the check out line behind you and has only one item or maybe two, let them in front of you.  If a family member is driving you insane, SMILE, look them in the eye, and say, "you know I love you".  You would be amazed at the response.

Instead of worrying about the physical gifts, focus on spending time together.  Its not the place, or the gift, its the time we have together that's so important.  Life is too f*(&!@# short to get wrapped up in minutiae.

Now I'm trying to remind myself to do this!  The other night at a restaurant, with family from out of town, we had a rather unpleasant experience.  Dinner took an inordinate amount of time, and the service was horrendous.  When my sister asked the waiter for a status, he was rather rude, and even raised his voice a tad.  Now having begun at 5:00 am as I normally do, and spending the better part of the day at the hospital, I was "stressed" and hungry.  Most of you who know me, know that is just not a good recipe for decorous behavior on my part.  I don't recall the exact words I used, but needless to say I wasn't exuding the Holiday spirit.  My aunt says, she thought he was going to cry, my uncle said I scared him.  I think that was an exaggeration, but afterward I did feel rather guilty.

So, from here on out, I'm going to make a truly conscious effort to SMILE in the face of stress.  To be nice, even when people are pissing me off.  To not sweat the small stuff!

Nothing helps beat stress quite like a high intensity workout, or maybe one of those long grueling bike rides.  Care to join me?

For those of you who have taken a spin class or two with me, you will recognize the song in this video.  When you feel beat up, and feel you can't get up anymore, get up and do it anyway!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnb449uWZIk

Remember, don't sweat the small stuff!