Why "NO" Is The Best Gift You Will Give Yourself This Season
The holiday season is upon us. And while it should be a time of joy and warmth, it’s anything but for so many of us!
This joyous time of year brings overpacked calendars, frustration at work because stuff’s not getting done, and there’s even a lack of clarity about what we want the holiday season to look like. I have to admit, I have wrecked more than one holiday season because of trying to get so much stuff done both at work and outside of work. During that time, I missed opportunities to be present with family, friends, coworkers, and others when I knew that that was the most important part of the season.
If you want to have a more meaningful holiday season, consider creating a “NO” list. Yes, a NO list. It’s a list of things that we Won’t do that will help ensure that you have a more meaningful holiday season.
Here are 3 examples from my NO list that you can feel free to help you start yours.
Say NO to sacrificing relationships in the pursuit of perfect productivity. People are more chatty this time of year. They may talk a little differently because they’re thinking about holidays past and spending time with friends and family. As a leader, manager or even a coworker, now is a perfect time for you to listen just a little more deeply, ask a few more questions, and strengthen that relationship in a season when they’re more open to that. It will pay off in a big way in the future.
The second NO on the list is to say NO to beating yourself up about things that haven’t gotten done this year. As we move into December and all the top things of the year come out, we start reflecting on things we have and have not gotten done. It’s easy to beat ourselves up for what we haven’t finished, and it takes away from the joy of the season. Instead, focus on what you have accomplished this year. Think about the things you’re proud of that you’ve gotten done with your team or in your own individual contributions at work. When you do spend time thinking about those things that didn’t get done, start making a plan for how you’re going to work on them in 2023. That will take a lot of stress off of you as you go through the holiday season.
The 3rd NO on the list is saying NO to abandoning all wellness routines. It’s easy as schedules change during the holidays to skip a workout or miss some time used for meditation. Pretty soon, however, you begin to ask yourself, “Why do I feel so bad?” It’s because you abandoned the very things that help you to be at your best. Two routines that I will NOT sacrifice during the holidays are my morning walks with my wife or children and secondly, my time alone in the morning. It sets me up to be successful at whatever I’m going after that day.
My hope for you is that you create your own NO list for the holidays so you can say YES to a more meaningful holiday season.