5 Simple Holiday "No Stress" Survival Tips

The traditional intentions for the holidays are family, friends, food and socializing. Chanukah, Christmas, Advent, Kwanza, Yule... so many cultural events, this is the spirit of the season. Yet, it is well known that there is also a risk of stress and overwhelm.

Winter is a season of celebration, it is also the season of the element of water. Water can be turbulent and have us flailing and feeling like we are drowning. It can also be a season of rest, renewal, and going with the flow.

My intention is to share simple tips for helping you to choose rest and renewal. Guiding you to navigate the energies and emotions and arrive at the new year rested, renewed, and ready to create and prosper. My gift to you and your gift to yourself.

Following are a few simple tips to help you balance the fun doing and the restful yin energy of the winter water element and enjoy a holiday with less or no stress.

The ideas are simple and may be familiar. However you relate to them please receive them as reminder-invites to be in practice.

I invite you to:

1. Join the fun - Remember it is your holiday too! This sounds simple but often we focus on giving, creating, and making it wonderful for everyone else and forgetting it is our holiday too. For years I was guilty of working to create the holiday then sitting back to observe while others enjoyed my creations. My energy and appreciation for the season changed when I put myself first and remembered to join in the fun and celebration.
2. Be Sense-uous - At least once a day, stop the doing, breathe and take in the spirit of the holiday with all of your senses. By pausing, breathing and bringing your whole being to the experience it will feel like a mini-retreat. The other day, I stopped along Sixth Avenue to take in a deep breath and enjoy the fragrance of the pine trees for sale on the sidewalk.
3. Boundaries - Allow yourself to set boundaries on your time and energy. Be intentional about your time, your eating, your drinking, your helping, and when you say "Yes" or say "No". Some days will be all about the party and others will be about your needs and desires. It is OK to say "No" when you are doing too much. The winter element calls us to simplify, let go, and conserve energy whenever possible.
4. Big-Kid-friendly - Be sure to add some mindful and mindless fun to your holiday. Get in touch with your inner child, reveling in art, music, and play. Be intentional about activities that get you out of your head with all the thinking and planning and into a lighter body and mind. It can be as simple as joining your children, grandchildren or pet on the floor with their toys, building a snowman or flying a kite. As long as it includes some movement, laughter, or using your hands more than your head.
5. Retreat & Renew - Plan time just for you. This may be a quick break during the busyness or more time after the holidays. Put it on the calendar NOW! It can be part of a day, a whole day or more. It may be a day you enjoy being home alone with a bath, book, and music, or going out to a spa. A day of art and creativity or a walk in the woods. A day when you enjoy your first nap in years, or maybe a simple day with nothing on the calendar. Even if you don't know what you will do, set the time aside and put the date on your calendar now.

https://ezinearticles.com/?5-Simple-Holiday-No-Stress-Survival-Tips&id=9854689

Make These 5 Mistakes If You Really Want to be Successful

If you really want success, try making some classic mistakes.

If you are starting up a new enterprise or looking to race up the company hierarchy, you're likely to be worried about making career mistakes. Basic mistakes such as missing deadlines or gossiping about the boss are probably going to have a negative impact on your progress.

However, there are some snafus that can actually help you on your path. Here are five career mistakes that could make you a better worker and more successful entrepreneur.

1) Getting Engrossed in Social Media

While social media interaction can be fraught with potentially career damaging mistakes, getting engrossed in social media can make you a more successful entrepreneur, or even help you find a better job more easily. Many recruiters use social media platforms to look for additional candidate information.

Social media interaction can be a great way to develop valuable networking skills, or get a good sense of what your target market is like, which are both essential when developing your new enterprise. Building a presence on social media channels may look like a waste of time to more traditional coworkers, but it can raise your profile and your career prospects. Just be careful with your posts and keep it positive and professional.

2) Socializing With Co-Workers

Work-related events out of the office and even company retreats can be a source of great embarrassment, often because of alcohol-related activities. Most people have experienced the embarrassment of coming into work after letting their hair down a little too much. If you find yourself socializing with one particular work group more often because of social activities, this can contribute to the development of cliques, which can be harmful to office morale.

While these aspects of socializing with coworkers can be problematic, your work colleagues can be a great source of support. They can help you develop diplomacy skills and other tools needed in the politics of your field or in developing an enterprise. Just take care not to align yourself with one particular group. Mix up your socializing routine a little to maintain a range of allies and resources.

3) Accepting Make-Ends-Meet Positions

Most of us will find ourselves struggling to secure a position in our career path at some point. Settling for a job just to make ends meet can be tough for many of us who once held an impressive rank at a top company, but nothing lasts forever except for change. It may be sad or frustrating to take a job that you might have once thought was "below" you, but forget about that. These types of positions can be beneficial.

If you currently have a lower level sales floor position or job waiting tables, you probably won't want to focus on those when you interview for higher profile work. However, you can use these more humble positions to your advantage. They can help you break out of your shell, encourage you to be a better listener and help you develop the drive you need to establish a successful enterprise.

4) Ditching the Pros and Cons Lists

Many experts believe that creating pros and cons lists for potential jobs or projects can be a great tool for making a rational and informed decision. Try making the "mistake" of not using them sometimes. By ditching the pros and cons lists, you may learn to trust your gut more, which can help you in being a better worker and a more successful entrepreneur.
Not all decisions can be rational and informed, so learning to consider your gut feelings can be important. Although new start-ups are encouraged to forecast profits and losses, establishing new client relationships and taking chances often rely more on gut instinct, so ditch the pros and cons lists from time to time.

5) Being Unavailable

Many people assume that being available is the most important factor to potential employers and clients. However, being constantly available can be detrimental. Some of the most highly successful people I know can be pretty hard to get a hold of (and it's not just because it's me trying to reach them). 

Always being accessible can mean that you are failing to delegate responsibilities. This inability to delegate can show employers that you are not a good mentor and can increase your stress levels when you're in charge. Take a little time away from your phone, email and computer. Rely on others and train them to do your work. This shows you're not afraid to potentially leave your current role and move up the ladder.

http://www.inc.com/john-boitnott/make-these-5-mistakes-if-you-really-want-to-be-successful.html