Like last year, this is my last entry for the holiday season since it is the end. I thought I would take a review of of matters and a look ahead.
As I look at the Google statistics, I found the following readership for this blog since I started this blog in November 2011.
People all over the world struggle with the holidays--it is not merely an United States thing. I found it very interesting to get a few readers from China as this is a holiday blog.
While this was probably not the most read blog about coping with the holiday on the Internet, it is rewarding that I got some feedback from friends and from colleagues about the value gained. It brings me to the next phase: do you have plans for 2013 and the next holiday season?
Value and Values
How we live matters. It is our lives and while we are all trapped to some degree within our circumstances we have choice. I was watching some of Doomsday Preppers today on the National Geographic Channel and I came away with the feeling that you can prepare too much to the point that it is an addiction. The two guys they covered were spending all of their time and money making preparations for what they theorized to be the different elements of "doomsday." One of the "teases" or promotional ads for the show asked
I won't get into that one, but I while I think a plan for the next holiday season is important, but it has to be realistic and concrete. Furthermore, we cannot spend all our time planning . . . over-planning seems to drift into dwelling on resentments.
A plan should include something that we want and something that we value. It helps to keep in mind that there is no perfect plan, and what we plan is not going to be perfect. We have to stop planning sometime and take action and not being stuck in the rut of perfectionism helps.
Explore What Can Be Real
For many survivors, the tendency to stay to yourself does not allow you to get outside of yourself as to what can be real. Sometimes it helps to see how much we can make our lives better by exploring the options.
For example, making a list of things you might like to do, finding out the prices for those trips or items, and creating a budget for them is a great growth step. Focusing on what we want and how to get those things is a great, healthy action.
In the next year, if you are in need of perspective checking out a therapist is always a good thing. If you have insurance, you can look at your network papers and see who takes your insurance. If you do not have insurance, there is usually some ability-to-pay counseling agencies where you live. If you go to a church, sometimes your minister or priest could be a counseling resource for a few sessions.
Goals
Other than counseling, making some goals for the next year is always a good action. I am in the process of making my goals. I did not accomplish all my goals, but I was surprised what I did get done because I made the list. Some goals should be small, and some goals should be large. I wrote about goals earlier in the blog.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you for reading and I welcome you to a new year. While it will not be perfect, I hope that it is a good one for you.
As I look at the Google statistics, I found the following readership for this blog since I started this blog in November 2011.
United States
|
762
|
Russia
|
157
|
Germany
|
39
|
Ukraine
|
17
|
United Kingdom
|
6
|
France
|
4
|
Canada
|
3
|
China
|
3
|
Aruba
|
1
|
Spain
|
1
|
People all over the world struggle with the holidays--it is not merely an United States thing. I found it very interesting to get a few readers from China as this is a holiday blog.
While this was probably not the most read blog about coping with the holiday on the Internet, it is rewarding that I got some feedback from friends and from colleagues about the value gained. It brings me to the next phase: do you have plans for 2013 and the next holiday season?
Value and Values
How we live matters. It is our lives and while we are all trapped to some degree within our circumstances we have choice. I was watching some of Doomsday Preppers today on the National Geographic Channel and I came away with the feeling that you can prepare too much to the point that it is an addiction. The two guys they covered were spending all of their time and money making preparations for what they theorized to be the different elements of "doomsday." One of the "teases" or promotional ads for the show asked
"Am I crazy? Or are you?"
I won't get into that one, but I while I think a plan for the next holiday season is important, but it has to be realistic and concrete. Furthermore, we cannot spend all our time planning . . . over-planning seems to drift into dwelling on resentments.
A plan should include something that we want and something that we value. It helps to keep in mind that there is no perfect plan, and what we plan is not going to be perfect. We have to stop planning sometime and take action and not being stuck in the rut of perfectionism helps.
Explore What Can Be Real
For many survivors, the tendency to stay to yourself does not allow you to get outside of yourself as to what can be real. Sometimes it helps to see how much we can make our lives better by exploring the options.
For example, making a list of things you might like to do, finding out the prices for those trips or items, and creating a budget for them is a great growth step. Focusing on what we want and how to get those things is a great, healthy action.
In the next year, if you are in need of perspective checking out a therapist is always a good thing. If you have insurance, you can look at your network papers and see who takes your insurance. If you do not have insurance, there is usually some ability-to-pay counseling agencies where you live. If you go to a church, sometimes your minister or priest could be a counseling resource for a few sessions.
Goals
Other than counseling, making some goals for the next year is always a good action. I am in the process of making my goals. I did not accomplish all my goals, but I was surprised what I did get done because I made the list. Some goals should be small, and some goals should be large. I wrote about goals earlier in the blog.
Closing Thoughts
Thank you for reading and I welcome you to a new year. While it will not be perfect, I hope that it is a good one for you.
