Avoiding Post Holiday Doldrums

Hey all. Happy Wednesday to you.

The Holidays aren't quite over yet, but the nearness of the New Year has me thinking about post holiday slumber and peace. Sometimes that peace can lead to doldrums if not harnessed in the proper way. :-) In other words, if we don't have the positive attitude that comes with Christmas and the New Year celebration, we can sometimes get depressed. Why does this happen and how can it be avoided?

Well, I think part of this is a double edged sword. There is the hurrying and festivities that surround the Holiday time, along with seeing family and being in the giving spirit. That always brings happiness (or usually) and the residual good feelings tend to last through the Holiday period. We also tend to get some time off work (if we're lucky) and we look forward to that time like it's the Holy Grail of the work year. We get much needed rest and mental release from our jobs and the stress that is right behind our job. So, again, why do we sometimes get in to the New Year with a bit of a low or melancholy?

I equate this to a similar feeling that comes with separation anxiety. We are separated from the family that we see 2,3,4, or more times a year. We have that good feeling that comes after seeing said family and now it's over until next year. Or, at least until our family gets together again, but the Holiday time is over until next year. That's okay though. We can all find our own ways to keep that cheer in our lives. Find the positives like we do so easily during the Holidays. Keep those with us through the rest of Winter and in to Spring, and there's always next year to look forward to for another Holiday.

Giving throughout the year can also have similar effects as the giving that we experience at Christmas. Find a charity to help with, even if it's just your time. Those experiences and feelings can have lasting effects, and people will benefit as a result.

I hope you have happiness all year long. All the best!

Simply Live

As I approach the big 30 mark in my life, I am constantly contemplating how I want to spend the years of my formative adulthood (ha!). I keep debating how I'm going to pay for traveling around the world, how I'm going to fund my pension, my 401k, my IRA, etc., etc. and sometimes lose track of today. I'm sure we all do that because it's easy to do when you get responsibilities and a career. But it's almost important to just live.

I'm reminded of that every time I talk to Evelyn about this stuff (she is the yang to my yin) and try to be the planner of life. She reminds me that it's about l-i-v-i-n and there's no better time than now. I have my own moments as well where I'm in touch with the moment, but she's good at reminding me when I get out of touch. What a great thing right?

So, since I'm 9 (almost 8) days away from turning 30 (I know it's just a number and I truly feel that way, really) I resolve to hold myself accountable for simply living. Not worrying about the tedious minutia in my life, keep things in perspective, and living for the important stuff: life, love, and happiness. I think that's a fair goal and instead of a New Year's Resolution, I'm making it a 30-40 decade resolution. I figure if I can get that figured out and live that way for 10 years, by then it will be a habit and I'll just keep it going until my formative elder years (yeah I like the word formative). Here's to living and living well!

Remind yourself why you are happy and healthy, but most importantly, keep in perspective all the things in your life.

Cheers!

Keeping True in Your Career

Happy weekend all. I hope your weekend has been enjoyable and relaxing!

I was riding my bike the other day, taking advantage of the thinking time that I get when doing so and another blog topic came to mind. I thought about how careers can change us and define who we are. I think some people get caught up in letting their career define them as a person and as a status level. I know that I've been guilty of letting my career mold me in the past. Now, it's a different story.

Something that I've learned through 8 years in the mortgage finance business: there is a corporate culture that is in place to define a certain way of business for it's employees in the 8+ hours that you're at your work place. This eventually becomes part of you. I have found that I can separate this culture now (wasn't always this way) when home and away from the work place. This becomes so important when you are in a relationship and have a family, friends, etc. It's easy to get caught up in our work and let it affect our moods and behaviors. This is one of those "delicate balances" that is something that we continue to learn about as we grow and age.

So, while riding my bike I made a personal goal for myself. To not let my career define me as a person and continue to be passionate about my hobbies and goals. I want to gain a positive balance in my work/home life and how my career(s) affect me as a person. Continuing to learn, read, play music, paint, travel, explore, and grow will continue to drive me on a personal level and I'll strive to keep at it.

Here's to your hobbies and goals and how you "balance" them. Have a great Sunday!

Cheers!