Janice Tollini has worked in the health care industry as a clinical psychologist for 15 years. She is now a Talent Management Consultant, and is completing additional graduate training in industrial/organizational psychology. In 2017, she will become certified as an executive coach through the World Coaching Institute.Check out Janiceís website at http://talentworksconsulting.com.
The nights are getting cooler and the days are getting shorter. Soon, we will be moving the clocks back, sacrificing an hour of daylight in the name of productivity and energy conservation (an archaic practice, at best). Everything is suddenly pumpkin-spice flavored, and sweaters and mittens fill the shelves at stores. Next comes the holidays, with what I refer to as ìHoliday Panic.îThe holidays, from any religious perspective, are meant to be a time of celebration, of gratitude and time spent with family. (I am waiting for one of my more avid and numerically inclined readers to comment on how many times I use the word ëgratitudeí in my columns.) What happens, however, is a distinctly different thing. The holidays become stressful and frantic, and Holiday Panic takes hold.We get caught up in the hype of advertising and the desire to prepare the perfect holiday meal and give the most unique and most coveted presents, and have the best decorated house in the neighborhood. You get the picture. The holidays become competitive ó a race to get the house decorated before the neighbors and the drive to have the tallest, most elaborately decorated Christmas tree. To add to the pressure, the whole array must be coordinated to reflect the same colors and same theme. Shame on you Martha Stewart for supporting this trend.The holidays somehow shift from a time of peace to something far more stressful and chaotic. Think of how many movies show a frazzled couple trying to bring together feuding family members for a holiday dinner or surprise their children with an utterly amazing and extravagant gift. It may be fiction, but fiction based on reality. The demand for Christmas cookies alone is taxing.Retail marketing contributes to the holiday frenzy. It seems that each year advertising for the holidays begins a few weeks earlier. (Although for me it isnít officially Christmas until the Eat ní Park tree leans over to pick up the little star.) Somehow Black Friday, deemed to be the most important shopping day of the year for consumers and the most profitable for retailers, has become an icon for the holidays. It has also become a combat zone.Every year, there are more reported incidents of violence among shoppers, such as a full-grown woman spraying a young girl in the face with pepper spray in an effort to win the battle over a video game. Nothing says Happy Holidays like mace.My only venture into a cult-like Black Friday experience took place almost 20 years ago. I was on crutches, having recently broken my leg. While shopping on crutches showed poor judgment on my part, no one could have predicted that this sweet, little old lady would knock me over because she thought I had my sights set on what was undoubtedly the last holiday tablecloth in the world.Rather than continue my rant about Black Friday, I will focus on the solution. Think about your upcoming holidays and your own vulnerability to catching Holiday Panic. People have their own set of values that guide them in determining what is most important. For some, the holidays are about quiet time and taking a brief reprieve from the pressures of everyday life. For some, it is connecting with family and friends who live far away. For others, it may be a time of service in helping those less fortunate. And for some, having the perfectly decorated home, the finest wreath on the front door and an elaborate holiday table and meal is important.There is no right or wrong, but I would suggest there is much to be gained in taking a step back and assessing your priorities before the holidays begin.
