This time of year is full of distractions. Between family, the mall and your job you are being pulled in so many directions. Presents must be bought, the house must be decorated, food has to be baked, parties must be attended, while all you really want to do, is just spend time with your family and your dogs.
As I have grown up, the pressures of the holidays have become more and more. As the children in the family, you aren’t pressured with the responsibilities as much, your obligations basically go as far as making sure your room is clean when family comes and signing your name on the gift your mom bought you to give your sister. Even through college, doing all this was fun, that’s because you only had a little bit of money and a whole month off from school to creatively figure out how to spend it on people. Entering into the real world of adulthood things change though. Now you are stepping up and into roles, that for years you only watched people do. Slowly, the responsibilities of Christmas fall onto you, and why not? You’re a hard working lady who has her life together, whats one more thing? Really though, let’s face it, people are getting older and its about time we stepped up. I am thrilled to be able to be with my family more this year. It has made me feel for my mom and grandmas who have done this for years. How many moments have they missed, whipping mashed potatoes in the kitchen, while we are all in the living room laughing over jokes my Uncle tells?
Most millennials suffer from FOMO, myself included. We can’t stand to miss out on a story or joke or moment that people will be talking about. So how do we keep it balanced? With only a day or two off work for Christmas and the new year, with our new roles as caretakers and cooks, how do we find the balance right out of the gate?
For me, it has all come down to very real priorities and playing to my strengths. I am a planner, so planning has become my safe space. Planning what days to do what, when to premake and freeze vs. make fresh that day, when to send something and when to make time to see them in person. Planning to down to every last detail, scribbling it in my planner helps keep me calm. While planning, I sort through the tough elimination and ask myself “What are the real priorities here?” Do I have to have a day-long cookie bake with my mom and sister again this year? While this was so fun last year, forcing fun moments has never been my favorite.
So to all you, boss babes and multitasking millennials, I wish us luck this holiday season. I hope that all of us are able to remember why we bust our ass this time of year to make it all work. We do it for our families and friends who for years did the same for us. Remembering the reasons, help make the season bright. Finally, I can’t stress enough the importance of family. We all have our own struggles, but I pray for all of us, that we cherish our families while they are here and present.
Merry Christmas everyone, may your presence with your family be the real present.
-ML
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