As Christmas approaches it feels like the world is spinning faster and faster. And the urge to feel stress (yes I said urge) is all around. The lines are long at the post office – really long; the mobs at most stores make it tougher to shop; and the pressure to have the perfect gift for everyone could drive you nuts.

And at the same time, I’m noticing the urge to stop working and focus on relationships more - nurturing myself and others. And this is despite the fact that I’m a small business owner who is always thinking about how to use my time wisely.

It has occurred to me that I can choose to not pick up all the stress I can see all around. And I realized that I need to spend time nurturing and giving as much as buying and holiday baking.

Part of this dawned on me today as I got a thank you email from a client who received a year-end gift from me. I was trying to keep costs down and came up with a terrific notebook with my company logo for each client and business referral source I worked with this year. The thank you note from this client said, “Thanks for the gift; it is the bright spot today in a bad day.”

I hadn’t realized when I sent the gift that I might actually brighten someone’s day. That I might make them smile. Then I got a gift from a business referral source that I love working with and it brought a smile to my face because I truly expected no gifts. I could relate to the light giving and thoughtfulness brings to one’s day. So why can’t we give and say thank you more? It isn’t hard. And it doesn’t have to be with physical things only. I sent one contact a note of how I appreciate his skills, talents and work. He was thrilled.

Another observation that hit me last week was I can see that external to me there is much discussion about stress, much definition of where this stress comes from like long lines, traffic jams and such. And that those convenient descriptions on the nightly news and in conversations among friends and associates bring these frazzled states to reality.

What I mean is, I can see that I can choose to be frazzled or not. I can see that I can choose to be impatient or not, or let the person with one package in front of me at the post office go before me since I have 10 packages. I can choose to see the light in the world coming from so many giving and loving souls or I can see the insanity that is shopping and consumption (and I love gifts as much as anyone).

So this year I’m choosing to take the time to nurture others, to connect and to say thank you more and more. And I’m much less stressed. I gave up at least 95% of the impatience I was feeling at the post office when I was in line and I am letting myself take the time to recognize the importance of this season spiritually and to let that calm me and move me to action.

It’s a cool feeling. And it was easier than I thought to reject the idea of stressful planning, shopping and end of year business planning.

Will the world end if I don’t have a million presents for friends? No. Will my business stop if my business planning for 2007 continues into January? No. It will be alright. And I believe this calm and realization is coming from Spirit – my ever present supporter and guide. Thank you God for a much more peaceful holiday.

Read more from this blogger at Spirit and Entrepreneurship.  

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