Holiday season brings joy, hustle and bustle, and stress...

This is the season of giving.  It's a time when you share yourself with those whom you love most in your life:  your family and friends.  Between work and shopping though, I want to remind you to take care of yourself.  This may be easy to say as to do lists may resemble a maintenance sheet on the back of a fork lift at the Home Depot.

Taking caring of yourself is a very important thing to do as being busy may distract you from this important piece in life.  One way to apply this is you need to reward yourself for your hard work.  You can do this through, possibly, reading (your favorite blogger).  Exercise is also an important component as it increases those beautiful endorphins.  Exercise can also be a bridge to sluggishness as you cram extra activities into an already full schedule pushing your internal clock to the limit.  Exercise will alleviate your energy levels.

Family issues can make the holiday season stressful.  Surprised?  As I write, I'm reminded of my experience interning at the crisis center at Underwood Memorial Hospital Woodbury, N.J.  I learned that people spend more time in the crisis center during the holidays than any other part of the calendar year.  From our childhoods, the family system never changes this can be quite the disappointment, which may bring on bouts of depression or anxiety.  I learned the unchanging family system from Dr. Snader in Psychology of Adolescence at Rutgers-Camden.  Does your mom complain about your dad sitting on a leather recliner while she bears the chores?  He doesn't seem to care.  Does your brother still tease you as he did when you were 10 and 8?  You may be the middle child who was "lost" in between the favorite more "accomplished" one and the youngest who was spoiled with gifts from less strict parents.

While wrapping presents, don't forget to make an interval of time for yourself so that you can sustain your well being.  After all, you need to keep yourself healthy and happy to accomplish your daily tasks.  Don't let those family issues impact the level of your joy either.  Know that people generally do not change, but you have the ability to not let these issues get you down!  Savor the moment.  How often throughout the year do you get to spend this time with those whom you cherish the most?

JL