I recently started asking myself a few questions when I found I no longer enjoyed my job. I thought to myself why would I bother doing something that I don’t enjoy at my age? Life seems too short and I figure it’s high time I go find myself a new vocation. Of course what logically follows from that is an inquisition as to what new career path I would enjoy following.

First I figured I should think why I work. The picture I always have in my head when I’m slaving away is the thought of my kids gather happily around the {christmas wreath}. I know that’s what keeps me going. The world of business is stressful and people work hard with nothing but a paycheck to look forward to.

Second, I figured I should think of stuff I do enjoy doing. I like fishing! I could be a fisherman?  No that doesn’t sound as fun as the fishing I do. Something else I like is helping with my daughters softball team. I suppose I could be a school teacher. That actually would be a good job apart from the drawback of going back to school.

When I think about things realistically I know I’m stuck where I am for now. I’m close enough to retirement that I can taste it. My jobs not that bad anyway. It’s working my way up the corporate ladder that bothers me. There, that’s my solution! I’ll relax and let the world go by. I’ll no longer take my cell home during my off hours, or update spreadsheets in front of the TV. My boss can’t can me. Even if he did my severance package would take me well into retirement.
Now I can just sit back and slack, hang a decorated christmas wreath with the kids, and make some real memories. Well there that alone gives me a year to look forward to. While at work I can envision a nice relaxing holiday, and think of my new New Years resolution.

They say that everyone has to experience the Christmas blues at least once in their lifetime.  For me, I always thought that that’s impossible.  I love Christmas. It is the holiday that I look forward to the most. they are correct really. the Christmas blues have hit me. I am officially experiencing Christmas stress. I can’t face the idea of holiday garland.

I cant think of what has gotten into me. I am wiped out recently. I was supposed to get gifts for everyone this week but I just can’t seem to find the right kind of cheer I need.I always try to my best to have a cheerful demeanor because I believe that when you shop happy you buy gifts that make people happy. As if things couldn’t get any worse, mu husband Jim was talking to his boss who mentioned how much fun he had at last years dinner party so essentially invited himself.It must have slipped my husbands mind to tell me again yesterday. 

On top of everything else like the gifts I still have left to buy, and the Christmas stress I have going on, I still have a dinner party to get ready. I need to switch into my Superwoman mode right now. There’s nothing going on. I am overly tired. I hope I’m not coming down with the flu or something.  It’ll be a blow for the kids. People have come to expect the happy cheerful me at Christmas time. I wouldn’t want to hamper their festive mood.

Ugh. I really, really don’t feel so good.  Excuse me…. WHAT!? I’m officially out of my Christmas stress. 

I just found out that Jim and I are having a baby! Bring on the festivities! I guess the crystal white garland might get hung this year.

Many people think that Christmas stress is about the Christmas rush, or is experienced when you made a lot of preparation for the Yuletide Season, like the food, decorations, and in choosing for the perfect presents to be given to every member of the household, or to your friends. For some of us we aren’t so lucky as for our main source of stress to be what goes under the pre lit christmas tree, but a lot of other considerations. For physicians like me, the holiday stress doesn’t just disappear after Christmas day is over and the house is cleaned up. For us, Christmas is the entire 365 days of the calendar, or in short, everyday is Christmas day.

The holidays are about hope and giving life. Physicians like myself make life changing decisions every day, not just for ourselves, but for our patents as well. We make them happy, especially if we can detect hope for their illness. We also make them happy, even if treatment for their diseases is impossible, as long as they know we are doing our best in helping them adjust to their illness situation, and eventually help them accept death.

That is what makes everyday of our life a Christmas celebration, and it is stressful enough in our part, especially is we will be witnessing the last breath of our clients. It gets really hard some times to be tough in front of someone who is dying, and all that you can really do is be sympathetic, or most of the time just letting them be with family is best. That is very nerve-racking in my part. It’s true when I say that holiday stress can be very different when you’re a doctor, because you can’t run away from it, it becomes a part of everyday normal life. So this year when you’re sitting around the pre it christmas wreath just relax and think it could be worse.

Christmas can bring happiness, joy and stress, that is, for sure. Yearly, I have to go through the stress of this festive season. When I think about it, I view Christmas in two lights, as both the happiest and most tiring day of the calender year. Why? Because it makes me think about something that I haven’t achieve for this whole year, and another year is about to come and make me struggle to get into that goal. Me having my baby isn’t making the season any easier on me. My man Labron, he just helps me relax and makes sure I don’t worry myself to death at this holiday that comes once a year and always ends up ok. Everything down to picking up my new upside down christmas tree stresses me out!

I always think that the reason could be that Christmas shows me the things I’m lacking and that leads to more Christmas stress, both because I shouldn’t be thinking such things and because it’s sad to think about. Every year when Christmas eve arrives things seem like they will be ok. I get to see people I don’t always see often, especially my parents, since they live in New Orleans and we are in the state of California, and even my nieces and nephews. Although sometimes we don’t encourage them to visit us during Christmas because I know they have other plans on this occasion.

Due to everything, I try to do a few things I’ve learned over the years to distract myself. I usually plan ahead and list down all the things to prepare. My husband manages to help me out by giving me second ideas on our next planned expenses during Christmas too. And next year we are hoping to spend Christmas abroad, at least that could be a less stressful for us. I like to think of the things I’m looking forward to purely for my enjoyment like my chandelier christmas tree.