That is the question, isn't it?

Team eggnog? Or team cider? These adult decisions can't get any worse!

This piece doesn't actually have anything to do with the grueling decision between eggnog or cider. (The answer is cider, just in case anybody was wondering. And that is not a matter of opinion. It is a hard fact.) It does, however, pertain to all of the decisions that have to be made in the holiday season. For example: How much should I spend this year? What should I buy? Should we travel or stay home? If we travel, which side of the family should we visit first? Yada yada yada...

And we all wonder why the heck the holidays are so dang stressful.

The real question that I would like to ask is 'is it all worth it?' Every year we all get lost in the busyness of the season resulting in stress, anxiety, empty pockets, family strife etc... What happened to Christmas joy and peace on earth?! I'll tell you what happened. Consumerism. Holy cow do we know how to consume the crap out of stuff. How much easier could life be if we simply stopped (or significantly limited) consuming every new thing that is marketed toward us?

I understand that this is so much harder to execute than it is to state. Nothing good in life comes easy, right? But in all seriousness, the consumerism epidemic (yes, I said epidemic) has taken control over the way we make decisions and live our lives. As a result, we find that everyday living is expensive and full of clutter. Clutter does not seem like a very big deal, and we may not realize that it is affecting us, but the presence of stuff everywhere in our lives causes anxiety, lack of focus, lack of motivation, and the devaluing of said possessions and also relationships.

So what do we do about this? We first need to realize that we have a problem. As is the case with any addiction. We are drawn to the act of buying things simply because we can. We are deceived into thinking that once we have spent our money the article(s) in question will bring us happiness. This is a complete lie. We live in a culture where everybody, even those deemed as "lower class", has an ample amount of possessions. More than one would ever need. Often times these possessions, such as technology, are valued more than the relationships we engage in everyday. Admit it. Nobody, not even you, is immune to this. Just try not logging into facebook for one day. See how it goes.

Okay, so now you realize that you have a problem. How do you fix it? Get rid of all of your crap!!! There.That wasn't so hard. When I say "crap" I'm talking about all of the things that don't add value to your everyday life. All of those trinkets, clothes you never wear, gadgets you never use, and even some things that you do use. In order to do this, you're going to need some outside, professional help. I highly recommend that you purchase and read the book "The More of Less: Finding the Life you Want Under Everything You Own" by Josh Becker. He gives a step by step guide to minimalizing your home and maximizing your life.

Once you have gotten an idea of what it's like to live fully with minimal possessions, learn to not succumb to the wiles of the marketing schemes. If you can discipline yourself to avoid spending unnecessarily all year long, then you will be able to find freedom with your time, finances, and relationships. Go take a vacation! Spend that money on memories!

Team eggnog or team cider? I sincerely hope that you can make the changes needed in your life to create a sense of joy when making decisions instead of a sense of dread. Especially when you have to decide between eggnog or cider.

Sincerely stress free,

Winter