Happy Holidays!

My how time flies!  It seems like we were just ringing in 2010 and here we are winding it down.  I remember being a kid and feeling like Christmas would never come.  Just what is it about being a kid that makes time go so slowly?

Enjoy the holiday season.  Enjoy the time with your family.  Enjoy shopping for loved ones.  When you find yourself stressing about what you still need to buy, the crowds at the mall, the increased traffic on the road, stop and think about what you enjoy about this time of year.  The true meaning often gets lost in the shuffle.  It makes me really sad when people say that they can't wait for Christmas to be over because it's just too stressful! It doesn't need to be that way.  As I ate my Dove Dark Chocolate Holiday Promises, I read one wrapper: "Promise yourself some relaxing holiday moments".

There is absolutely no reason to find fault with this time of year.  If you gain weight and that bothers you, don't eat so much.  I'm sure no one's holding you down by the shoulders, forcing food down your throat.  If the crowds at the stores bother you, consider shopping online.  Today is Cyber Monday, the Black Friday of internet shopping. There are some great deals out there...some of which are going on all week!  If you stress about shopping in general, stop and remind yourself about why you are shopping for the people you choose to.  Think about how you will feel giving the gifts and seeing the person's reaction.  That should help make it worth it.  Be thankful you are fortunate enough to be out there shopping for the people you care about.  Do you stress over decorating for Christmas, stringing all those lights, finding the perfect tree?  Scale it back!  There is no need to go all crazy if you don't enjoy doing it.  Don't decorate for others...decorate for yourself!  If you dread spending time with family, take some time to evaluate what about it gets under your skin.  Is it something that you can change?  Is it just your attitude?  Take control over your life and your own feelings to make those family get-togethers bearable and positive.  When it all comes down to it, sometimes family is the only thing you have.  Appreciate it.  Enjoy it.  You never know when it won't be there anymore.

Get into the season.  There are so many Christmas shows on tonight alone.  Starting December 1st ABC Family is having their annual 25 Days of Christmas.  Blockbuster has a wall of Christmas and other holiday movies.  If you're in the Syracuse area tune into Y94FM to hear Christmas music.  I recommend watching A Christmas Carol (or my personal favorite, The Muppet Christmas Carol) to help put this season into a true perspective.

Don't lose sight of what the holidays are all about.  Don't do things because you have to.  Do it because you WANT to.  Try your hardest to really thoroughly enjoy every day that's to come.  If you catch yourself saying "I can't wait for Christmas to be over", stop and correct yourself...fix whatever behavior is making you feel that way.  It's too special of a time of year to say those things.  And life is just too precious to wish for something to pass before it's even here.

Thanksgiving has come and gone already, but it does not mean that you should stop thinking about what you are thankful for.  In all the craziness surrounding the holidays, stop and remind yourself about what you appreciate and what you enjoy...and most of all, what you are thankful for.

What Can Unruh Do for You?

I mention in my little description above that I am willing to do some custom work for anyone interested.  One of my friends contacted me about some strawberry pictures for a gift for his grandmother.  I didn't have any, so I went out, bought a bunch and got to work.  I then sent him a bunch to choose from, he told me his favorites, and I went to work from there.

Here is a picture of the finished product posted to the right. Please ignore the awful quality.  It's hopefully the worst picture you ever see on here!

If you would like anything like this or have something completely different you would like to work with get in contact with me!  Even if I don't have a picture of something already, I can do one.  You give me something to work with, I'll do the creative side!

Dealing with Adversity

How do you deal with adversity?  When you find yourself in a situation you aren't happy with, what is your reaction?  I know what I would like to do when bad things happen...depending on the severity it's either pretend that it never happened and keep moving on, curl up in a ball and hide under the blankets where no one can find me, or kiss my former life goodbye, pack everything up and move to some other location in the country.  But that's not really possible or practical, is it?

Now, there are some things that happen that are crappy that you really can just be like "ok...we're going to forget that happened", but not everything is like that unfortunately.  Sometimes it's better to just suck it up and deal with the problem head on, suffer the consequences, and move on from there.  It's about making the best of the situation, no matter how crappy it is.  Some pretty horrible things happen sometimes that have a huge impact on other things in your life besides just you.  Those are the most difficult to deal with.

The best you can do is try your hardest not to avoid whatever unpleasant situation you find yourself in.  Often times, the longer you avoid it, the worse the results can be.  Just rip it off like a Band Aid.  Figure out the consequences. Then figure out what healthy things you can do for yourself that will help you cope with the consequences...get together with friends, go for a hike, cry, go for a jog, do some therapeutic cleaning, watch your favorite movie, read a book...anything that will help you get your mind off of it. I do not recommend turning to things like alcohol.  All that does is make you temporarily forget and then probably make you feel worse afterward...especially if that is what you turn to every single time you have that something you don't want to deal with. 

Life is never perfect all the time.  We work our hardest to make sure it is as close as it can be, but we must always figure out how to deal with it when it is not perfect.

Thank you to my mom for sharing the quote seen above!  It's perfect for this entry (and the current weather!)