Have you ever felt like December comes too fast, is too intense, and goes too fast?

I certainly have. Suddenly the festive season in full swing. Christmas and the end of the year, which seemed so far off, are now frighteningly close. So much to do in so little time.

Read more: How To Have Less Stress And Guilt In December

Everyone wants things to be finished before Christmas, the end of the year and the holiday season. The pressures and expectations for everything to be wonderful and jolly. And, for Christians (and many non-Christians), the waiting and preparations for Christmas. No wonder it’s called the silly season!

There’s so much evidence that if we fail to plan, we plan to fail.

Many times I have been so busy that I haven’t planned well (or at all) at this time of the year. I have felt guilty and stressed as a result. Add on top of that my desire to ‘do the right thing’ by my family, by our world, by charities, by me… And now we have so increasingly more bad news to contend with as well: wars, extreme weather, COVID19, and housing and cost-of-living pressures.

I have found, though, that being clear about my values and my concerns goes a long way to making decisions and plans for this time of year easier.

To help you through this time of preparation and waiting, each day I will share a thought to help you live more in alignment with your values and your concerns about our world. It’s a sort of Advent Calendar for December, my gift to you.

Til next time…