Are those bells ringing in your ears a sign of holiday cheer or a sign of too much stress? Don't let this Holiday Season slip by in a blur of over scheduling. Commit to making changes -- one step at a time and you'll discover the gift of a more enjoyable year-end celebration. As you juggle the complexities of work, home and family, here are 5 simple steps that may help you become as jolly as ol' St. Nick.

5. Develop an list of everything you would like to do THIS Holiday Season, then prioritize in order to get the most amount of joy from the limited amount of time you have to spend with family, friends and coworkers. Remember, this year's priorities may look different than those of holidays past!

4. Express gratitude. What a great time of year to thank all of those people who make your life worth living! Don't let the hustle and bustle of the season steal away your opportunity to be thankful for the people, experiences and events (both good and bad) that made this year unique and memorable. If you're sending greeting cards, why not add a personalized message about why you are thankful for having the recipient in your life.

3. Learn to say NO -- put YOU first sometimes. It's ok to say no! I repeat: it is ok to say NO! Schedule some "alone time" during the holidays so you can reduce the temptation to take on too many responsibilities that may cause a meltdown at the worst possible moment.

2. Choose your battles wisely. As the end of the year quickly approaches, you may be pulled in too many directions and it may be impossible for you to attend every get together. Holidays are often full of over taxed emotions so, rather than succumbing to a confrontation, try to approach each situation as an opportunity to accommodate the most important needs of those involved. Express your opinion about the little things that are causing extra stress instead of hiding those emotions that may cause your temper to reach the boiling point.

1. Life really is about the journey. Savor the moments! That is a difficult concept for those of us who are always striving toward a particular goal. Savoring the moment means allowing yourself enough time to celebrate each activity before rushing on to the next event.

BONUS Stress Reducer: Buy copies of the Rat Race Relaxer Book -- 52 stress busting tips, one for every week of 2005 -- a gift that will challenge you and your friends to get what you want in return for running the rat race!

While the keys may appear simple, they are guaranteed to help you tackle the rat race head-on, and turn it into a race than can be run --and won-- by charting your own course rather than navigating someone else's.

_______________ Copyright 2004 Carey’D Away Enterprises, LLC, All Rights Reserved. * Adapted from the book Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey. This article may be reproduced and shared as long as the contact and copyright information is included. Please also send us an email at mailto:j.carey@att.net and let us know how you are using the articles so we can continue to provide useful and timely information to our loyal readers.