Hey, its December already? Where did the year go? I had plans for this year..big plans.do you think I still have time to lose that 25 lbs., learn a second language and earn an extra $100,000? Oh, darn. Maybe, next year?

I dont know about you all, but every year I make big plans for my year in January and December is the month that I feel the clock ticking. Okay, so I dont make ALL my goals but I do reach a good portion of them.

I learned long ago not to stress about the unused portion of my goal list, because they can be recycled onto next years list, and focus on the wonder and fun of the month at hand.

I also know that when I make next years list in January, some of those goals wont seem as important and it will be okay to rid myself of a few of them. However, why not just ENJOY December and all of the FUN it can hold for you and your family.

I guarantee you that your family will love you the same, with or without those extra twenty-five pounds, and who cares if you have yet learned to Salsa dance and speak Hungarian? Unless, you are married to a skinny Hungarian Salsa dancer, I dont see the problem.

Dont stress over the have nots this year, but pour joy over the things and people that you have in your life. If you really feel you need help to handle stresss, consider natural alternatives, such as Valerian, Kava Kava or stress formulated herbs & vitamins.

Remember, the holidays are not for showing off.they are for showing up! Also, keep your sense of humor. I cant think of a time when a sense of humor is needed more than the holidays. Long lines, traffic, weak bank accounts, strange relatives, weird gifts, weird relatives..oh my, this list can go on.

Luckily, there are plenty of funny movies for the holidays. I LOVE watching holiday comedies, my favorites are The Preachers Wife (the remake with Denzel) and Home Alone (the original).

It makes me chuckle when I see people walk around and wear funny sweaters, Santa hats, and reindeer antlers on their heads.

Have FUN this holiday and by the way what did Santa say to the reindeer? I dont know. I dont speak reindeer. Sorry, I couldnt resist. Happy Holidays!!

Copyright 2004 Elodia Tate all rights reserved. Permission to reprint granted with full article reprint, author credit and a link back to my site.

To contact Elodia Tate visit http://www.elodiatate.com

Elodia Tate

Elodia Tate is a best-selling author, speaker & health Coach, who is known for using humor & story telling to connect with her audience. She feels blessed and honored to have released a best-Selling book, "Open My Eyes, Open My Soul": Celebrating Our Common Humanity, co-created with Yolanda King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with a foreword by Coretta Scott King. She is also a contributor to "Chicken Soup For The African-American Soul. In the early 1990's, Elodia discovered she had lupus/SLE and chose to take a natural approach for managing her illness. She is a certified natural Health Coach, and the last ten years she has been learning and sharing with others "How To Take A Natural Approach To Health". She enjoys speaking to small groups as well as large audiences, and has been labeled as a "Health Activist" for the right to choose your own path to wellness. She pulls from her own life experiences and uses her craft, of turning her stories into humor and connects with people from all walks of life.