Let Harper and Obama do the worrying—at least, after five.

Let Harper and Obama do  the worrying—at least, after five.  I  attended a convention last week and had the pleasure of playing the role of spectator instead of speaker. I enjoyed the role reversal. It  allowed me to hear things from another perspective—to sit and say, “I know  that” and also to say, “I need to do that,” too.  Sometimes  we are too close to a situation to realize the impact we’re having. Sometimes  we can be too involved, too focused and possibly too self-absorbed to think of  others.  Think  back to the last time you arrived home and told your family you’d had a bad  day. You probably expected them to cut you some slack, and perhaps forgive you  for being in a bad mood.  Why  do we do that? Why do we behave the worst with the people we love the most? And  what does that behavior teach our children, our partners and ourselves?  Darci  (the speaker) suggested to us that when we put our hand on the doorknob to  enter our home, we need to take a deep breath—separate from what we left and  enjoy what we enjoy most. Easier said than done.  In  my city, Ottawa,  we are a week into a transit strike, with no end in sight. People are short  tempered, and taking out their frustrations on everyone, including their  families. North Americans who are relying on the auto industry are concerned  for their jobs. We’re all, in one way or another, worried about what the  economy will mean for us.   It’s  no wonder we’re stressed and irritable. But it doesn’t mean we should take it  out on our loved ones.Here  are some quick reminders that may help you be the best “you” that you can be.   Before you open the door

  
•  Take a deep breath before you open the door. If necessary, sit in your car or  walk around the block until you’re ready to open the door.
  
• Put a smile on your face. You’ve just walked into a  supportive place. Show your family that you’re happy to be with them.
  
• Be willing to talk about your day. Don’t repress your  feelings. In the same vein, don’t vent your frustrations on your family and  think that is “communicating,” either. Talk “with” your family, not “at” them.
  
• Be present with your family, in mind and body.
  
• Focus on what went well today, rather than on what didn’t go  well.
  
• Share something funny that happened to you today, and have  everyone else do the same.
  
• Be aware of information overload. Yes, information is part of  the answer, but too much information can cause fear as well. Get the  information you need to know, but don’t feel that getting that same information  from six different sources is going to make you feel better; it won’t.
  
• Be thankful every day that you have what you have, because  there are millions of people who don’t have even close to what you have.

These  are great messages at any time of the year, not just the holiday season. Family  is a gift. Your family might be traditional in nature, or it might be a little  less conventional. Your family might be on the other end of a telephone or your  family might have four legs. Family is family and they deserve the best of you.We at ON THE RIGHT TRACK wish you the best of holiday seasons. We wish  that when you walk in the door tonight you walk in with a smile on your face,  and an appreciation for what you have. It’s worth it.