Ok.

Remember that post about how I survive the Holiday Blues? Well, there’s one more secret method I use to ensure a Happy Holiday season.

Are you ready?

I can’t believe I’m going to share this secret.

I use the holidays as an excuse to do less.

I know. You think I’m nuts, right? How is this possible when the Holidays are all manic with shopping and parties and gifts and decorations and fudge-making and cookie-eating and Tacky-Christmas-Sweater-Wearing?

Here’s the trick: Since the Holidays are so “busy,” it’s really easy to say “Well, I just can’t do that right now. It’s the Holidays and you know how crazy things are this time of year.”

Case in point: blogging.

Watch this: I’m going to take the next two weeks off from writing here, because it’s the Holidays and we have an abnormally high number of commitments in the next two weeks. But, here’s my secret reason: I need to do some thinking. And writing. And songwriting. And just a bit of Pulling Back and Quieting and Reflecting. (Notice I’m placing this post in the “Discipline” category–because creativity really does take discipline.)

And, don’t you worry. Yes, I’ll pine away for January to arrive when we can all be together again in this corner of the blogosphere–fresh and awake and ready to go. And I give you permission (nay, I encourage you!) to pull back as well. Create some space. Shalom for a bit. Think of all the amazing conversations we might have after taking a few days to quiet down.

I look forward to finding out what might come of this!

Until then, y’all try to stay on the “Nice” list. Thanks for reading. And thanks for understanding when I say “It’s the Holidays.”