WAIT! STOP! I CAN’T KEEP UP!
Businesses do not appear to be slowing down for the holidays this year? I am not talking about just retail businesses, I am talking about all businesses. In years past, it seemed like from Thanksgiving to the New Year there really just wasn’t much going on in the way of business.
When my kids were little I was in sales, and I was done for the year around December 3rd. I loved it. We made cookies, or gingerbread houses, watched Christmas movies, decorated the house, and I would leisurely shop the first 3 weeks. We would have the gifts beautifully wrapped and under the tree long before Christmas. My husband would save his vacation for the end of the year. He and I would go to numerous holiday parties, and my memories are all of wonderful, stress free holidays.
You see I now own 2 retail businesses and a business coaching practice. In 2002, we bought our first retail business, and my holidays have never been the same since. But this blog isn’t about that. Later when I have the time, I will spend years in therapy figuring out why I did this to myself, but for now this is my reality.
A funny thing happened this year. There was some training I wanted to take. It was the first time she was offering it so the price was super low. If I waited till the next session the price will be 3-4 times higher. It was going to be right in the middle of the day for 90 minutes, but only for the first two Mondays in December, two huge days for me at the stores for corporate orders. Both Mondays, I had big corporate orders due. Arrrrggghhhh, what am I going to do, because I need to be at the stores? Who plans a training in December? Didn’t this business person know she was suppose to be slowing down for the holidays?
I really thought twice about not taking the training. And it wasn’t just the class time that was the issue, there would be a couple hours of homework every week to go along with it. There were several other meetings, and numerous phone planning sessions these same two weeks that I should be attending, because we are working on some January-March events. I thought about all of the people I knew that would not pile on the added work load this time of year, and then I remembered. I’m not like other people. BRING IT ON!
So as we head into the next 11 days before Christmas I am begging all of you, WAIT! STOP! I Can’t Keep Up! I feel like I am missing out on things because I am working as fast and as hard as I can, and you my business buddies are not waiting for me. What I really mean is: Keep Going! Finish Strong! Don’t wait for anyone! Not even me.
Please take a moment out of your busy day to share here what you or your business have planned for 2012. You never know what will happen when you put it out into the universe. Well, I know what happens when you put it out there, but you probably don’t, but that is a blog for the New Year. And don’t call me on December 27th from noon till 2 p.m. I will be taking some time off.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays
