I was recently interviewed by Shape magazine on creative ways to get through the holidays in an article called "the urge to splurge". For many people, the holidays can blow all the circuits in an already over-stimulated and over-loaded life. I had one client tell me last week that she wanted to hide under the covers to avoid her overly long To-do list of cards to send, gifts to buy, and food to make. Still another client has historically started a course of Valium from early November to New Year's Day. And a third client is still paying off last year's holiday credit card bills. Talk about stress! Remember, stress is your body's physiological response to the demands and pressures in your life and therefore, you can control many of these demands and pressures by being a proactive decision-maker. Here are some quick tips:

1. Identify the holiday traditions or events that you truly enjoy-and those that you do not. This year, skip the ones that you do not. You deserve a year off. Plan quality time with some of the special people in your life for after the hectic holidays.
2. Set a dollar amount for gifts. Decide on a budget, withdraw that cash amount from the bank, and put the allocated cash in an envelope for each person. When you have spent their gift allotment- stop shopping. If money is tight, get creative and give the gift of life experiences instead. Guilt creates a lot of unnecessary and stressful debt.
3. Experiment with new options that fit your present lifestyle not a Christmas of the Past fantasy. If you want to paint an original holiday card, enjoy it, but delegate or eliminate other responsibilities so you have the time to relish your creation.
4. Avoid or limit your time with negative people and watch your tendency to overeat, drink too much, or seethe with anger. None of those behaviors are healthy. Instead be sure you exercise, relax, and keep your sense of humor.
5. Don't play the holiday martyr-have a family meeting or poll your friends and encourage everyone to take part in activities and/or agree to simplify/scale things back.

Want to learn to eliminate negative stress in your life everyday? We are down to the final 45 Positive Choices Packages -the dynamic duo limited edition book and audiotape workshop-on-tape featured in Redbook, Health, Investor's Business Daily, The Improper Bostonian, Human Resource Executive, among others, that will teach you to identify your personal stressors and learn to avoid, modify, or cope with them once and for all. Perfect for you and perfect as a gift and we are giving you-- my newsletter readers-- a special holiday price until December 15th. Grab one for yourself and your friends while they last.

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Our current Circle which began in September is thriving and as always, I am amazed by the creative potential and daring of a motivated and supportive group of women. I feel so grateful to be able to do this transformative work. There will be a new Circle beginning in January and I am beginning interviews already. This 8-week powerful coaching group with Gail is limited to only 6 highly motivated women who are ready to blast through their resistance and complete a significant piece of creative work or a specific project.

Creativity Coaching Certification Program

I am delighted to announce that I will be teaching with Eric Maisel and Diane Reardon in the new online Creativity Coaching Association Certification Program. We have a designed a comprehensive and exciting new program for aspiring creativity coaches and I will be teaching the unit called "Success Strategies for Creativity Coaches" this spring. For information about this fabulous new program click on:
http://w ww.creativity- portal.com/cca/programs/certification.html

At the request of our readers, we are now offering advertising in this newsletter. For further information and to purchase an ad for our December newsletter, please click on the link below:

www.creativesuccess.com/adsales.html

Creatively yours,
Gail McMeekin
http://www. creativesuccess.com