As quickly as the whirlwind had me spun into a tizzy over gifts, ornaments, desserts, and merriment - it was over. Despite how easy it is to become overwhelmed and stressed out during the holiday season, there is still an air of joy and excitement. I was able to spend my first Christmas as a married woman and I was so excited to decorate the tree and hang the mistletoe. Our home smelled of cinnamon. Our puppy was confused! Suddenly...it was over.

Back to reality. Back to the doldrums that exist in our everyday lives. Back to debt and back to school. Admittedly, I nearly had an anxiety attack over my drained bank account and mounting bills. I missed my family, all of whom live nearly 13 hours away, and my home is back to smelling of lilacs and lacking mistletoe. This stress is not as enjoyable and exciting as the holiday stress. Alas, it is there.

The question now is how to overcome the blues following a joyous holiday season accompanying a true life stress load. Well, I am making a life change - for the better.

As I took the decorations down I re-arranged our living room and changed the curtains. The room is different, lighter, and seemingly larger. One change down and many more to come. I replaced the poinsettias with lilies and carnations and placed them all throughout the house. I brought a new quilt onto the bed and brightened up our bedroom. As I made my way throughout the house I thought not of what was coming down but instead of what was going up. Yes, the holidays are over and I have to take down the Christmas quilt, but I get to put up the beautiful painting my sister sent me for Christmas. Each step I take is a step forward. This is a new year!

As excited as I was to see what my husband had been hiding from me for a month (which happened to be a new laptop!), I am equally excited to see what 2008 brings to the table. I do not get to determine when the holiday season arrives but I am in control of how I live this year. Why feel blue about getting a new opportunity? Why be saddened by a re-entry into real life? We live nearly 350 days of the year in generic format, yet those are the days we should be most excited about. I could not be blue or disappointed in ringing in the New Year and working through those 350 or so days to ensure that NEXT holiday season can be even more fantastic than this past season.

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Winchester.
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