Don't Waste Another Minute Of Dream-Killing--Read This And Start Attaining Your Goals Today

Many of us have goals--things we want to accomplish in our lives. However, attaining those goals is often much more difficult than we originally thought. Often goals get kiboshed before we even begin working toward them. 

Here are some tips that can help you accomplish your goals:

1. Attainable: If you want to climb Mt. Everest, but have absolutely no mountain climbing experience, chances are the goal is unattainable--for now. It doesn't mean it's definitively unattainable, but it will take a lot of time and dedication to smaller goals to lead to that big one. That's the key: set yourself goals you can attain--the momentum will carry you to larger ones.

2. Work backward: Don't start with today, begin with tomorrow. What do you ultimately want to achieve? Typically it's something large. The key will be to determine what that goal is, and then work backward and list all the sub-goals that will get you to the big one; then just follow the trail of smaller goals to the big one--call it the Milestone.

3. Write it down: People who write down their goals typically achieve them. There's an amazing thing that happens when we put goals to actual paper, and then carry it around with us. Be even more audacious: write down the date of when you will accomplish it. 

4. Re-read: When you have that big goal written down--including the date on which you'll accomplish it--read the goal everyday. This will keep the goal at the top of your mind, and help you focus your energy around it. 

5. Ask for help: There are two kinds of people: those who help others attain their goals, and those who see you as a threat and won't move a muscle in helping you. Focus on the first group, and don't give a second thought to the dream-killers. Look into your social network and find those who can help you. Keep your request for help simple; and be sure you thank them when they provide you with ways to move closer to your goal.

6. Biographies: You'll need inspiration. Reading about the lives of others who have accomplished extraordinary things will not only give you the inspiration jolt you need, but will also give you insights into how you will accomplish your goal. This is where you get into the habits of success: by reading about those who succeeded you can mimic those characteristics and ways of working that contributed to accomplishing their goals. 

7. Don't give up: Failure will happen--it's part of life. And in fact, failing at our goals can lead to valuable insights for eventually attaining them. When you fail, don't give up--get up and keep on going. Those who succeed have stories of failure--it's part of the jungle of life. Those who accomplish their goals don't take failure personally, and certainly don't quit. Perseverance is in all of us--but it often takes digging deep into your self to find it.

8. Be thankful: When you accomplish your goal, be thankful for where you are, and don't forget to thank those who helped you. We don't attain success in life without others helping us along. And let your accomplishment teach you a lesson about 'paying it forward': when someone comes to you to help them attain their goals, you can offer your time and assistance being thankful for those who helped you along.

9. Make another goal: The writer Stephen Pressfield recalled a time when he finished his first novel. He took it to a veteran writer to share his excitement. The writer asked him, "So what are you going to do now?" Pressfield was confused--what should he do? The writer-friend replied, "Go write another novel--today." When we attain our goal, we need to make other ones. Always have something to work toward--it'll get you up in the morning. Humans have a tendency to digress in health and joy when they stop working toward things. 

10. Enjoy the journey: It's not the end, but the process in getting there that's of greatest value; it's the place of learning about yourself, mustering up courage, building community, and feeling your pulse. Take time to look up and enjoy the view from half-way up the summit. As the great Goethe once said, "Haste not--rest not." 

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8 Critical Tips For Low-Risk Snow Shovelling

You wake up, look out the window, and see your driveway covered in snow--best to clear it before you get ready for work; and best to have breakfast and a stiff coffee to get your motor going. You gobble down a hearty egg, bacon, and toast breakfast, quaff down your coffee, and are on the driveway within minutes. The snow is thick and heavy. 

You've only got 10 minutes to get it done, but the double-car driveway now seems more like a curse than the blessing it was when you bought the house. Within minutes your heart's beating fast, sweat's soaking your hat, and you're starting to feel a bit dizzy. "No worries," you tell yourself, "just a bit out of shape..." You've gotta be in the shower within the next five minutes--your legs feel heavy in your boots.

This is a typical scenario--and it's a possibly deadly one, especially if you have a heart condition. Shovelling snow for half an hour is equivalent to a half-hour of lifting weights. And within such a period of time, it's not unusual to be lifting 2000 pounds of snow! As well, the cold raises your blood pressure and increases your heart rate on its own, thus raising the risk factor for heart attack. 

With this in mind, here are some tips for snow shovelling:

1. Avoid if you've had a heart attack or stroke: If you have been diagnosed with heart disease, it's probably best to let someone else shovel the snow for you--unless you have a snow blower, which, nevertheless, should be done with caution and attention to staying warm.

2. Rest after a meal: Heading out the door to shovel after you've had a meal is not advisable, for your body is digesting the food, and adding more pressure to it could put strain on your heart.

3. Stretch: Take a few minutes before you get shovelling to stretch and warm up your body--just like you would at the gym. Those who know how to work out never just hop on a machine or set of weights without proper warm up--same goes for shovelling. 

4. Give yourself a break: When you're working out, it's common to take a break between sets, and longer drink-breaks between exercises--same applies to snow shovelling. Bring a water bottle out there, and every 10 minutes or so, have a drink and take a breather.

5. Stop if you feel dizzy: Being dizzy, light-headed, and just plain weird while shovelling snow is not a good sign. If you're feeling this way, go inside and finish the job later. If the job is too overwhelming, it's probably best to call a friend, family member, or neighbour to do it for you--there are also snow clearing services that charge a flat rate for the job. Better to pay in cash than with your life.

6. Use a smaller shovel: The Big Bertha is great for driving golf balls, but its equivalent in a snow shovel can quickly pack on the weight and subsequent strain on your heart. Use a smaller shovel to keep the load lighter.

7. Dress in layers: Hypothermia is common when out shovelling snow. Working up a sweat and tearing your parka off, stripping down to a t-shirt, will only get you in trouble. Best to take a layer off at a time while keeping your body warm. Also, avoid drinking alcohol before or during shovelling, for it will make your body seem warmer than it is. 

8. Be a snow angel: In Calgary, there's a campaign that runs every winter encouraging people to clear their neighbour's sidewalks and even driveways--it's called being a "snow angel," and it's something I've always admired. There are most likely people on your street who are elderly, under medical care, have back or hip problems, or are just out of town who could thus use some help with their sidewalks and even driveways. When you're out there, be a snow angel and clear other's sidewalks for them. You'll do something good, and help others out--you'll feel great. 

7 Critical Things To Have In Your Vehicle Safety Kit

What's in your trunk? Are you prepared for a road-side emergency, should it happen to you? With temperatures hitting consistent sub-zero, and snow sweeping over the Great Lakes, highway and city-driving poses plenty of risk. You are going to need to be prepared for anything. Here are the basics of what you need:

1. Food and Water: Say you've got to dig your car out of the shoulder of the road, or you're stuck for a while waiting for a tow: you'll need energy. You'll need to pack energy bars to give you the boost you need to get a job done, or recover from one. As well, you'll need to keep some water with you in bottles that won't crack in the cold. These are basics.

2. Tools: You or a passenger has suffered injury, or you're trapped in the car, or you need to dig yourself out of a jam, you'll need the following tools: 1) First Aid Kit, 2) seat belt cutters, 3) shovel, 4) multi-tool, e.g. Leatherman Wingman, 5) kitty litter (to add traction to tires to get out of a jam), 6) Candle, 7) wind-up flashlight, 8) battery-powered radio.

3. Jumper cables: This is critical. Click here to learn how to use them.

4. Whistle: You might think it trivial to have--until you're rendered hoarse from calling for help.

5. Road map: Your phone is out of battery and you don't know how to get around a detour. Technology has its limits--having a road map will be a reliable way to get out of a jam.

6. Antifreeze and/or Windshield Wiper Fluid: There are very few things worse than needing to clear your windshield while bombing down the highway and your wiper fluid tank is empty--and you don't have any extra bottles in the vehicle. It's important to have extra windshield wiper fluid in your vehicle. 

7. Warning Light and Flares: The second might seem excessive, but you never know until you're in the thick of a catastrophe to know how to use it. Warning lights will keep you in view while stuck on the side of the road. 

Got Too Much Stuff? These Simple Decluttering Tips Will Set You Free

If you're like many homes post-holiday season, you're probably noticing a lot more stuff inundating your house's crawl spaces, closets, rooms, garages, and hallways. A significant part of western living is the freedom to buy more. Run out of room, just buy more storage... 

There is a movement toward decluttering that holds out a glimmer of hope for our button-popping homes. It's likely that if you were to walk through your home with an eye for what you actually use and what you've merely stored for a later time, you'd realize you could probably get rid of, in one way or another, at least 50% of your stuff. 

Intrigued? Here are some tips:

1. Go in spurts: You've seen that show hoarders, in which the declutter brigade rushes through the house and dumps boxes and garbage bag out top-floor windows into awaiting empty steel bins? Well, that's probably not the way you want to go. In fact, it's easy to burn yourself out trying to get it all done in a day. Best to go slowly in spurts. Spend five minutes a day sorting through stuff and throwing what you don't need away.

2. Compartmentalize "throw away": You don't need to throw your stuff in the garbage--unless it's literal junk. There are many charities and non-profits out there that benefit from selling people's old stuff. Ever been to ValueVillage or Salvation Army? These are great places to take clothes you don't wear, dishes you no longer use, old thriller novels you won't read again, etc. The other compartment is 'Returns', i.e., taking stuff back to those you've borrowed it from. 

3. Fill a garbage bag: Here's a quick tip from becomingminimalist.com: Take a garbage bag and see how quickly you can fill it. Again, this may be a garbage bag full of stuff for Goodwill, or for the curb. Either way, you'll feel good.

4. The Oprah closet trick: Did you know the 80/20 rule applies to the clothes you wear? Apparently, people typically wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. To figure this out for yourself, hang all your clothes in reverse direction--back to front. When you've worn something and return it to your hanger, do so front to back. Do this for six months and see how many articles of clothing you've actually worn, and ask yourself if you really need the rest of them. If not, grab a garbage bag and fill it!

5. Give away and item per day: Many of us in North America have so much--compared to global standards of living, we are rich beyond measure. In many spiritual teachings, there's a correlation between owning many things and suffering. However, there's a sociological fact that acts of generosity and kindness actually lead to higher levels of well-being. Imagine that! It's the generosity paradox: typically we think we are happiest when we take stuff and unhappy when we give things away; but it's actually the other way around. Try it: give away an item per day and see how you feel. 

There are myriad more ways to declutter your home. In our society of high levels of consumption, it's good to revaluate how we live and consume stuff. Taking time to declutter our homes may actually bring more happiness, in addition to more usable square-footage.

6 Basic Ways To Prepare For A Major Disaster

We are living in a very intense time in human history. Whether threats from other countries or environmental disasters or economic meltdowns, it's important that we are aware of the risks and even more aware of how to prepare ourselves for such catastrophes. Today, North Korea claims it had successfully tested a hydrogen nuclear bomb (H-bomb). Whether it actually did or not should give us pause. This post is not meant to be alarmist or propagandistic, but simply to provide information toward a risk-management approach to any disaster scenario. 

Here are some basic ways to prepare for a nuclear attack (or most other disasters):

1. Get educated: A nuclear attack is a very complex phenomenon; and time taken during fall-out to learn about what to do will take valuable time away from your escape plan, and may even pose tremendous risk to your life. Take time now to learn about nuclear attacks, their different types, and what to do in the midst of them. 

2. Build your learning resources: A nuclear attack would wipe out the internet and your computers. If you rely on ebooks for your library, you're hooped. It's important you begin to build a small library of books and manuals that will not be destroyed in a blast. Survival manuals, herb identifier handbook, medical books such as Where There is No Doctor, Do-it-yourself books on back-to-basic subjects, road atlases and maps, etc. 

3. Have supplies: Your best bet during an attack might be to stay in your home--but that entails you have enough food and water stored to sustain you and your family for at least 48 hours. Choose items high in carbohydrates such as rice, wheat, beans, honey, oats, pasta, powdered milk, and dried fruits and vegetables. Build your supply slowly: each time you go to the grocery store, pick up a few extra items for storage, and keep them all in a cool dry place. 

4. Water: You'll need plenty of water stored, at least 4 litres per person per day. As with your food supplies, you can begin stocking up on water each time you go to the grocery store. If you don't have one already, something like a Big Berkey water system can be had for under $500, which will purify water from remote lakes, streams, stagnant ponds, and water from other countries. 

5. Stay informed: If you don't listen or watch the news, or stay on top of Twitter and other social networks, it's time you do. You'll be able to see the signs and plan your escape ahead of time. One key question to ask is, 'If this even is happening, what will need to happen to push it over the edge to a full-scale catastrophe? And how close are we to this happening? How many days/months do we have left? What will be the tipping point that will shift this event into that which is life-threatening?' 

6. Stock medical supplies: If you're on medication, you'll need to have enough to last you a month or so in the event there is no access to pharmacies or other providers. You'll also need a basic first-aid kit, and some books on addressing various wounds and ailments. 

There are endless other details I could add here--these are simply the basics. If you haven't already, it's important to begin your own research and formulate your own plans. You can start with some accessible survival handbooks, found on Amazon and elsewhere, which will give you all the information you'll need to build upon. 

The issue is that we are living in rapidly changing and complex times, which means things in our world can change in a heartbeat. We need to be ready for those changes in ways that ensure, to the greatest degree possible, that our loved ones and we will be safe. 

Whether a country is wielding the bomb to end all bombs or not, to live in this century is to be prepared--for anything. These initial predatory steps will help you respond to most disasters. 

5 Ways You'll Survive The Seemingly Endless Winter

It's January. It's winter. It's cold. 

And it ain't getting any warmer--for a while. 

How do you survive? Well, for those who have grown up in the great white north, you've had years to prepare and learn and adapt--but even seasoned veterans of winter need the odd refresher....

1. Get warm: It's easy to crank up the heat in your house, but it'll cost you more money--not to mention if you have cracks in your windows, or your windows are just plain old and lousy, a lot of that heat will escape. The easiest thing is to keep yourself warm by bundling up: double socks, extra blanket or duvet in your bed, even a night cap. My go-to is my trusty alma mater hoodie.

2. Stay active: It's easy to avoid winter altogether, and hole yourself up in your house or apartment, but that'll do at least two unhealthy things: 1) you'll grow sedentary, which may lead to packing on more weight, and 2) you won't get enough vitamin D from the sunlight, which plays an important role in mood regulation. These two conditions lead to winter depression, or seasonal mood disorder--not pretty. How do you combat that? Simple: a walk or two per day, preferably in the afternoon when the sun is at its peak. This will help you work off extra food you might be eating, while giving you one source of Vitamin D.

3. Take your vitamins: Many people suffer during the winter season from a lack of Vitamin D. And there are some who take double doses of the stuff to ward off any potential of deficiency. This is one of the most important vitamin supplements you can take during the winter months. You can also supplement fish oils to get your vitamin A, which, along with vitamin D, is a good mood booster.

4. Hydrate: The summer is a no-brainer for hydration: you sweat like crazy and you drink. However, it's just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months, especially since low humidity can lead to dry, chapped skin and irritated nose and throat. 

5. Mindset: This is vital. It's easy to get down when it's dark in the morning and dark in the early evening, and you're getting less sunlight while holed up in your home watching re-runs of the Mindy Project--depressing! This is where mindset plays a huge part in keeping your head level. You have to focus your thoughts and efforts on things you like to do--staying good and productive. Find a hobby, and get with a community of people all doing it. Try to find the good in your day, the brightness in the overcast sky. Avoid alcohol if you can--it's a serious depressant--and opt for beverages that'll hydrate and stimulate, such as Kombucha. Avoid depressing movies or music, and choose instead entertainment that's inspirational. Read good books like Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning or Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, or The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. This is critical: filling your mind, your thinking, with good things, inspirational things, things that will get you through the dead of winter, and bring bits of spring into your life each day. That's the power of mindset!

What Do Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, and Jerry Seinfeld All Have In Common? The Answer Could Change Your Life

Well, it's New Years Day--do you make resolutions? Many do; few keep them. The key to it all is simple perspective: you're not making a list for the year itself, but rather reminding yourself of the things you'll work on over the year as part of an ongoing process of self-improvement. Will you fail? Of course. The real question is will you keep trying. You see, that's the whole key to failure that professionals understand and amateurs don't: failure is a vital part of success. 

Think about all the entrepreneurs who are successful today, but still have battle scars from the businesses they lost--people like Steve Jobs and Henry Ford.

Consider the countless manuscripts that came hot off the typewriter of a famous author that were rejected before the big one landed--like Hunter S. Thompson and Stephen King whose .

Keep in mind the myriad actors and actresses who were told they would never get a part only to years later walk the red carpet--like Sidney Poitier and Harrison Ford and Denzel Washington. 

Reflect on all the rags to riches stories in the music and entertainment industry--those who had to fight and struggle day in and out to get a break--like Oprah Winfrey who was fired from her job as a news reporter because she was "unfit for TV," and J.K. Rowling who was on welfare, penniless, and trying to raise a child before reaching remarkable literary fame and success.

Remember all the stories you read only this year about those who made it through unspeakable odds to accomplish what they thought was unattainable, or to surmount what was seemingly insurmountable.

Go back through history and read about the innumerable politicians, history makers, inventors, athletes, olympians, artists, writers, architects, actors--all the tries and failures and re-tries: Winston Churchill, Vincent Van Gogh, Michael Jordan, The Beatles, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Frank Lloyd Wright, and on and on...

Try, fail, fail again...

So if you're sitting there (or standing) reading this, and you've made a list of resolutions or things you want to attain this year, and you're feeling trepidatious and foolish for thinking you even stand a chance of making that accomplishment, remember this: you will fail; you will have set backs; you will fall short; your attempt won't be perfect; your success may take trying beyond your ability to try again. But it's ok. If you believe in your

You will fail--the real question is, will you try again? 

These 10 Habits of Successful People Will Change Your Life

It's coming--or it's here: the time to make New Years Resolutions. Will you make them and break them, or crumble under the pressure and not make any at all? Generally, people take either one of those two paths--but there is a third: Muster up some courage, and make them, and vow that you'd rather die a painful death than break one of them. Seem extreme? Well, making changes to your life often is.

What kinds of things should you resolve to do? Well, the answer to that is pretty simple: things that will in some way improve your life. Changes in your life that will help you, say, accomplish goals. Don't we all have goals--dreams perhaps--that we'd like to attain, but often don't feel we can? This is the focus I am taking in this article: Resolutions that will help you attain your goals. 

How do you do that? Well, that's pretty simple too: take on the habits of those who have attained goals at the highest level. 

So a resolution is like a habit? Yes. 

But what's a habit? Well, a habit, if I were to take the time to give you a detailed etymology of the word, works out to something that you dwell in--a kind of dwelling place (like 'habitat' and 'habituate'). So, for instance, if you have a habit of smoking or drinking too much, that will define your way of living, your way of being. 

So what you want to do is put on good habits and take off bad ones--and that's where the really hard work comes in. You are literally striving to live a completely different way, which will require time and patience.

So are you saying, then, that resolutions are like habits, and thus require time and effort to change them? Yes, that's what I'm saying; additionally, I'm taking some of the heat off the resolution, and extending it over a period of time--say several years. Changing your way of living will take some time. 

So what are some resolutions...er...habits, that will help me achieve my goals? Well, there are many, but let's look at about 10 of them.

1. Wake up early: Yes, there are many cases of successful people who sleep late; but if you have children who chew up all your time in a given day, you need to work while they're sleeping. The end of the day is often too late. Getting up an hour or more early in the morning and getting to work at something you want to accomplish is a great way to be successful--even if that time is simply for yourself to visualize your day, engage in spiritual practice, or just have a good quiet cup of coffee.

2. Don't check email first thing in the morning: I know you're itching to check your email; and maybe you have a boss who likes to send 2am emails to stay on top of his or her staff; but it's amazing how quickly checking email can sap your energy and drive. Taking control of your email is one of the biggest challenges you'll face to achieving your goals. The best way to spend your morning is more reflectively: what do you want/need to accomplish that day that will get you closer to your goals? 

3. Make lists: I knew a guy who was a best-selling author--his books sold millions of copies. He had a tremendous amount of personal drive. One of the things he did consistently was make lists of things he needed to accomplish, from finishing off a manuscript, to researching the next one, to attending conferences and courses. Making a list is key to staying focused on what you need to get done, and will help you get closer to your goals.

4. Journal: If you don't write down your goals, you'll find it hard to focus on them. Have you heard of the guy who wrote down $1 million on a slip of paper, along with the future date on which he'll have earned it? There's power in writing down our goals. Many people use thick black notebooks in which they write down their thoughts, reflect on victories and set backs, etc. It doesn't have to be a leather-bound legal-sized paper journal handmade in Venice--it can simply be a wire-bound notebook from Staples. The important thing is you write in it. 

5. Read: "Leaders are readers." Have you heard that line? It's true. But I'm not talking about the latest from Stephen King, but rather books that will help you gain better perspective or teach you new things. One of the most incredible and life changing books to read are biographies, especially in your areas of interest. How did Benjamin Franklin work? How did Frank Lloyd Wright design buildings? How did Picasso paint? How did Lee Iacocca lead? Want to read something about achieving goals? Look no further than Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance." 

6. Eat healthy: It's hard to achieve your goals when you're living on junk food, smokes, and alcohol. And you don't need to be wealthy to eat well. The simple thing about eating is eat small portions of proteins, smaller portions of carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. And if you take in less calories than you burn off, you'll stay trim and full of energy. 

7. Exercise: No, this isn't tough either--just walk around the block a few times a day, or get your body moving around. If you're at the office a lot, consider a stand-up desk. The basic thing is you need to keep your body moving around--a sedentary life is a short-lived life. 

8. Avoid TV: You won't have time to read that new biography of Elon Musk when you're languishing in front of Property Brothers for six hours a night will you? Or that hockey game that only leaves you biting your nails and drinking those extra beers to get you through the stress of your team losing another one. Best to turn it off, and pick up a good book. Your life is made up of individual moments, and it's how you spend each moment that makes up the whole of your future. You can burn up a lot of life watching other people's accomplished goals, and passing up on yours.

9. Do--don't feel: Waiting for the inspiration to come before you start out on that goal? Too late. Those who accomplish goals simply work--even when they don't feel like it. What ever it is, you're going to have to work at it regardless of how you feel. In fact, you're going to have to battle back negative talk all the time--those voices in your head that tell you you're crazy. 

10. Mindset: Carol Dweck, well-known Stanford psychologist, divides people into two camps: those who have a growth mindset and those who have a fixed mindset. Those who grow take on challenges, see the glass half full, and see failure as a learning experience to get better. Those with a fixed mindset sabotage their growth by shying from challenge, complaining about the glass being empty, and get depressed when they fail. What mindset do you have? If you have a fixed mindset, you can change it. By working toward your goal and following these simple tips, you're already on your way to a growth mindset. And did you know that when you change your thinking, take on hard challenges, and pursue your goals, you're actually growing your brain? Yup--just ask Carol Dweck:

Carol Dweck on Mindset--at Google, of course.

If You Don't Know These Basics Of Winter Storm Driving, You're Hooped!

Driving in a winter storm in which there are snow drifts and freezing rain is a reality in Ontario and other parts of the Great White North. If you've ever watched clips of people in Alabama driving during a freak snow storm, you'll appreciate the deftness with which we in the north casually circumnavigate our roads--not to mention the road maintenance that is close to perfection. 

To get around in a freezing rain and snow storm can be a safe(r) endeavour by considering these very basic tips:

1. Leave plenty of room: Simple right? Leave a good 3 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you. In the event the vehicle ahead hits a patch of ice, you'll have some time to respond accordingly. Save the bumper-to-bumper highway driving to the summer. 

2. Keep your windows clear: It's easy to get in your vehicle and head out on the road with snow caked along your windows. Rather than thinking your heater will take care of it, spend a few minutes properly scraping and brushing away ice and snow from your windshield and all other windows. 

3. Stay calm: When you panic, cortisol rushes up from your kidneys to your brain and not only sets off your fight or flight response but also reduces your intelligence--you become, for that period of time, dumber! By staying calm while driving in stormy weather, you are much more alert and able to think through hazards that emerge before you. 

4. Stay in far lanes: When you're driving on the highway, stay in the far lanes, which will give you a shoulder to pull onto in the event something goes wrong ahead, or you need to dodge an erratic vehicle or accident ahead of you. Being stuck in the middle lane could pin you in during an accident or potential accident. Keep your escape routes open.

5. Stay home: Do you really need that container of Hagen Dazs ice cream? If you don't need to go out, then don't. If you're doing take-out, have it delivered. If you don't feel comfortable going to someone's house you've been invited to, kindly let your hosts know and don't sweat it. 

10 Ways You Know You've Had Too Much Of The Holidays

Have you had too much of the holidays? Have you had one too many Christmas parties? Are you experiencing a kind of unfulfilled ennui or boredom shot through with profound fatigue? Perhaps you've had too much of the holidays.  So how do you know?

1. You can't look at turkey for another 10 months--with a mild allowance for it at Easter--, and certainly won't be packing a turkey sandwich, come Monday, for work.

2. You purchased a pair of orthopaedic shoes to alleviate foot pain incurred by the hundreds of kilometres walked in shopping malls. 

3. You've put away the Christmas tree--on Boxing Day.

4. You're opting out of social gatherings simply to avoid any further social interaction around large meals and feasts. Indeed, apart from what you previously believed, you have met a turkey you didn't like. 

5. You're sitting in a walk-in clinic seeking a remedy from food poisoning and wondering if it's in fact a stomach flu--but inflicted from which party? Yesterday's, the day before, or the one before that?

6. Your kids have a stomach flu, caught at one of the many Christmas parties, and you're next...

7. Getting to bed well-past midnight and rising after 9am over a number of consecutive days is seriously messing with your well-honed daily routine.

8. You're sick of lactose intolerance, but still can't resist egg nog and whip cream.

9. In spite of a room full of new presents, you still can't slake the unsettling feeling that you need more, and the despair that you didn't receive everything you wanted.

10. You're looking at the thousands of dollars put on your credit card, and realize it 's going to be a very lean January.