Happy Holidays! I hope that you and your family had a great Thanksgiving and that you’re enjoying the holiday season. Michelle, Samantha, and I spent a glorious 10 days on the Big Island of Hawaii celebrating Thanksgiving and taking some much needed and deserved “down time.”

I love the holidays…and, for many of us this time of year can be very stressful. Family gatherings, parties, rushing around to find gifts and take care of things, decorating the house, sending out cards, standing in line…the list goes on and on.

One of the most challenging aspects of the holidays for many of us is dealing with other people - our family members, friends, and even strangers in stores, on buses, and in general. It’s easy to get annoyed, frustrated, or to forget about the power of appreciation.

My dear friend and mentor, Richard Carlson (author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff), has written a great new book called, Don’t Get Scrooged. In his honest, open, and straight forward style, Richard offers insightful, practical, and heart-opening tips for dealing with difficult people in a kind, peaceful, and stress free way. The book is wonderful and it will help you stay grounded, focused, and positive in the midst of this potentially stressful time.

For more information about this book, all of Richard’s other great books, and his 10th anniversary edition celebrating 10 years of his “Don’t Sweat” series (The Big Book of Small Stuff), check out his website at http://www.dontsweat.com/

Enjoy this book and Richard’s work. Have fun this week appreciating the holidays!

With Gratitude,

Mike

P.S. Below is a photo of Samantha in Hawaii getting ready for the holiday season. She does not get “Scrooged” at all!