The No Drama Llama Holiday

This year we created a "No Drama Llama" Holiday.

Minimal stress, no drama, and maybe one of the best Christmas holidays yet.

(If this holiday doesn’t apply to you, substitute your family’s biggest holiday and see how this relates.)

How did I learn from the past to make this happen in 2023?

After I left home for college, our family continued to gather at my mom’s home for the holidays. Even after we married and had kids, my mom opened her home to us, hosting not only dinner but the entire family was welcome to stay at her spacious home. As 4 kids added spouses and one grandchild multiplied to ten, it was exhausting just thinking about all of those people in one house. And you can imagine the amount of work it took to host. 

Unfortunately, my mom rarely asked for help but would get upset when she was the only one working. She liked things done a certain way and didn’t cut corners. The meal was formal, and we all dressed up for the occasion. What did that all add up to each holiday?

A lot of stress.

Though we liked gathering for the holidays, it wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been.

I initially stepped into my mom’s footsteps.

Insisting on the house being as perfectly clean as possible. Getting up at 6:00 am to cook the turkey. Rarely asking for help.

That route got me similar results. I aimed for perfection, got minimal sleep, and ran the household like a drill sergeant. I wasn't allowing us to just be together, because I was constantly doing. And it affected everyone. 

Can you relate? 

Thankfully, I began listening to my family about what was important. My coach taught me to set better boundaries. I started asking for help sooner and more often. I let go of perfectionism. I allowed myself to slow down and even relax when others pitched in.

And I maintained my meditation and self-care practices during the holidays.

This allowed me tap into my sense of calm and create a buffer against stress and unexpected bumps in the road.

This year we hosted a big Christmas Eve dinner with White Elephant Gift Exchange and a Christmas Day Brunch.

As to be expected, there were some glitches...

I forgot to take the turkey out of the freezer to thaw and by the time I remembered, it was less than 24 hours until dinner.

We added a couple last minute guests.

I needed to do some last minute shopping.

To make everything work, I enlisted the help of my husband to take care of the turkey and my sons helped finish cleaning the house.

In the end, it was all "good enough," to make a no drama lama Christmas which benefitted us all.

I hope you also have some wins to celebrate this season.

If you want support in finding more to celebrate or decreasing the drama in your life, I have upcoming events that can help: 

1. Break Up With Pajama Charting Workshop, Decrease after-hours charting by up to 2 hours per day

This 60-minute free virtual workshop is my most popular training! Healthcare providers learn strategies to chart in real time and stop late-night charting sessions. Are you ready to save precious hours each week in 2024? If after-hours charting is not a problem for you, share the link with a colleague who struggles.

REGISTER FOR BREAK UP WORKSHOP

2. Time to Get Clear, Using Vision Boards to Get More of What You Want Out of Life

I love how much fun we have at vision board session and the guidance it provides for our future. This event will be in person, and not limited to healthcare providers. If you live within driving distance from Salem, sign up and invite your friends or teens and tweens to join you.

The $20 registration fee covers all materials needed and light snacks and refreshments. Click on the link for more details and to register.

REGISTER FOR VISION BOARD WORKSHOP

3. Eliminate After-Hours Charting Course, Save up to 9 hours per week & over $40,000 in uncompensated time per year

Have you been putting off signing up for this life-changing course? Use your CME funds to your benefit.

This 4-week paid course has helped healthcare providers finish charts during their work day to free their evenings and weekends. The skills learned also help increase efficiency in managing your inbox. With consistent implementation, the tools and strategies learned in this course can help you finally create true boundaries between work and home. Includes 4 Credits of CME.

The next course begins Wednesday, January 10th, 2024

Click on the button below to get all the details and see a short video about the course. Email me with any questions at [email protected].

REGISTER FOR ELIMINATE AFTER-HOURS COURSE

I am so excited to share these trainings with you.

I have been the witness to dozens of healthcare providers making changes in their lives as a result of my coaching, just as I experienced when I began working with a coach.

This support allows for a lot more "No Drama Llama" occasions, even during the biggest holiday of the year.

I look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming events,

Erin

Erin Hurley, MD

Certified High Performance Coach