Under predict, exceed expectations

Christmas has come and gone, and we've had a social one seeing friends from near and far. Yesterday I caught up with a school friend and her family and we talked about pacing ourselves and achieving things without killing oneself. She had a very wise mantra that she shared with me regarding one's approach to work and being careful about what one commits oneself to - "under predict, exceed expectations". I think I have a habit of over committing and raising high expectations from the start and then not being able to achieve the rather impossibly high challenge I've set for myself. I shall try to think about this with my new job and be careful to not take on way too much.

Have had all sorts of mixed emotions over Christmas. For the most part I have been on a high with all the socializing and catching up with people I haven't seen for a while. I inadvertently offended family though which put a slightly sour spin on things and I felt ultra sensitive to the rebuke. I need to try not be insensitive to things but develop a thicker skin and not sink into my habit of continuing to dwell on it and self-flagellate. I do tend to do this though and then I become sensitive to whole lot of other things in addition to the original issue and everything becomes too much.

Past Christmases come to mind at this time of year too. Both my Grandparents died around Christmas time. I also remember having to always spend Christmas with my Dad and my Mum having to drop my Sister and I off straight after church. My Mum would then spend Christmas on her own. Recent Christmases have been happier but I at times acutely feel the lack of family here, although some of our friends are now basically family.