While trying to stay optimistic about the rushed feeling that always accompanies the end of the year, the feeling that there’s still lots to do and not enough time to get it done, money to make it happen, or energy to do it, your evil twin sister might emerge to complain, confuse and offer contradicting views.  My inner “Griselda,” acerbically speaks at times and offers versions of the following 12 Days of Christmas.  See if you see your evil twin in this…

1. A partridge in a pear tree – no, no partridge, no bird at all in the tree – or the oven for that matter. Since there’s also little money growing on your tree.  Cut out extras; forget stocking stuffers.  If you hold off on presents, maybe you can take off to Bali for a real Christmas.

2.  Two turtle doves - are you kidding?  You can’t take in any more animals, you can barely remember to feed the fish (let alone kids).  Find a dog walker and then maybe you can finally take in that cuddly puppy Rover…or on second thought, consider how you can earn extra holiday mula, like, maybe you can walk the neighbor’s dogs.

3.  Three french hens – what’s with the animals?  You’ve got plenty to do already with taking care of yourself and your immediate others.  You still have to figure out your trip to your family, where you’ll share all that lovey-dovey cheer and your badly wrapped presents.  Just keep the French hens and you can return them to Paris yourself.

4. Four calling birds - you might be hearing calling, but it’s not birds.  It’s your goody-two-shoes self trying to butt in and tell you to get the main things done and don’t worry about the rest.  Don’t listen.

5.  Five golden rings – you wish!  You don’t even clean the one you have.  The only rings you have to deal with are the rings around your kitchen sink and tub.  Then there’s the several closets of junk, old clothes and stuff in your storage room, paper stacks that are just too much to go through and sort.  So, just toss it all out. 

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Today begins the last day of the year.  That gives us 21 days to wrap up our wishes for 2009 (excluding the weekends and holidays and not counting extra days off if you’re planning to take that time).  So here is 30 minutes worth taking, to assess your most important needs to better shape this last month, and close the end of year to-do’s.  I’ll be doing this myself…hope it helps you too.

1.  What are the most important projects I want to get done?  (List up to 10, prioritize them.  See if there is action you can take on these to complete, complete half and schedule the balance for the new year, or delegate).

2.  Who are the people I most want to communicate with and what do I want to share with them? (Schedule others in your pilot or planner for conversations at a later time or delete them from your call list.)

3.  What negotiations, offers or deals do I want to close?  (You may decide you’re not interested afterall, but if you are, don’t let this holiday month slip by without step-by-step communication and followup. You may think others have too much on their plates at this time, but your alertness to the offer will keep you uppermost in their minds when they’re ready to decide).

4.  What health needs do I have to attend to?  (If you haven’t taken a day for that annual physical or dental checkup, now is a  good time.  Others are cramming these in too so you may only to get to schedule appointments, but surprisingly many folks put these off or cancel their appointments, so you’re likely to get in now.)

5.  What are the things I had wanted to learn?  (Decide if you can begin some part of this learning today or determine if rescheduling is authentic or it’s better to let it go.)

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