This time of year it is crucial that we prioritize taking care of our mental and physical wellness.

Most of us got into music education as a career because we are givers. We are servants of the little people. Sure we do it for ourselves, but we also can become martyrs. Sometimes we even like to brag about how late we’ve worked, or how challenging our jobs are. It strokes our egos. This attitude can be damaging. If we are always telling ourselves how difficult our job is, we’ll begin to believe it.

On the other hand, if we tell ourselves how easy our job is, how prepared we are for it, how no one can do this specific thing as well as we can, we’ll believe that, too. To help, this week I share seven secrets for a happy and healthy holiday season.