The last month has been full of advice from various bloggers on how to properly set forth into 2010. Their arguments are good. The only problem is, they convince me of opposing approaches: A la Chris Brogan, I should “strike while the iron is hot”, whereas my friend, Nancy Jane Smith, makes an excellent case for taking a serious break from work to be fresh and ready for the exciting new year.

I agree with both of them. And maybe because I don't know exactly where I stand on the issue, I find the whole thing annoying to navigate. Do I work (at least some) during this traditionally family-focused time, using the quiet business-time to do planning and writing? Or, do I totally clear my mind of all work-related matters to allow for new ideas that only arrive amid greater mind-space?

I think I know what both Chris and Nancy would say. Something about how the decision is personal, based on the current state of my business, what “feels” right to me, and what is right for my family. For me, this brings further questions. To Chris, I ask: Well, is my iron hot? How do I know if my iron is hot? And what is my iron, exactly? Is it the fire in my belly, that doesn't care that it's holiday time? Or, is it the cooled-off activity of my clients, while they focus on family and their own versions of planning for 2010? Because one of those indicates my iron is HOT and one says it's pretty cool, right now.

And for Nancy Jane (who might actually answer me here, if I'm lucky), I ask: What if “turning off” takes more energy than letting the ideas flow? Does that ever happen to you? What if I lose my momentum by taking a break?

Here's the thing: Because Nancy Jane is my friend, I know pretty well that she wouldn't try to talk me into anything. Chris Brogan – I don't know him, and he tends toward the more persuasive camp overall. It doesn't matter much, though, because I know neither of them is all that invested in what I do. They're just mostly sharing their process and offering it up as a possibly option to those interested. That's the cool thing about blogs – they are suggestions, mostly, and primarily based on one person's experience and thought-process. I like that “Maybe this will work for you (maybe it won't)” quality.

So, here I am back to my own decision-making. And I still haven't yet decided exactly. What I do know is that I just wrote this post on Christmas Eve while visiting my dad in California, while my three daughters played Polly Pockets nearby (sometimes as nearby as my lap) – and that when I close up my laptop, I'll be rallying the family to lunch with Papa and other holiday merriment this evening.

I may simply not decide. Maybe that's my approach.