The lights are up, the lists are checked (well, mostly there always seems to be some last-minute items), and the festive chaos is in full swing. But amidst the wrapping paper and roast dinners, I want you to pause.
It is easy to get swept away by the logistics of Christmas—the cooking, the buying, the traveling. But true success, the kind that feeds your soul and fuels your future, isn’t found under the tree. It’s found in your presence.
The True Aspiration
This season, I challenge you to aspire to something greater than a perfect photo or an expensive gift. Aspire to Generosity of Spirit.
- Be the thermostat, not the thermometer: Don’t just react to the stress of family gatherings; set the temperature of the room. Bring the calm. Bring joy. And by the one setting the standard that others admire, seeing in you.
- Listen to understand, not to reply: Give the people around you the gift of your full attention. That is rare, and it is valuable.
And What About the New Year and the Bridge to a Brighter Future
We often treat January 1st as a magical portal where we suddenly become “new.” But the truth? The momentum you build now defines how you start the year.
If you spend this week stressed and reactive, you will start the New Year exhausted. But if you spend this week practicing gratitude and intentionality, you hit the ground running. You aren’t just waiting for a brighter future; you are actively forging it right now, in the middle of December.
Key Thought: A brighter future isn’t something you find; it’s something you make, one choice at a time.
Your Quick Win: The “20-Minute Gift”
This is your call to action. Before the craziness peaks, I want you to perform this simple task today:
- The Disconnect (10 Minutes): Put your phone in a drawer. Turn off the TV. Sit in silence for 10 minutes. No inputs. Just breathe and acknowledge three things you are genuinely proud of achieving this year.
- The Connect (10 Minutes): Immediately after, find one person (a family member, a friend, or even a struggling neighbor) and give them 10 minutes of conversation where you make it entirely about them. Ask questions. Validate them. Uplift them.
Why this works: You validate your own worth first, filling your cup so you can pour into someone else. That is the energy of a winner.
Merry Christmas, and let’s build that brighter future together.