Are you ready for less stress and more joy at the holidays?
How about a holiday season filled with laughter, joy and unwavering confidence?
Are you ready to discover some festive tips and tricks that will turn your holiday stress into holiday success?
Before we dive into the festive fun, let me share a little secret with you: I used to be the 'Holiday Hustler' – the one juggling too many decorations, stressing over the perfect gifts, and attempting to cook a feast that would make Martha Stewart raise an eyebrow. But here's the twist: I've unlocked the magic formula to turn the chaos into confidence, the stress into sparkle, and the 'Holiday Hustle' into a 'Festive Flourish.
Today, I'm thrilled to unwrap that formula with you, and trust me, it involves a dash of humor, a sprinkle of self-love, and just a hint of glitter. So, get ready to trade in the holiday hustle for a holly, jolly confidence boost – because you're in for a treat!"
I’m Katie Sevenants and I am excited to share my thoughts on Unwrapping your Holiday Confidence.
I believe that the holiday season is not just about decking the halls with tinsel and ornaments; it's an opportunity for each woman to unwrap the gift of her own unique confidence. My mission is to sprinkle a little festive magic and humor while guiding you to discover the strength within and celebrate your individual sparkle. Because, when we embrace our authenticity, we not only light up our own lives but create a radiant, collective glow that transforms the entire holiday experience. So, let's embark on this journey together, unwrapping confidence and making this holiday season truly extraordinary for every woman here.
This Christmas, I’m happily celebrating 33 years of marriage, surrounded by the laughter of three incredible adult daughters, a fantastic son-in-law, and two adorable grand babies. And as crazy as it sounds, I'm eagerly anticipating the chaos of having them all under one roof for Christmas this year.
But let me take you back a bit. There was a time when my holiday season looked more like a scene from a holiday movie gone wrong. I felt the need to be the peacemaker, the Pinterest-perfect soccer mom, and don't even get me started on my obsession with orchestrating the flawless holiday meals. I was so caught up in the pursuit of perfection, the worry about how everything looked to my friends and family, that I was missing the beautiful chaos that was right in front of me.
…And then my mom passed on Christmas morning several years ago and I was forced to face what was really at the heart of the season…and it wasn’t about creating a perfect looking home. It was time for me to appreciate the moments and people in my life right now, in front of me. It became my mission to unwrap the gift of confidence, joy and peace during the holidays. Through this journey, I've discovered some tips and tricks that transformed my perspective, and I'm beyond excited to share them with you. Because trust me, there's a sparkling, confident version of you waiting to be unwrapped this holiday season too.
Tinsel Tangle of Confidence:
Now, let's tackle our first topic: The Tinsel Tangle of Confidence. Raise your hand if you've ever felt the holiday hustle pulling you in all directions, like you're untangling a web of tinsel. It's a common challenge, and I get it. The pressure to make everything perfect can be overwhelming. But fear not, my festive friends, because we're about to transform that tinsel tangle into a glittering pathway of confidence.
Have you ever tried visualization? Not just thinking of what you want but actually seeing and feeling the emotions of what your perfect day will be like. How you want your holiday dinner party to go? Who will be there with you? How will you feel being surrounded in love?
Focusing on helping others to feel good and more confident will immediately help you feel better too. My husband and sister Jane and great examples of this. Everywhere they go they acknowledge the servers, the cahiers, anyone they come in contact with and make a pint to compliment them on something they admire. They make a habit to leave people feeling better after having come in contact with them.
Play the Compliment Game at your next gathering: give as many compliments as you can. Here’s a few examples to get you started:
You have a great sense of humor
You are an amazing problem solver
You have a great smile
You light up the room
You have a talent for making people feel special
Think about how you can play this game at your next holiday event or even share these in your. next online zoom!
Jingle Journal: Now for the hard part, compliment yourself! Write out your list of at least 20 qualities that make you unique! Your skills, your experiences, your knowledge, your great gift wrapping skills! Read this list out loud in front of a mirror several times a day, post it near your computer or phone and read it before a zoom call.
From Grinch to Gratitude
Have you ever had a day where everything seemed to just get you more angry? Everyone is sitting around playing games and building puzzles while you are in the kitchen cooking for the entire family. You ask for someone to set the table and instead they roll their eyes and say they will help in a minute. Maybe you are mad at your spouse or frustrated with your job. Wouldn’t if feel better to turn that frustration around? Let’s go from Grinch to Gratitude.
When you practice gratitude, everything shifts. You can’t be angry when you are focused on being grateful. Find 10 things you love and admire about your spouse or 10 things you are loving about having your whole family together or 10 things you appreciate about your job.
In our family, we have a holiday jar filled with grateful messages all dated that we bring out and read together. It’s fun to look back on them over the years as our daughter’s have grown. We also started a New Year’s Eve journal many years ago that we bring out at our annual PJ party game night and every guest fills out their best memory of the year and wish for the new year.
Now, before we dive into our third topic, let’s sprinkle a bit of interactive fun into our festive mix. I invite you to start creating your “Festive Affirmations”. I created a flyer with a few affirmations to get you started in Canva. Make a copy of it and add some of your own!
Celebrate Your Jingle Wins:
Now, let's talk about celebrating our Jingle Wins. Raise your hand if you've ever had a holiday moment – big or small – that made you feel like you were the star on top of the tree. These Jingle Wins are the moments that light up the season. But sometimes, we forget to acknowledge them. Let's shift our focus to celebrating every Jingle Win - big or small, we celebrate them all!
Something we started when our kids were little to help them notice the small positive things in their day was at the dinner table asking “What was the best thing that happened to you today?” It got them in the habit of reviewing their day for positive things instead of focusing on what didn’t go well.
Our kids are all grown and it’s just my husband and myself now and we still ask each other before bed what was the best thing! As you go off to dream of sugar plums in your head, you will be reviewing your day for all the good things!
I want to express my deepest gratitude for you taking time to read these holiday thoughts. I hope you’ve discovered a new perspective, unwrapped some confidence and are ready to embrace the joy of the season. Remember, you are the star of your own holiday story and you bring a unique sparkle to your festive celebrations.
May your days be Merry, your spirit be Bright and your confidence shine as luminous as the holiday lights!
Katie
The Midlife Makeover!