3 Tips for Preparing for the Holidays

The holiday season is upon us again. We often find this time of year tiring, stressful and hectic. However, we can reclaim the joy and good cheer of the season by implementing some organizing and time management systems.

Organize your Gift Purchasing If you are able to buy gifts ahead of time, it will save you from long lines that occur during the holiday season. As you buy items, be sure to keep a list of what you purchased, who the gift is for and how much you spent on the item. If you are working with a budget, this practice will not only help you keep tabs of your purchases, but will also help keep track of your spending. As you purchase gifts, store them in one location so you know where they are and can find them when you need them. If you need to ship gifts to family and friends, consider buying them online or through catalogs and have them shipped directly to the location. This will save you a trip to the post office and the hassle of having to pack them up.

Methods to Manage your Holiday Greeting Cards
Holiday cards are a great way to keep in touch with friends and family that live out of town. To make card sending easier, consider taking these steps:
1) Make a list of recipients. Limit your list to those people who live out of town and you don’t get to see often. Create a database of names that you can easily update each year.
2) Purchase your cards after you’ve created the list so you know how many you need.
3) Go online at www.usps.com to buy your stamps online and you can choose from a large selection. They will ship the stamps to you for only $1 and you can avoid the long wait at the post office.
4) Draft a message that you would like to send so you don’t have to re-create the wheel each time you write a card.
5) Write your cards in advance and have them addressed, stamped and ready to go early. Select a date when you want them to go out and quickly drop them in the mail without much fuss. By taking this project step-by-step, you will be sure to get your cards out on time.

Celebrate on your Time! Holiday parties and events become a big part of the holiday season. Don’t feel as though you have to attend them all. Only go to the events that you truly enjoy and that really will let you celebrate the holidays. If you feel as though you should throw a party of your own, consider changing the date to a less hectic time of year. Be original and have a bash in January or February when the attendance will be better and party-goers are more relaxed.

The holidays should be a time to celebrate with family and friends. By utilizing organizing and time management techniques, we can enjoy the holidays once again!

Astounding Results

I recently came across a quote from Thomas Edison "If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves." As I thought more about his insightful words, I understand how important it is to spend our time living our lives and fulfilling our dreams.


I have found nothing in life gets done without intention. We all have things we want to accomplish in our lives. You can say "I want to", "I'm thinking about" and "I hope", but to make it happen you need a foundation. That foundation is intention. We have to stand behind our dreams to push them along, but how do you get started? Goals are the fuel for your intention. By setting goals you bring awareness and a start to your ideal life.


When writing goals consider all aspects of your life including: health, spiritual, professional, personal growth, family and friends. Goals can provide immediate results if they are are written well. To write substantial goals you must include five essential elements:

1. Be specific. I cannot stress how important it is to write very specific goals that detail everything exactly how you envision it. Sometimes we reach our goals and don't know it because our goal as written has come true, but that is not necessarily what we wanted. Don't let yourself be disappointed, be as specific as you can. This also helps you to better define what it is you really want.


2. Set a deadline. Give yourself a date to work towards. This will put a little fire under your goal and make it real.


3. Make your goals measurable. If you want to lose weight, identify how much weight you want to lose. If you want to spend more time with your family, decide is that one day a week or an entire weekend. Use quantifiable numbers to help you make the goal happen.


4. Be realistic. Goals that are too big or that are too easy can be frustrating. Sometimes it is necessary to take a big goal and break it down into smaller goals. Make your goals achievable and challenging at the same time.


5. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm generates excitement about our goals and enforces our passion for the things that we are trying to accomplish. Use words like fantastic, mind-blowing, heart racing, and amazing when writing about your dreams. These words give life to your dreams and will make you smile every time.

Here is an example of how we use these steps to write a significant goal. We start with a common goal like losing weight.

1. I want to lose weight.


2. I want to lose weight so I can fit into my clothes again. (specific)


3. I want to lose weight so I can fit into my clothes by December 31, 2009. (deadline)


4. I want to lose 25 pounds by December 31, 2009 so I can fit into my clothes. (measurable)


5. I want to lose 15 pounds by December 31, 2009 so I can fit into my clothes. (realistic)


6. I want to lose 15 pounds by December 31, 2009 so I feel fantastic and look amazing in my my favorite clothes. (enthusiasm)

You can see how adding these elements when writing our goal makes it achievable and specific. If you just put down I want to lose weight, you will never do it. Now the goal has teeth, it challenges you to make better choices each day and it motivates you to get to that place where you feel fantastic.

I promise if done correctly, goal setting can be a powerful thing. you will be "astounded" by what you can accomplish. Take a few minutes today and think about what you want. Set 3-5 goals for yourself, write them down and review them everyday. Now sit back and watch the magic begin. What are you waiting for?