Rethinking December: Four Motivational Strategies for Making it the Happiest Month of the Year

I am your host, Kevin Lowe.

Twenty years ago, I awoke from a life-saving surgery only to find that I was left completely blind.

And since that day, I've learned a lot about life, a lot about living, and a lot about myself.

And here on this podcast, I want to share those insights with you.

Because, friend, if you are still searching for your purpose, still trying to understand why, or still left searching for that next right path to take, well, consider this to be your stepping stone to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

What's up, my friend?

And how are you today?

Welcome back into the podcast.

I'm your host, Kevin Lowe, and today it's episode number 239.

I don't know what you got going on on a Wednesday morning, but if you're anything like me, it's the middle of the week and you're thinking, baby, I could use me a pick me up.

Well, friend, I want to invite you to sign up for my weekly newsletter.

It's a midweek pick me up.

Head on over to gritgraceinspiration.com slash newsletter.

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So, friend, we got the December vibes running through the air.

At the time this is being released, we are on the brink of December.

It is currently the last day of November, and we are all dead set thinking about Christmas and of course the end of 2023.

Now, if this was any other podcast specializing in the personal development space, I would give you some tactics to make the most of this last month of the year.

Gonna give you some tactics to be sure that you're meeting your goals, that you're exceeding expectations, that you are being the best version of you that you can possibly be.

Well, friend, hopefully you've realized that this is not like your ordinary podcast.

I'm not your ordinary coach.

I'm not the kind of person who likes to do what everybody else does.

Instead, I look at things from a realistic point of view.

It's December.

There is Christmas vibes in the air.

And I want to be sure that you make the most out of this month.

So inside of today's episode, I've broken it down into four unique categories to be sure that you make the most of the month of December.

Because I want this to be an absolutely magical way to end 2023.

If this sounds like you and you're still sticking around, well, baby, let's dive right in.

Do you remember the first time you ever played in the snow?

Have you ever played in the snow?

I'm in Florida, and so we obviously know down here in the sunshine state that snow is not a common thing.

But luckily, I have had the experience of getting to travel up north and getting to play in the snow, to lay on the ground and make those infamous snow angels.

It's December.

We think about Christmas.

Even us here in the sunshine state, whether we like to admit it or not, we kind of wish we could have a little bit of snowfall, especially around the time of Christmas.

It's just something about the season that makes you want it.

Well, friend, I'm here to tell you that if you live somewhere that it doesn't snow, maybe try to make a weekend getaway to just drive far enough to get into the snow.

It doesn't have to be some elaborate vacation.

I just want you to experience a little bit of snowfall this month.

Now, of course, if you are in a northern climate and you already got the snow and it's probably already snowing now, and you're probably thinking, yep, that's a Florida perspective because we're sick of the snow.

Well, friend, maybe for one moment, just entertain my idea of thinking of the snow like a child and get out there and play in it.

Get out there and enjoy it.

Because it's one of those things that it just makes it a little bit more like December, a little bit more with that Christmas joy in the air.

And so that is my first thing that I am giving you advice to do this month is to find some snow and play in it.

And I would love to know how that goes.

You be sure to reach out to me if you're on the newsletter list that I spoke about earlier.

Well, you can just hit reply to any of my weekly emails.

Otherwise, you just send me an email to Kevin at lowdownmedia.com.

I'll leave that link inside of today's show notes.

Let me know what you did, if you did indeed play in the snow or not.

My second idea for you is to shake up the mood a little bit by getting in touch with the season.

Today we are going to give you some strategies for your everyday life here in the month of December.

I want to start by shaking up your routine a little bit.

Why not you in the morning, whether you're making coffee at home or you are hitting up the local Starbucks, why not do things a little different?

And instead of making yourself a cup of coffee, why not order a hot chocolate or make a hot chocolate at home?

It's a hug and a mug.

It's hot chocolate.

You probably haven't had a cup of hot chocolate in way too long.

And so, friend, mix it up.

I'm giving you permission to be a kid for a change.

And if you want a little bonus tip, if you're thinking to yourself, man, I gotta have my coffee.

Well, a little hot chocolate mixed with a little coffee, ooh, baby, it's some kind of delicious.

Give it a try.

I promise you, you won't be disappointed.

My other idea for you is why not make a s'more this December?

You know, the campfire favorites that we all remember as kids.

Well, why the heck not?

Can't we enjoy them as adults?

Now, maybe you're somebody who you got kids at home, and this would be awesome.

If not, who cares?

Us adults can have fun too.

Make s'mores even if just at home.

I understand nothing's like having a toasted marshmallow over a campfire, but sometimes we just gotta improvise.

And sometimes we got to take advantage of modern convenience.

That microwave of yours, perfect place to make yourself a s'more.

Crack that graham cracker in half, put on a piece of Hershey's chocolate with a marshmallow, stick it in there for just a few seconds, and then whoo, baby, you are set to go.

I'm talking about taking advantage of the season.

This is your opportunity to get to do stuff that you ordinarily don't do because it's Christmas time.

It's December.

It's a time to have fun and just be a kid for a change.

My third topic on helping you to make the most of this December is I want you to get local.

Yes, get out your local paper, look up your local Facebook page and see what is happening in your own town this December.

I guarantee you that your town has a lot happening this month.

Get out there and get involved.

Give yourself a chance to get out in your community and have some fun, meet some new people, do some new things.

If you're in a northern city, I'm sure you probably have local ice skating rinks that are opening, or you have Christmas markets, or if you're like down here in the south, well, we just have different winter activities that don't evolve ice skating, unless, of course, you go to an indoor ice skating rink.

But I'm talking about all different kinds of Christmas events.

Be sure to get in tune with what's happening local.

It will just help to boost your mood.

And especially if maybe you're not really feeling the holiday season this year for one reason or another.

Sometimes we just have to step outside and kind of throw ourselves into it to realize that, hey, maybe this is exactly what I needed.

Maybe I needed to be around some laughing children, some smiling faces to help to remind me to do the same.

Because smiling and laughing, it's good for us any time of the year, but especially at this time of the year, the month of December, the last month of the year.

Why not end the year on a high note with a laugh, with a smile, out in your community, making new friends, doing new things.

Give it a try.

I promise you won't be disappointed.

Now, here's what I know you're probably already saying to yourself.

Yeah, but Kevin doesn't know my life.

He's not in my shoes.

He doesn't understand what I got going on, and I got a lot going on.

I got kids to buy presents for, I got family to deal with, I got work colleagues who are planning Christmas parties, and I don't have time to enjoy the holiday season.

Well, my friend, I'm here to tell you you do.

You just have to make a choice to breathe, to pause, to stop, to rest, to realize hey, it's Christmas time.

It's the month of December.

I like it.

I love it.

You hear the Christmas music in the air as you're shopping.

You feel the crisp air on your face when you walk outside.

You blow your breath and you see it in front of you.

It's a stuff that only happens in the winter.

And of course, December is when it's the most infamous because it's the best time of the year.

Now, of course, sometimes the stress gets to you.

And I want to be sure to remind you that it's okay to take a pause.

All it takes is just a moment for you to take a stroll through a park, to sit down and do a little yoga in front of the fireplace, something relaxing, something to just clear your mind, take advantage of the season, take advantage of this opportunity for you to enjoy it.

No matter how chaotic your life may be, I can guarantee that there's some moment in time that you can take to just pause, to breathe, to reflect, to just love the moment.

As I wrap up today's short little solo episode, I want to remind you life is unpredictable.

Yes, it's often crazy.

Maybe sometimes it's even a little bit scary, but it's also beautiful.

It's also amazing, it's also so magical.

We just have to take the opportunity to pay attention to it, to cut through the noise and to see the beauty in our everyday lives.

So, my friend, as we embark on the month of December, I encourage you to make a pact with me.

Let's make a pact to not just live life, but to love it this month.

Heck, we should be doing that all the time.

But for this month of December, me and you, let's make a pact to love it, not just live it.

Let's find joy in the small things.

Let's be sure that we laugh as much as we possibly can.

Let's be sure that we smile bigger than we've ever smiled before.

And let's be sure that we do something fun, that we find ways to enjoy the season.

We find ways to maybe be a little bit more like kids, with a carefree attitude, an attitude of it's Christmas time.

And of course, everything is going to be all right.

Until next time, my friend, my name is Kevin Lowe, your host as well as Transformational Life Coach.

It is my pleasure to be with you here on the podcast today.

If you enjoyed today's episode and think that somebody else that you know could use this as a reminder to them, well, please be sure to share it with them.

It's easy to do that.

Just hit the little share button on your podcast app of choice.

Or, of course, you can always just send them to the website, greatgraceinspiration.com.

Until next week, get out there and enjoy the month.

It is the best time of the year.