Show Transcript

00:00:00.577 --> 00:00:04.557

I'm going to paint the picture for you. It's your picture. You're walking down

00:00:04.557 --> 00:00:07.197

the street and you're feeling a bit Grinch-like.

00:00:07.457 --> 00:00:13.057

Why? Well, because your wallet is as empty as Santa's cookie plate on Christmas morning.

00:00:13.257 --> 00:00:17.677

You want to have a great Christmas, but finances are tough this year.

00:00:17.777 --> 00:00:19.877

And so you're feeling like a loser.

00:00:20.097 --> 00:00:23.697

You're feeling like this Christmas has nothing good in store.

00:00:23.917 --> 00:00:29.657

Well, my friend, I'm going to have you totally changing that entire mindset.

00:00:30.017 --> 00:00:34.737

Because today's episode, I'm going to show you how you can be the Christmas

00:00:34.737 --> 00:00:37.697

MVP without spending a dime.

00:00:38.137 --> 00:00:43.117

That's right, my friend. It's all inside of today's episode, which is episode 351.

00:00:44.217 --> 00:00:48.057

Yo, are you ready to flip the script on life? Because those bad days,

00:00:48.177 --> 00:00:50.157

they're just doors to better days.

00:00:50.297 --> 00:00:54.197

And that's exactly what we do here at Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.

00:00:54.417 --> 00:00:57.937

Your host, Kevin Lowe. He's been flipping the script on his own life,

00:00:58.217 --> 00:01:02.497

turning over 20 years of being completely blind into straight-up inspiration,

00:01:02.857 --> 00:01:05.217

motivation, and encouragement just for you.

00:01:05.437 --> 00:01:10.737

So, kick back, relax, and let me introduce you to your host, Kevin Lowe.

00:01:11.237 --> 00:01:15.317

Welcome back to the second part of our holiday series.

00:01:15.937 --> 00:01:21.957

Last time, that was on Tuesday's episode, episode 350, we were talking about

00:01:21.957 --> 00:01:25.097

embracing the perfectly imperfect Christmas.

00:01:25.557 --> 00:01:28.517

Today, we are taking it a step further.

00:01:29.077 --> 00:01:35.577

Because today, my friend, we are helping you become the Christmas MVP without spending a dime.

00:01:36.237 --> 00:01:41.417

So first off, let's define what it means to be a Christmas MVP.

00:01:41.977 --> 00:01:46.897

First off, it's not about buying the greatest gifts, the most expensive gifts.

00:01:46.957 --> 00:01:52.617

It's not about you hosting the most luxurious parties. No, it's about none of that.

00:01:53.257 --> 00:01:58.437

Instead, my friend, it's about you spreading joy one small act at a time.

00:01:58.717 --> 00:02:04.277

Because if you want a gift that keeps on giving, well, there's nothing better than joy.

00:02:04.697 --> 00:02:10.157

So now how do we do that, you ask? Well, there's many ways, but it all starts

00:02:10.157 --> 00:02:15.417

with the thing that we should all be doing all the time, but especially this time of year.

00:02:15.597 --> 00:02:19.877

And that's smiling a whole lot more. I know, I know, smiling?

00:02:19.957 --> 00:02:25.317

It sounds cheesy. It sounds a bit corny, but my friend, I promise you,

00:02:25.457 --> 00:02:29.337

I want you while you're out and about preparing for Christmas.

00:02:30.070 --> 00:02:34.910

I want you to smile at a stranger. Matter of fact, I want you to make it a point.

00:02:35.210 --> 00:02:40.650

I challenge you to smile at at least five complete strangers,

00:02:40.650 --> 00:02:45.710

whether it's the cashier checking you out with the gifts you've bought,

00:02:45.730 --> 00:02:49.750

or it's just a person you're passing on the aisle of the store.

00:02:50.030 --> 00:02:54.710

I just want you to smile. My friend, you never know what somebody else is going

00:02:54.710 --> 00:02:59.150

through, and you never know what that simple smile might mean to them.

00:02:59.150 --> 00:03:05.030

So if you want to light up the world brighter than the best street of Christmas

00:03:05.030 --> 00:03:08.130

lights, then all you have to do is smile.

00:03:08.610 --> 00:03:16.590

Next up on the list of how you can spread joy this Christmas is the art of the compliment.

00:03:16.810 --> 00:03:20.530

The compliment, if you think about it, it's like a verbal hug.

00:03:20.970 --> 00:03:28.130

So I encourage you to be sure that each and every day you give genuine compliments.

00:03:28.870 --> 00:03:32.010

You have to make them sincere. You have to make them specific.

00:03:32.390 --> 00:03:36.910

I want you to compliment your neighbor on their Christmas lights this year,

00:03:37.110 --> 00:03:40.370

how they're extra bright. They're extra special.

00:03:40.710 --> 00:03:43.910

And what about the neighbor with the big blow-up Santa Claus?

00:03:44.210 --> 00:03:50.230

Maybe you find it slightly annoying because it has that generator running, keeping it blown up.

00:03:50.530 --> 00:03:55.930

But instead, you're just going to make their day by complimenting them on how

00:03:55.930 --> 00:04:01.950

awesome it is. or maybe you're at work and it's that coworker who insisted on

00:04:01.950 --> 00:04:03.770

doing the whole ugly sweater thing.

00:04:04.170 --> 00:04:08.530

Well, why not just compliment them? Maybe they're the only one who actually

00:04:08.530 --> 00:04:10.270

showed up with an ugly sweater on.

00:04:10.750 --> 00:04:14.090

Well, don't make them feel embarrassed. Instead, compliment them.

00:04:14.290 --> 00:04:16.010

Tell them how amazing it is.

00:04:16.270 --> 00:04:20.090

Again, my friend, the key here is to be specific with your compliment.

00:04:20.470 --> 00:04:26.770

And I hope it's sincere. People can see right through you if you're not being sincere.

00:04:27.010 --> 00:04:32.350

Do not do this just to do this. Instead, I want you to do this out of sincerity.

00:04:32.630 --> 00:04:40.050

I want you to find little ways of making someone's day. That's what today's challenge is all about.

00:04:40.390 --> 00:04:46.970

Today's entire episode is helping you to give the gift of your smile.

00:04:47.550 --> 00:04:50.210

Of a compliment, of spreading a little bit of joy.

00:04:50.530 --> 00:04:53.990

Now, of course, for those of you, though, who are thinking, okay,

00:04:54.206 --> 00:04:59.186

But I would like to do a little bit more than just smile or give somebody a

00:04:59.186 --> 00:05:01.606

compliment. Well, I got you taken care of also.

00:05:01.986 --> 00:05:07.146

My friend, random acts of kindness. They're more than just a trendy buzzword.

00:05:07.306 --> 00:05:12.866

It's not something that just has to make it on the nightly news about the mile-long

00:05:12.866 --> 00:05:18.626

line of people at the local McDonald's who paid for the person behind them.

00:05:18.626 --> 00:05:25.346

No, it can also just be as simple as you unexpectedly shoveling the snow off

00:05:25.346 --> 00:05:26.366

of your neighbor's driveway.

00:05:26.586 --> 00:05:31.326

Or maybe if you're in Florida, like myself, and snow is nowhere to be seen.

00:05:31.546 --> 00:05:34.546

Well, maybe it's you just raking up the leaves out of their yard.

00:05:34.706 --> 00:05:38.066

You don't ask them, but you know that they would need it done.

00:05:38.426 --> 00:05:42.266

Maybe it's an elderly neighbor. Maybe it's a neighbor with a disability.

00:05:42.586 --> 00:05:47.026

Maybe it's just somebody who you would love to help make their day.

00:05:47.646 --> 00:05:51.686

Just do something that you know that would light up their day,

00:05:51.886 --> 00:05:53.286

that they're going to be surprised about.

00:05:53.826 --> 00:05:58.146

Maybe it's simple as you bringing the mail up to their door.

00:05:58.546 --> 00:06:03.246

Maybe it's you, when you're baking Christmas cookies, you bake an extra dozen

00:06:03.246 --> 00:06:04.546

and you take them to your neighbor.

00:06:04.946 --> 00:06:09.826

Another idea for you is to leave a thank you note taped to your mailbox.

00:06:10.366 --> 00:06:13.406

It's not for you to mail. No, it's for your mail carrier.

00:06:13.546 --> 00:06:17.526

Because if you think about it, at Christmas time, The delivery drivers,

00:06:17.886 --> 00:06:23.946

they are the ultimate MVP of Christmas because they're being sure that all those

00:06:23.946 --> 00:06:26.606

presents are delivered to your home on time.

00:06:27.046 --> 00:06:33.146

Another awesome idea is if you have a friend who has kids and you know they

00:06:33.146 --> 00:06:37.446

got a lot of gifts they got to wrap, why not ask if you can give them a hand?

00:06:37.446 --> 00:06:43.686

Show up at their house with a couple of cups of hot chocolate and sit down and

00:06:43.686 --> 00:06:46.406

help them bust out some wrapping of the gifts.

00:06:46.966 --> 00:06:51.246

Everybody knows that wrapping gifts can be a total project.

00:06:51.526 --> 00:06:56.226

Well, you give them a hand. That, my friend, is going to brighten their day.

00:06:56.226 --> 00:06:58.406

It's going to take some stress off of them.

00:06:58.786 --> 00:07:01.466

And it's going to do wonders for your friendship.

00:07:01.986 --> 00:07:05.506

The biggest thing here, my friend, it's not about grand gestures.

00:07:05.506 --> 00:07:10.486

It's about the little things because the little things mean the most.

00:07:11.466 --> 00:07:17.126

Now, with all of that giving, with all of that doing, I bet that there's at

00:07:17.126 --> 00:07:22.626

least somebody I'm talking to today who's thinking, yeah, but what about me?

00:07:22.886 --> 00:07:25.686

What can I do for myself this Christmas?

00:07:26.186 --> 00:07:31.206

Well, my friend, I'm not going to judge because I think we all need a little

00:07:31.206 --> 00:07:35.106

me time. We all need to practice a little bit more self-care.

00:07:35.506 --> 00:07:39.706

So for yourself, why don't you steal a moment and take a walk?

00:07:40.206 --> 00:07:44.866

Admire the change in the leaves. Admire the Christmas lights.

00:07:45.870 --> 00:07:50.910

Or maybe it's you. You've been working your butt off. You've been cooking.

00:07:51.210 --> 00:07:53.970

You've been wrapping presents. Your feet hurt.

00:07:54.310 --> 00:07:58.430

Well, why don't you go book yourself a pedicure? You don't even got to tell

00:07:58.430 --> 00:08:00.070

anybody. The kids are at school.

00:08:00.570 --> 00:08:05.390

Your husband, he's off to work. And you just steal a moment for yourself to

00:08:05.390 --> 00:08:11.870

go get a little pedicure, to get a massage, to have something done for you. Again, it's Christmas.

00:08:12.470 --> 00:08:16.270

If you're going to spread joy to others, you might as well be sure that you're

00:08:16.270 --> 00:08:18.250

spreading joy to yourself as well.

00:08:18.770 --> 00:08:23.910

And nothing says joy quite like a deep tissue massage.

00:08:24.370 --> 00:08:30.550

And as I wrap up today's episode, as I wrap up our second episode in my little

00:08:30.550 --> 00:08:35.570

mini series, preparing you for the holiday, I want you to remember this,

00:08:35.750 --> 00:08:37.510

is that no matter what your situation,

00:08:37.830 --> 00:08:41.370

no matter what your financial situation looks like.

00:08:41.870 --> 00:08:45.070

No matter what is going on in life, we all have a choice.

00:08:45.390 --> 00:08:50.250

We have a choice every day we wake up to decide what we want this day to be.

00:08:50.630 --> 00:08:57.950

Today, I've given you a few ideas that don't take much. It's just a simple smile, a simple compliment.

00:08:58.430 --> 00:09:02.110

Just you simply lending a hand to somebody in need.

00:09:02.590 --> 00:09:07.610

My friend, it doesn't take much to light up somebody's day. And I believe if

00:09:07.610 --> 00:09:13.390

we could all encompass this type of mindset, this world would be a much better place.

00:09:13.870 --> 00:09:18.670

This Christmas would be the best Christmas ever if we all smiled more,

00:09:19.150 --> 00:09:22.850

complimented more, and did for others more.

00:09:23.150 --> 00:09:27.650

And of course, as I said, also doing for ourselves.

00:09:28.030 --> 00:09:31.450

Because if you're not doing for yourself, then you're probably not going to

00:09:31.450 --> 00:09:35.910

be showing up as your best to do for others. So the biggest thing here,

00:09:36.030 --> 00:09:40.090

my friend, is I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.

00:09:40.330 --> 00:09:43.570

I thank you for being here, supporting the podcast.

00:09:44.010 --> 00:09:49.970

And it has been my pleasure to be with you this week, every week.

00:09:50.410 --> 00:09:54.910

And hey, if somebody you know might be struggling this Christmas,

00:09:55.170 --> 00:10:00.350

I hope you share today's episode with them so that they can realize that it doesn't take much.

00:10:00.350 --> 00:10:05.430

It certainly doesn't take money to make this one of the best Christmases ever.

00:10:05.690 --> 00:10:09.210

With that, I wish you a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year.

00:10:09.610 --> 00:10:12.830

From my podcast studio to your earbuds.

00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:31.502

Music.