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Ah, the holidays. The most wonderfully stressful time of the year for many people. Spending money, spending time with people you don't always get along with, spending hours on December 24th frantically wrapping and organizing gifts... It's enough to make any mama a little crazy. But it doesn't have to be that way. Here are my top tips for staying sane and stress-free (as possible) during the holidays. 
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At the beginning of December, our Elf on the Shelf returned with Gratitude Jars for each member of the family; for the past week, we've been feeling these jars with thankfulness, kind words, and love. (You can read all about it here!) Now, Elfincia has some more tricks up her sleeve!  December is a month of celebration, of reflection, of goal-setting. One of the best ways to celebrate your successes, reflect on the past year, and set goals for the coming 12 months is to journal it out. Here is a full week of journal prompts to help you find clarity, define your ambitions, and to meditate on what you hope to improve.  'Tis the season to spend money, fa la la la la ...
Ok, while I definitely don't believe that the reason for the season is consumerism, there is no denying that this is an expensive as heck time of year. I went from being a single girl, working as a teacher living in free housing, to hosting the holidays in our home as a wife, mom, and stepmom. My bank account still doesn't know what happened to it. However, I've learned a strategy or two over the past few years that have helped us to save money during the holidays - check them out! I'm sure you've heard about The Elf on the Shelf. It's a super popular Christmas toy and the gist of it is this: each family's elf (or elves) are sent from Santa Claus to watch the kids and make sure they are good, before they get presents on Christmas. The elf moves around every night and some parents have taken it to great extremes; Elf on the Shelf Shenanigans would definitely be an event in the Motherhood Olympics.
My husband bought our family (well, more specifically, me) an Elf when I was pregnant with Olivia, who is now 2. 2015 was Elfincia's first Christmas with us (yep, you get to name your elf) and we've played along with moving her about, although I've never emphasized the whole "You're being watched" thing. This year, I wanted to do something different. New Year's Resolutions are stupid. Ok, stay with me, I'll explain. Think about it: most people who set New Year Resolutions don't stick with them. And for people who do reach their goals? Setting goals 365 days in advance creates no sense of urgency. They spend most of the year putting off the things they need to do to reach their goals and then in October, they hustle hard and accomplish what they wanted to ... in the last 90 days of the year. You can read a lot more about the idea of setting 90 day goals in the book The 12 Week Year (available on Amazon here); I've been implementing the strategies into my life and it's been a game-changer.  Now, in order to set goals, I believe there are a few things you need to do.
Wait, what's a S.M.A.R.T. goal? The acronym stands for: Specific, Measureable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Let’s break it down. Specific Your goal(s) must identify exactly what you want to accomplish. You need to be specific, clear, and precise. No: Write a book. Yes: Write a book proposal for Manifestation for Busy Mamas. Measureable “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” If you can’t measure your goal, how will you know if you’ve achieved it? No: Earn more money. Yes: Earn $10,000 more this year than last year. Actionable Every goal should start with an action verb (like: quit, run, finish, create, etc.) No: Be more consistent with blogging. Yes: Write 2 blog posts per week. Realistic Ok, be careful here... because anything is possible if you truly believe it. Make sure you’re thinking about your life right now and what is realistically attainable for you in the span of 365 days. Go to the edge of your comfort zone... and then step over that edge. No: Win the Stanley Cup in hockey (unless, of course, you’re a current NHL player reading this) Yes: Join a women’s hockey team. Time-Bound You need to have a deadline - this is when you plan to achieve this goal. For this goal-setting guide, your deadline is 90 days from today No: Lose 10 pounds. Yes: Lose 10 pounds by October 7. Want to have someone walk you through the entire process? Download my FREE 90 Day Goal-Setting Guide below!  The holiday season is here! Need some gift ideas for the mom boss in your life? Check out the Mompreneur Holiday Gift Guide to find the perfect gift for any budget!  1. Ring Light ($109.99 CDN) 2. Rose Gold Portable Charger ($25.99 CDN) 3. The Content Planner ($59.99 USD) 4. Mom Boss Mug ($14 CDN) 5. Unleash Your Inner Money Babe ($23.63 CDN) 6. Because Toddlers Wine Glass ($17.19 CDN) 7. Selfie Light ($12.99 CDN) 8. Beats Wireless Headphones ($319.95 CDN) 9. I Run Everything T-Shirt ($32 USD) Some of the above links are affiliate links; I may receive a small commission if you purchase one of the above products, although this does not increase the price for you. I am only recommending products I truly love!
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