Hi Reader,
Let's be real for a sec...
It's not all fun and games for us moms during the holidays.
Between preparing the house with boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic that you asked your husband for weeks ago and ended up having to retrieve yourself because he "was gonna get to that", to cleaning up after kids who couldn't care less if they lived in a pig sty or not, who absolutely avoid homeschool during these short days but who also want to do ALL.THE. CRAFTS.
...Moms kind of get the shaft during the holidays.
Allow me to speak from the heart - I absolutely love the holidays and Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite time of year.
I love the lights and the tinsel and the music, the hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies, the cold weather and the cozy sweaters, the nights making popcorn and watching holiday family classics (Home Alone anyone?). I love getting together with my Grandma and doing a Christmas puzzle at my kitchen table or having friends over for dinner while the kids play and we plan our next outing to see the lights.
I love Christmas!
I just don't enjoy feeling like I'm the only one trying to make it happen, make it magical, you know... the one who cares about putting up the tree and decorating it with sentimental ornaments from Christmases past 🥹, who would like to see a decent strand of lights on my house BEFORE Christmas Day 😒, the only one who actually buys the gifts (which I love by the way) but it would be nice if there was some input from others about what we should get friends or family...
I don't know about you but at my house there wouldn't be a Christmas without me... and I guess many of you may feel the same way.
Queue "It's a Wonderful Life" and George Bailey running through the streets.
Maybe there are some of you who have a husband who loves decorating the yard for Christmas, or have a mom who makes it special for you and your family, or perhaps you're a grandmother now and you remember those crazy days but now you simply cherish your family and don't stress too much, and for you, I'm so happy!
But for a lot of us, we are in the thick of it. We are in the middle of raising kids and running businesses and baking and shopping and decorating and...all. the. things.
And for many of us, we are the one who makes the holiays special for our family. It's not a pride thing, or a Type A mom thing, or not relying enough on God thing, or missing the true meaning of Christmas thing, or even an idealistic thing, it's just the way it is some times.
Hear me out...
It's not that we expect too much out of ourselves, and we really don't expect our family to care about it as much as we do (this does not apply to husbands 🤨 who really should care a little), it's not really the kids' job to worry about the house and the baking and holiday decorations, but the holidays are a classic example of moms taking on all of the responsibility of everyone elses joy because let's face it, if you didn't care they would be crushed.
Ask me how I know... not getting into any childhood trauma in my newsletter here but it absolutely makes a difference for moms to care.
I'm going somewhere with this I promise...
But the holidays are a perfect example of expecting so much out of yourself and needing help, feeling like you're letting others down when you can't pull it all off, and feelings of guilt, sadness, and/or failure creep in.
This is also how many women I work with feel about their businesses - they want to do all the things, but they are incapable of doing them alone, not because they are incompetent but because it's just too much.
Really strong women tend to depend a lot on themselves, and I won't get into all the reasons why, I'm not a life coach or a trauma coach or a relationship coach like a few of my clients are. I'll leave the analysis and diagnoses to them. But what I am is a marketing and tech coach.
The fact is, we all need help sometimes and many of us don't even know how to ask for it.
If you need some hand holding to get your project off the ground or finish one you've started, some direction and guidance on your marketing strategy, or someone to help put it all together for you in automation, then I'm here to help.
No links today... just hit reply to this email and let's have a chat about what you need help with in your business. Your problem might be a simple fix or something we can dive into on a free call.
OR
If you related to this email and want to share what you love or hate about the holidays as a mom, I'm here for that too.
"I'll listen and not judge"
Blessings,
Daphne
