Can you believe Thanksgiving was only last week?! It’s a little hard for me to believe, as we’re still wearing t-shirts here in Houston, but Happy belated Thanksgiving if you’re here in the US still in a turkey coma.

Now that we’ve kicked off the holiday season, there are all kinds of things going on.  You undoubtedly have family obligations, gifts to buy, parties to attend, and more — and your kids will be home from school once vacation starts. Plus, there’s the whole business of your business — your clients and all the things they need to do before the end of the year.

That’s why it’s important to go head into December with realistic goals and a plan for managing expectations wisely.

Here’s my mantra for December,  and I want you to feel free to steal it for yourself.

“It’s okay to say no.”

Does your family get invited to a dozen Christmas parties? You’re allowed to say no to some of them.

Do your children expect you to buy them toys that cost more than an in-state college education — or toys that run contrary to your beliefs? Saying no does not make you mean or grinch-like.

Last year I said no to sending out Christmas cards, and let me tell you, it felt glorious. And I’m guessing none of our friends or family really even noticed.

Take some time to consider how you want to show up for your business and your family in December. Do you have a client making a huge sales push in December? What does that mean for you and your work schedule? And what does your work schedule mean for your family obligations?

Sit down now and figure out your guidelines for the month of December. If you say yes to everything, you’ll show up exhausted and unhappy. If you decide ahead of time to say no to some things, you can be fully present for every single yes.

Think about how amazing it would feel to go to two or three holiday parties and have an incredible time. Would that fill your cup more than feeling obligated to attend 8 different parties?

If you take a little time now to determine your boundaries, you can sail through December with tidings of comfort and joy… rather than wanting to smash every ornament you see.

For example, my husband and I are meeting this week to figure out who is working when during the two weeks the kids are home from school. By planning ahead of time, we’ll each get the time we need to work, to be with our kids and each other, and to have some totally unstructured downtime.

Realistically, with all the kids at home, we can’t both work full time, and we want to be able to get out and do things with the kids, too.

We’re also going to make some decisions about what we do (and don’t!) want our kids to have and experience this holiday season. We love spending time with family, and we don’t want our kids to have multiple late nights — because late nights for the kids means miserable days for us.

Plan ahead, Mama, so that you can hit your holiday goals with a smile.

P.S. Pop on into the Facebook group and tell us one thing you’re excited for this holiday season!