With my official book launch approaching on January
1st, you can probably imagine that this is no
ordinary December for me! I woke up quite anxious
the other morning trying to sort out just exactly
how I was going to get everything done! The answer
for me was to get help!
I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I have
hired a virtual assistant. Her name is Pat and she
lives in a mountain resort area called Running
Springs in California. If you've never heard of a
virtual assistant, this is a burgeoning new industry
of work-at-home professionals who assist small
business owners with all manner of administrative
and project work, usually at a distance.
As Pat likes to say, “When your midnight candle's
all burned out, I am another you!” If you've ever
had that feeling of wishing you could clone
yourself, having an assistant seems like the next
best thing!
In my get-to-know-you conversation with Pat, she
mentioned that she's been buying Christmas gifts all
year long and casually asked if I did that too. I
laughed – Are you kidding?? Then I got that
oh-my-god clenching feeling in my stomach realizing
I hadn't even started! If any of you find yourself
in similar straits, here are some hints for
surviving the stress of holiday shopping.
Do your shopping online. Nowadays you can
avoid the
crush of humanity at the malls and the road rage in
the parking lots altogether by shopping online. You
can find just about anything you want online and
many places offer guaranteed arrival dates and gift
wrapping too. Very often you’ll find discounted
prices online as well.
Buy gift certificates. I used to think gift
certificates were tacky, but in truth, many people
(myself included) really enjoy shopping with gift
certificates. That way you can get exactly what you
want and it's guilt-free too! This can be just as
personal and thoughtful as an actual gift when you
select a certificate from a store that caters to
someone's special interests or style.
Hire an Errand Service. If time is more of an
issue
than money, consider hiring someone to shop for you!
There are many women owned small businesses with a
focus on reducing the stress of other women whose
plates are too full to make time for shopping and
other errands.
Ask people to tell you what they really want.
Have
them write out a wish list for you that's specific
and includes where to get the items. Sure it takes
away the element of surprise, but it also saves you
from hearing this dreaded response: “Oh, you really
shouldn't have!” or “Did you by any chance still
have the receipt?”
Offer a gift of your time after the holidays.
Sometimes the best gifts of all are not the things
we can buy, but the gift of our presence. A promise
to spend time together in a special way might be
treasured more than you can imagine. Consider
including a handwritten letter expressing your
sentiments.
This holiday season, remember the important thing is
not how much time or money you spend shopping for
the perfect gift, it's about the love and caring,
and the thoughtfulness that comes from your heart.
It's about the memories you create with your loved
ones. The best times happen when you are relaxed and
happy. So give yourself the gift of simplifying your
shopping this year and commit to showing up with
loving, positive energy.
Enjoy your holidays!
