Call Shari 303-863-0948 or Email Us

Contact us for virtual speaking and training!

Posts Tagged ‘holidays’

How to Be Happy Now

I’ve heard lots of people say they just want 2020 to be over and that 2020 has been a bad year. It’s definitely been a very different and difficult year. I’m right there with you – virtual school, no childcare, not seeing family or friends, and doing three jobs because everyone in our office is working virtually. And part of being powerful is creating fun and choosing happiness regardless of the circumstances.

Here are some ideas for creating fun and happiness, regardless of the circumstances. If you read last week’s blog, some of this will sound familiar.

Connect with people you haven’t talked to in a while. Call, texting isn’t the same.

  • Past coworkers
  • Friends from high school, college, and graduate school
  • Cousins and siblings
  • Neighbors
  • Out-of-town friends
  • Local friends

Here are a few ways to take care of yourself during the workday:

  • Listen to music.
  • Eat breakfast or lunch instead of skipping a meal.
  • Text a friend when you have down time.
  • Walk outside to take a break.

Catch the last of your city’s holiday activities. Do things five-year-old’s think are fun. They’re fun for adults too.

  • Is your city’s Zoo lit up for the holidays? Bring hot chocolate and go.
  • Are your city’s botanic gardens or downtown lit up? Are there drive-through light shows?
  • Find a place to toast marsh mellows and make s’mores. Hotels are often lit up and have outdoor fire pits.
  • Drive or walk and see your neighbor’s lights.
  • Decorate cookies, cupcakes and gingerbread houses. Seriously, it’s fun! If you email me, I’ll send you photos of our masterpieces. If you have kids, give up what the gingerbread house is ‘supposed to look like’ and let the kids do their thing (this is challenging for me).

Do something you enjoy every day. Keep it simple and cheap. Here are a few from my life:

  • Listen to music. Maybe go crazy and have a spontaneous dance party.
  • Order food from a favorite restaurant. I’ll admit that sometimes we have breakfast delivered.
  • Go for a walk or hike.
  • Do something you’ve never done. We’re trying snowmobiling this week.
  • Drive someplace beautiful.
  • Watch a movie you haven’t seen.

Lastly, what’s a bad habit you can stop doing, for one day. Don’t over commit. Mine are below:

  • Opening emails, promising I’ll reply, only to have the email get buried and forgotten.
  • Surfing Facebook and the internet at night.
  • Eating whatever my kid doesn’t finish.
  • Checking my phone (way more than necessary).

There are lots of ways to have fun regardless of the circumstances – from seeing lights, to reconnecting with old friends, to taking care of ourselves, and stopping a bad habit, just for one day.

Have a wonderful rest of the year! We are grateful for the many organizations that invested in virtual training and keynote speaking this year. We’ve loved working with all of you and hope to see you virtually or in person next year.

We wish you a Happy New Year and powerful start to 2021!


Have Fun this Holiday Season

Maybe you’re not flying to see your family, celebrating the holidays with the people you otherwise would, or taking that big vacation. This year’s holidays will look different from other years, but they can still be fun. Below are some simple and free ways to have fun this holiday season, whether you’re working or off.  

Do things five-year-old’s think are fun. They’re fun for adults too.

  • Is your city’s Zoo lit up for the holidays? Bring hot chocolate and go. Ride the train and the carousel if they have one, yes, even without kids.
  • Are your city’s botanic gardens or other gardens lit up?
  • Is your downtown lit up?
  • Are there drive-through light shows?
  • Drive or walk and see your neighbor’s lights.
  • Decorate cookies and gingerbread houses. Seriously, it’s fun! If you email me, I’ll send you photos of our masterpieces. If you have kids, give up what the gingerbread house is ‘supposed to look like’ and let the kids do their thing (this is challenging for me).

Moving on to day-to-day happiness, when is the last time you did things you enjoy? Keep it simple and cheap. Here are a few from my life:

  • Listen to music
  • Go out for ice cream
  • Ride my bike
  • Go to the mountains or some other beautiful spot
  • Read a book

Call people you haven’t talked to in a while. Yes, call. Texting isn’t the same.

  • Past coworkers
  • Friends from high school, college, and graduate school
  • Cousins and siblings
  • Neighbors
  • Out-of-town friends
  • Local friends

If you’re working over the holidays, below are a few ways to take care of yourself during the workday:

  • Walk around your neighborhood or house for a short break
  • Listen to music
  • Eat breakfast or lunch instead of skipping a meal
  • Text a friend when you have down time
  • Walk outside to take a break
  • Five minutes of yoga

Lastly, what’s a bad habit you can stop doing, for one day. Don’t over commit. Mine are below:

  • Surfing Facebook and the internet at night
  • Eating whatever my kid doesn’t finish
  • Eating the remaining Halloween candy when my kid isn’t looking
  • Texting when I should be working or sleeping
  • Checking my phone (way more than necessary)

There are lots of ways to have fun this holiday season – from seeing lights, to reconnecting with old friends, to taking care of ourselves and stopping a bad habit, just for one day.

We wish you and your family a warm wrap-up to 2020 and a very different 2021. Happy Holidays from all of us at Candid Culture.


Personal Questions & Unsolicited Advice This Holiday Season

During the holidays we often see people we haven’t seen in a long time. Your family and friends care about you and want to hear what’s happening in your life. Caring and curiosity can lead people to ask questions that you don’t want to answer.

Unsolicited Advice

Friends and family don’t need to know everything that’s happening in your life. None of your business – said a bit differently – is a perfectly acceptable reply. You decide what to share.

Here are a few possible replies to questions you don’t want to answer:

Question: “What’s happening with that nice young man/woman you’ve been dating?”

Answer: “Things are going great. Thanks for asking.”

Question: “Are you guys serious?”

Answer:  “We like each other a lot. If it goes further, I’ll let you know.”  Aka, this conversation is over.

Here’s another scenario:

Question: “Are you dating anyone?”

Answer:  “No, not right now.”

Question: “You know, I met my husband on Match.com. Have you tried online dating?”

Answer:  “That’s great that you met online. I don’t really want to talk about my dating life. What else is happening?”

The next thing she says, “You really should try it. You need to be open. You just never know.”

Answer:  “I really appreciate your interest. I’m not looking for dating advice right now, but I really appreciate your concern.”  Aka, shut up.

The examples above are about romantic relationships but they could have been about careers, kids, or finances. Your response can be the same. You don’t need to tell anyone anything you don’t want to. It’s ok to tell people to back off and that something is none of their business. You can say it nicely. Just don’t let yourself get cornered into giving information you don’t want to share.

An appropriate answer to almost any personal question is, “I don’t have anything to report on this front, but I’ll let you know when I do.”

An appropriate response to any type of unsolicited advice is, “Thanks so much for your concern. I’m not looking for advice on _____, but I really appreciate you caring.”

Telling someone to back off is perfectly appropriate. S/he’ll get the point and your personal life will remain personal. Boundaries are your friend.

Read How to Say Anything to Anyone, and be ready to manage intrusive questions and unsolicited advice this holiday season.

unsolicited advice


Personal Questions & Unsolicited Advice This Holiday Season

During the holidays we often see people we haven’t seen in a long time. Your family and friends care about you and want to hear what’s happening in your life. Caring and curiosity can lead people to ask questions that you don’t want to answer.

Over Thanksgiving last year I was holding my sister-in-law’s adorable baby. That prompted another family member to ask when I was going to have a baby. I was completely taken aback by the question and simply replied, “I don’t know.”

Friends and family don’t need to know everything that’s happening in your life. None of your business – said a bit differently – is a perfectly acceptable reply. You decide what to share.

Personal Questions & Unsolicited Advice This Holiday Season

Here are a few possible replies to questions you don’t want to answer:

Question: “What’s happening with that nice young man/woman you’ve been dating?”

Answer: “Things are going great. Thanks for asking.”

Question: “Are you guys serious?”

Answer:  “We like each other a lot. If it goes further, I’ll let you know.”  Aka, this conversation is over.

Here’s another scenario:

Question: “Are you dating anyone?”

Answer:  “No, not right now.”

Question: “You know, I met my husband on Match.com. Have you tried online dating?”

Answer:  “That’s great that you met online. I don’t really want to talk about my dating life. What else is happening?”

The next thing she says, “You really should try it. You need to be open. You just never know.”

Answer:  “I really appreciate your interest. I’m not looking for dating advice right now, but I really appreciate your concern.”  Aka, shut up.

The examples above are about romantic relationships but they could have been about careers, kids, or finances. Your response can be the same. You don’t need to tell anyone anything you don’t want to. It’s ok to tell people to back off and that something is none of their business. You can say it nicely. Just don’t let yourself get cornered into giving information you don’t want to share.

An appropriate answer to almost any personal question is, “I don’t have anything to report on this front, but I’ll let you know when I do.”

An appropriate response to any type of unsolicited advice is, “Thanks so much for your concern. I’m not looking for advice on _____, but I really appreciate you caring.”

Telling someone to back off is perfectly appropriate. S/he’ll get the point and your personal life will remain personal. Boundaries are your friend.

Read How to Say Anything to Anyone, and be ready to manage intrusive questions and unsolicited advice this holiday season. We’re offering a special holiday deal. It’s the best price you’ll find anywhere.

By Shari Harley, Keynote Speaker and Founder and President of www.candidculture.com.

 


Sign Up

Career tips
you won't get
elsewhere. Sign up
to get a free
tip card.