The one gift for literally *everyone* on your list
From someone whose love language is giving (and receiving) gifts
You probably don’t know this about me, but gifts are kinda my thing.
📚 I’ll finish a book and think, “______ would love this!”
👩🏻💻 I’ll spend hours researching the best [insert product here]
👯♀️ When I find something amazing, I want everyone to have it too.
🛒 And I’m obviously the girl with a “one for you, one for me” philosophy when it comes to shopping, lol
I don’t need a reason, or a season.
Some people hem and haw about the ~*cOnSuMeRiSm*~ of the holidays, but for people like me whose love language is giving gifts, this is what we live for.
Picking out The Perfect Gift, wrapping it in pretty paper, and then fighting tooth and nail to not spill the beans about what we got you is just who we are!
And really, it’s not so much about the *stuff* we give people, it’s about the connection. It’s our way of saying: I see you.
Finding a Great Gift takes a lotta time and effort, and at this point in December it probably feels like yet another thing on your to-do list right now.
(That is not the vibe we’re going for, especially during the holidays!)
The gift for *literally* everyone on your list
As Illuminate’s Personal Shopper in Residence, I’m going to make it super simple for you to give incredibly thoughtful (and honestly, life-changing) gifts to your loved ones.
This is what to get the:
High-powered CEO who needs space to process day-to-day stressors and ease the weight of high-stakes decisions
Frequent flyer (with Delta Diamond status) who wants to collect and record memories IRL and off Instagram
Mom of young kids who wants to find a way to reconnect with herself (bc when mom thrives, so does everyone else)
Friend who is in a life or career transition navigating what’s next and (literally) writing their next chapter
Young professional who spends too many hours looking at a screen all day and “can’t turn their mind off”
And because I tend toward the whole “one for you, one for me” thing, I’m obviously going to recommend gifting yourself these too!
A notebook for them to journal: A notebook is one of the most transformational gifts you can give someone.
(And it’s a gift you can give literally everyone on your list.)
If you’re reading this newsletter, you know how powerful journaling can be. Putting pen to paper can get your loved ones to places they can’t get to any other way, like:
• Finding their creative voice
• Experiencing breakthroughs
• Building self-trust, courage, and resilience
• Caring for their mental and emotional health
• Expressing themselves in different ways
• Shifting their perspective
• Becoming more present
• Amplifying positivity and joy
You don’t need a fancy journal (although we do love THIS one from Papier!). Target has great options (in fact, all of these gift suggestions can be found at Target!) — I love their line from Sugar Paper, Wit & Delight, and of course, Moleskine.
When we choose our journaling tools with intention, it helps to create a ritual that we look forward to (and stick to).
GOOD pens that write smoothly (and don’t smear): A huge pet peeve of mine is a bad pen — one that runs out of ink quickly or smears. I’ve tested a lot of pens and really like the Paper Mate Ink Joy line. Plus, they come in all sorts of fun colors to add an extra element of creativity to your writing experience.
Sticky notes to remind them of their *aha moments*: The most underrated journaling tool? A sticky note! Journaling illuminates so many *aha moments*, breakthroughs, and insights, but they’re often left behind in the pages of our journal.
Not anymore — sticky notes are the best way to capture the biggest takeaways and inspiration that come through. You can stick ‘em on your computer, desk, fridge, or mirror. We need these constant reminders of our inner wisdom!
Journal prompts to make it easy to get in the habit of journaling: A blank page can be pretty intimidating, even for seasoned journalers.
Set them up for success by sharing this newsletter with them. I send one prompt, once a week that sparks life-changing *aha moments*.
Okay, so now that we’ve taken care of everyone on your list, it’s time to take care of YOU!
There is one more opportunity this month to join my free weekly journaling workshop, Journal, together.
30 minutes, 3 prompts, and a pretty much *guaranteed* perspective shift that will stay with you all week (if not longer).
Here’s an example of a breakthrough I had last week (tap on the post to watch the video):
Our next gathering is Wednesday, December 25 at 9AM PDT/12PM EDT (yep, we’re meeting on Christmas!).
Ahhh I wish I could've joined on Christmas - how special and fun!! I'll be in flight ✈️ Merry Christmas, y'all! 🎄