It's December, which means the world cranks up the volume on everything. The ads get louder. The to do lists get longer. The calendar fills up faster than you can keep track of.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, we're supposed to feel something magical. That warm, glowing thing they show in the commercials where everyone's laughing around a perfectly set table and the moment feels just right.

But here's what I've learned: the moments that actually feel like that? The ones that stay with you long after the decorations come down? They almost never have a price tag attached.

They're quieter than that. Simpler than that. And somehow, they mean more than anything you could order online or wrap up in a bow.

They're the moments when someone shows up. When someone notices. When someone chooses to be present in a way that reminds you that you matter, not because of what you bought or how perfectly you executed the season, but just because you're you.

Think about the last time someone really showed up for you. Not with a present. Not with grand gestures or elaborate plans. Just... showed up.

Maybe it was the friend who texted you out of nowhere during a rough week, not because you'd asked for help, but because they'd been thinking about you and wanted you to know it.

Maybe it was the neighbor who knocked on your door with a plate of cookies they'd made, not because it was your birthday or because they needed something, just because they thought it might brighten your day.

Maybe it was someone who sat with you while you talked through something hard, and they didn't try to fix it or rush you through it. They just stayed. They listened. They made space for whatever you needed to say.

Or maybe it was something even simpler: a hug that lasted just a beat longer than usual. Long enough that you felt it. Long enough to remind you that you're not carrying everything alone.

That's the stuff that sticks. That's what changes how someone experiences an entire day or an entire season.

And here's the beautiful part: you already know how to do this. You don't need a manual or a budget or a perfect plan. You just need to pay attention. To notice when someone could use a reminder that they're seen. To show up in the small ways that don't require much from you but mean everything to them.

Because presence isn't just a nice thing to offer. It's the thing that reminds people they're not alone. And in a season that can sometimes feel more overwhelming than magical, that reminder might be exactly what someone needs.

Here's what I love about this time of year: it doesn't demand perfection. It just asks for presence.

Yeah, December can feel intense. The calendar fills up fast. The expectations pile on. There's this cultural script about what the holidays are "supposed" to look like, and most of us are working with a version that doesn't quite match the commercial.

Some people walk into this season with their traditions humming, their people close by, and their hearts full. And that's wonderful. That's exactly what this time of year can be at its best.

But plenty of us are navigating something more complicated. Maybe you're missing someone who used to be at the table. Maybe your family dynamics require more emotional labor than they used to. Maybe you're in a season of transition where the old traditions don't fit anymore and the new ones haven't quite taken shape yet.

And you know what? There's room for that too.

Because here's the thing nobody tells you: the holidays don't have to be perfect to be meaningful. They don't have to look like anyone else's version to matter. And you don't have to have it all figured out to show up well for the people around you.

In fact, some of the most powerful moments this season aren't the big, orchestrated ones. They're smaller than that:

The text you send to someone you know is struggling, just to say you're thinking of them. The extra patience you offer when someone's clearly overwhelmed. The conversation you have with the person at the party who looks like they could use a friendly face. The way you notice when someone needs help and you offer it without making a big deal about it.

None of that requires you to be in a perfect place yourself. You don't need to be thriving to be kind. You don't need your own life sorted out to make someone else's day a little lighter.

And honestly? Sometimes being useful to someone else is exactly what we need when our own season feels heavy.

So instead of asking "How do I survive December?" maybe the better question is: "How can I make December a little better for myself and for someone else?"

Because when you start looking for those moments, the small ways you can show up, connect, lighten someone's load, you end up finding something for yourself too. Purpose. Connection. The reminder that even when life is messy, you still have something meaningful to offer.

And that might be the thing that carries you through.

Gifts get opened. They're appreciated, and sometimes they're exactly what someone wanted. But then? Life moves on. They get used, enjoyed, and eventually they blend into the background of daily life.

But your presence? The way you made someone feel seen when they needed it most? The steadiness you offered when things felt uncertain? The willingness to show up when someone wasn't expecting anyone to notice?

That doesn't fade.

That becomes part of the story they tell themselves about who's in their corner. About what kind of world they're living in. About the moments that reminded them they matter.

And honestly? That might be the most meaningful gift any of us give this season.

Not the thing under the tree. But the thing we chose to be for someone when it counted.

As we move through these last days of December, look for the small openings. The moments where you could choose to be a little more present. A little more intentional. A little more generous with your time, your attention, your willingness to really see someone.

Send the text. Make the call. Show up at the door. Sit a little longer. Listen a little closer. Let the hug last.

It won't feel like much in the moment. It might even feel ordinary. But I promise you, to the person receiving it, it's everything.

And here's the bonus: when you show up like this for other people, you end up getting something back too. Not in a transactional way, but in the way that reminds you what this whole season is actually about. Connection. Warmth. The simple, powerful act of being there for each other.

That's the gift nobody wraps. And it's the one that changes everything.

Happy holidays. May yours be full of the kind of moments that matter and may you be that moment for someone else.

Stay Safe,

Mike

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