I’m at the point in the season where my lists have lists, you know? The tasks ahead are mostly centered around our Christmas Eve party but I did get three things done yesterday that I’m quite happy to check off my list.

They are:

1. Addressed, stuffed, sealed, and mailed our Christmas cards. I’m writing it here now as a reminder to have my printer extraordinaire preprint our return address on the envelopes next year.
2. Made the dreaded expedition to Costco. I really just needed wine and beer and a ham and I mostly stuck to the list with the exception of a $75 beef tenderloin that somehow landed in my cart. It was crowded but I got called over to the self check out line by a great employee who get me out super fast when he saw that I didn’t have that much in my cart. Hooray.
3. Drove around with Dale to look at Christmas lights. This is something we try to do every year but sometimes it gets shoved aside and we don’t get to it. I’m always glad when we do, though, it’s such a great way to slow down and enjoy the lights and decorations.

In the interest of time (and my lists) that’s all I’ve got for today!

If you wrote a post for today please include your link below. Thanks, friends.

You might know that I’m a bit of a . . . stickler . . . when it comes to rules. Not all rules but definitely my rules. Like, my rule about not eating popcorn at the movies until the actual movie starts. Or my rule about straightening the couch cushions and plumping the pillows each night before I go to bed. There are others that are seemingly arbitrary but they matter to me. And here’s one that’s bugging me right now:

Posts and lists and videos about the Best of 2018.

You know why it bugs me? Because 2018 isn’t over yet. Today is December 13th and we’ve got more than two full weeks left in 2018 and what if we read the best book ever on December 28th? Or what if we take a photo on December 25th and it gets more likes on Instagram than any photo we’ve taken all year? So, all you 2018 lists just hold your horses and wait until January 1st.

Now. That being said, I am looking ahead to 2019 and making some plans. And you can probably guess, I’m sharing 3 with you today.

1. I am setting my Reading Challenge for 2019 at 75 books. This is the same number I have done for the past 2 years and it works well for me. It allows me to read some long books and it’s also a number I hit around the end of November or early December. Remember that post I wrote about attainable goals? This is exactly what I was referring to.
2. Dale and I will be doing a list of 19 in 2019 just as we did 18 in 2018. Our list this year inspired us and pushed us and helped us set some goals, too. There are things we put on our list we didn’t do that we intentionally dropped and there are things that we didn’t get to yet but there are lots of things we did accomplish and . . . well now I’m thinking that this 18 in 2018 thing deserves a post of it’s own but just know that there will be a list in 2019 too.
3. I have chosen my One Little Word for 2019. I’ll share it soon (maybe even on January 1st) but it’s a good one and the time is right for me to use it. I’m not sure if I’m going to sign up for the class again as I haven’t really followed the class at all this year but there is a pretty cool journal available and I may get that and follow my own cues. Either way, I have found that choosing a word for the year really helps me focus on what matters and what my intentions are and I like it.

That’s all I’ve got so far for the year ahead. Let’s hope it’s a good one!

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You know what’s a week from today? Thanksgiving. It’s so early this year I feel like it’s kind of sneaking up on us but still, it’s next week and there’s no changing it. I love the holidays and I feel like Thanksgiving is truly the kick off to a truly special time – a season of gatherings with family and friends, coworkers and community leaders, fellow travelers on our path through life. And guess what? Those gatherings require conversations and right now I feel like there can be a lot of . . . incivility . . . when it comes to making conversation. So, today, I’m here to suggest some tips to get you to be a truly great conversationalist.

1. Ask interesting questions. Sure, the standard might be to ask about work but not everyone works. Instead how about asking about something other than work. Try, “what have you been doing lately that’s making you happy” or “what are you most excited about right now” to get the ball rolling. These are open ended questions and should be a great way to break the ice if you’re standing around awkwardly trying to make small talk.
2. Listen more than you talk. This is a hard one for a lot of people but if you really want to engage with someone and get to know them you need to have them do the talking. Follow up questions (how did that make you feel?) are important but so is body language and other non-verbal clues like looking a person in the eye when they are talking and leaning in to the conversation. As my grandfather used to say, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason . . . try to listen twice as much as you talk.
3. Avoid uncomfortable topics. These days I completely avoid politics. For one, I don’t know if someone will agree with me and if they don’t I’m likely to be upset and judge-y. For another, even when someone agrees with me, politics are so upsetting to me right now that I don’t even enjoy those conversations! Other topics to avoid? Religion, medical conditions, and socioeconomic status. This doesn’t mean you have to have banal conversation, though. Try talking about a really great book you’ve read or movie you’ve seen. Compliment someone on their outfit. Ask about what kind of music they like. Be interested in them and you will in turn be interesting.

So those are my main tips. I’d also suggest don’t brag, don’t gossip and don’t get defensive. When all else fails talk about my favorite topic: food!

If you wrote a post for today I hope you’ll share a link below! Thanks for playing along!