Guest Blogger: Tamisha Ford | tamishaford.com
The first thing you should know is this: nothing is wrong with you – whether you’ve been single one day, one month, or a year. There’s nothing wrong. And okay, if by some small chance there just happens to be something “wrong” with you (you know, like cellulite which we all have!), I promise you there’s someone out there who is looking to love it. They just haven’t found you yet.
I haven’t been married yet, but I have endured every kind of Christmas you could imagine. I’ve been in serious relationships with really enjoyable Christmases, serious relationships that completely ruined my holiday, and I’ve also happily made it through a few stag, but with family. The ones when you’re alone can be the hardest, but they don’t have to be. So, here’s some tips for you if you’re looking at yet another year being single at Christmas.
5 Tips for Single Women at Christmas
- Embrace the awesome-ness of saying “no.” Remember that saying “no” to anything just means you’re saying “yes” to something else. That may be yes to you-time or yes to white space. Don’t feel like you have to explain it to anyone. If you don’t want to go to that Christmas party, don’t go. However, be clear on what you’re saying yes to and honor it.
- Enjoy what I call the “double budget.” How much would you spend on your significant other if you had one? $500? $1,000? $250? Whatever that amount is – guess what? Spend it on you! Until someone great comes along, you can use it on you (or maybe save it for your birthday)? This holiday, that money is yours for the taking (and enjoying).
- Plan your next year in quarters. I learned this recently from Anne Samoilov. I’m doing it this year, not only for my business, but for my life. It might seem a little mundane, but it can actually be fun to set your goals early! Plan in 3-month chunks everything from vacations to writing blogs to elevating your career. Use tools like Evernote or Asana, especially if you’re a single woman entrepreneur and/or have a team to manage. If you have a large team or work in a large corporation, use Basecamp.
- Spend time in stores you love that take big chunks of your free time. I’m talking Hobby Lobby, The Container Store, Barnes & Noble, Macy’s, Nordstrom, or Zara. You can do a lot of constructive, yet really enjoyable things in these stores that take up hours at a time. While you’re there, try to bring passion and joy to someone and meet someone new, even if it’s a random conversation in passing.
- Serve Others. Do you like to bake? Make those macaroons for your co-workers. Love cooking? Invite over some of your single gals for dinner and a movie. You’ll feel so great giving to others – you never know who else might be having a hard time around the holidays. When you serve them, you’ll greatly serve yourself too.
