Virtual Hot Cocoa and Holiday Cheers: A Cheerful Year-End Message from Me to You

Debra Coleman [00:00:09]:
Well, hello, and welcome back to another episode of Have A Seat, Conversations with Women in the Workplace podcast. Happy holidays. Ho, ho, ho. Merry, merry, my have a seat friends. Gather round the digital fire Please put your feet up in your fluffiest slippers, and let me pour you a mug of virtual hot cocoa With extra marshmallows, of course. Welcome to another mini cast episode of Have A Seat. I am your host, Deborah Coleman. And as always, I try to have a bit of a merry episode this time of year.

Debra Coleman [00:00:47]:
It's holiday week, the next couple of weeks, I should say. It's Some Christmas and New Year's back to back, so I tried to double up on the Solo episodes, hopefully giving you a happy new year and merry, merry vibe. And so this is One of those episodes. So again, welcome to have a seat and happy holidays. So My beautiful friends, before we all go face planting into a plate of gingerbread cookies. What? Is it just me? It's just me. Okay. That's fine.

Debra Coleman [00:01:22]:
I I I can own that. I can own that. Listen, I wanted to just take a moment to give a giant Candy cane size thank you in all caps. Thank you to all of you, all of you amazing and supportive And encouraging listeners, you are truly the sprinkles on my metaphorical holiday cupcake, The tinsel on my podcast tree, the absolute reason this whole Jingle Bell ride is worth it. And that's the truth. That is the absolute truth. Thank you from the bottom of my tinsel heart. This year, I think we can all admit 2023, holy Hannah.

Debra Coleman [00:02:10]:
It has been a wild sleigh ride filled with more twists and turns in many ways Then a gingerbread house maze. I really are you sensing a gingerbread theme here? I maybe I need to just stop and have some cocoa and gingerbread Cookies. I guess I'm craving them for some reason. But listen. Through it all, you have been there. You all have been there Downloading episodes, leaving reviews, and sending me messages that have absolutely just warmed my heart like a mug of hot cider. Your support has meant more to me than all the mistletoe and reindeer in the world Find, honestly. So thank you.

Debra Coleman [00:02:54]:
Once again, thank you for making 2023 and the Have a Seat podcast such a success. But not only that. It's it's just it's been so wonderful to pay a little bit of something forward. Whatever these episodes has meant to you, if you have received anything from them, any key takeaways, any sort of Improvement, any sort of food for thought, then I consider that a huge w in the win column. Let me share with you really quickly. I don't do this podcast to monetize. I that was never my goal ever, And I mean that a 100%. I did not start this podcast 3 years ago thinking, I wanna make money.

Debra Coleman [00:03:40]:
And there's nothing wrong with that. Many podcasters do that, And that is lovely. If that is your objective, go you. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I fully support that. But for me and what I had in mind for this show was simply community and connection and a way for women To specifically and only women, sorry, our male allies and counterparts out there, but we need more spaces like This for women to share, connect, you know, listen freely without judgment, An inclusive community where you can just, again, pick an episode and pop a listen really quickly. You know? Whether it be a solo cast from me or tuning in to one of my incredible interviews with women who are just out there killing it with their expertise, their knowledge, Their fearlessness and their bravery. So that is always that has always been my goal.

Debra Coleman [00:04:39]:
That has always been my my mission is to form that community, and I have not been doing it alone. I've absolutely had you in lockstep with me this entire journey, and I I just can't say thank you enough, and I don't believe I do that enough during the year. And so, yes, in typical cliche form, I am Taking advantage of the holiday season and this moment of giving to say thank you. Thank you so much for for showing me the support that you have during this 2023 year. And, so with that being said, whether you are nestled by the fire With Hot Cocoa and a good book or a good podcast or a good bingeable show I mean, hey. You know what? That'll be me in a few weeks, or braving the holiday shopping crowds like a small Santa on steroids. Hey. Remember malls? I'm Gen X, so I absolutely remember malls.

Debra Coleman [00:05:35]:
I grew up in a mall. Right? Whatever it is for you, I want you to know this. You are the reason I do this. You are the elves to my workshop truly, the little elves to my workshop, The carolers to my choir and the twinkle lights that make this whole Have A Seat podcast shine. Absolutely. From the bottom of my heart, I mean that a 100%. Where's that 100 emoji? It needs to go right here. So Thank you.

Debra Coleman [00:06:08]:
Thank you. Thank you, and merry, merry to my beautiful Havasik community. Now having said that, I'd like to just flip the tone just for a minute and, recognize the fact that the holidays aren't always filled with jingle bells and sugar plums. Sometimes, they're more like lumpy gravy and tangled lights. Right? Sometimes, they just Aren't all that Hallmark wants us to believe that it is. Trust me. I get it. I absolutely get it.

Debra Coleman [00:06:43]:
Like, life throws curveballs. Okay? Even during the most wonderful, quote, most wonderful time of the year, Many of us are dodging those curve up curveballs, and just really trying to stay afloat. Right? Maybe you're missing loved ones. This time of year is a little rough. Maybe you're facing financial stress or just feeling lost In all the in all the festive frenzy. Right? Whatever your reason, I want you to know That it's okay not to feel holly jolly. It's absolutely okay. You don't even need my permission, but I'm just saying It's okay.

Debra Coleman [00:07:26]:
I'm giving you a virtual hug. It's okay not to feel all the holly jolliness of this time of year. But remember please remember. Please, above all else, you are not alone, my friend. You really aren't. This Have a Seat community right here is your holiday hug, your virtual cup of cocoa. We are all, all of us, in this together even when the snow outside feels more like a blizzard in our hearts. We are in this together.

Debra Coleman [00:07:59]:
So this episode is your permission, quote, to take a break from the holiday pressure if you need to. Put away, you know, put away those forced miles and grab your favorite blanket. Curl up with a warm drink or your fur baby, and join me because that's what I'll be doing. I am absolutely self care this season, and I am taking off both from my podcast and from work the week in between Christmas and New Year's. So through the 26th, through 29th, because we naturally have the 25th off. Right? I am checking out. I am out of pocket off of I'm going to take I'm going to remove myself from technology as much as possible except for my Kindle and except for my TV, which houses all my saved bingeable shows that I haven't been able to get to in the past couple weeks. And I am just going to sit On the couch, periodically with Paul as he has patience for.

Debra Coleman [00:09:02]:
Right? He'll join me, and then he won't. You know? He'll pop in and out, because I am the lounge lizard in our relationship, I can easily sit on a couch for hours. But I will definitely have my fur baby, Jack, by my side. And all the things hot cocoa or hot coffee or hot tea or hot toddies, which I'm really a fan of lately, And I will be I will be doing that. So maybe you'll join me. Maybe you will join me in that little mini self care, Time out. And maybe together, we can create a space where vulnerability is welcome. Right? And, laughter, as you all know, is I my favorite form of medicine.

Debra Coleman [00:09:44]:
But laughter in any dose will be encouraged, And tears will never be judged ever ever. Because even in the not so merry moments, I truly believe, my friend, I really do, there's still magic to be found still magic to be found. If you have never watched the polar the polar express, I highly encourage you to just check that out this this holiday season. Make time for it. You know, during the day, 2 o'clock in the morning, late at night, whatever it is for you, even if you have to stop and watch it in chunks, it really there is power. There is power in that word Believe. I absolutely believe that. No pun intended there.

Debra Coleman [00:10:25]:
So remember, above all else, that the holidays, I believe are about connection, not perfection. Connection, not perfection. Who you know? It it just you know? I we it's so easy to get caught up in the, like, keeping up with the Joneses mentality this time of year and Looking at your friends and neighbors and looking at their gram or looking at their Facebook pages or you know? And just saying, I'm And it's and it's so easy to fall back on the feeling of, I'm not doing the holidays right. I'm totally failing at this. But guess what? Guess what? I'm the little elf on a shelf telling you, no. You're not. You're doing it perfectly because you're doing it just the way That is right for you and your family. And I don't care if your family just makes up yourself and your fur baby or maybe yourself and your kiddos or yourself in a multigenerational household.

Debra Coleman [00:11:21]:
Right? It's just the holidays are what you make it, and they are by your design. It's about connection, not perfection. So let's connect in all our messy, Imperfect glory this holiday season. Right? And who knows? Maybe maybe we can find a little bit of holiday cheer. Even if it's just a tiny spark, can you give me just a little tiny spark? So my Have a Seat family, once again, Sending you all the love and support this holiday season. Absolutely. Big hug. Sending you all the hugs.

Debra Coleman [00:12:01]:
And don't forget. You've got a whole podcast family here for you always. Always. As I said, as I have said time before, please remember, if you need someone to chat with, Reach out to me. You can easily find me on on the Have A Seat website. The link is definitely in the show notes. There's a contact me link on there. It sends an email directly to my inbox.

Debra Coleman [00:12:28]:
If you need to schedule a few minutes to chat, do so. I would love to do that. Absolutely. Welcome the opportunity to still have a few moments with you. Reach out whether or whether it's through comments and social media. You know, I have a LinkedIn Havacy page. I also have a personal LinkedIn. Shoot me a message that way if that's more your thing.

Debra Coleman [00:12:49]:
Or even if it's just, you know, Just a good old fashioned email that just says, I just wanted to say hello. Just reach out to connect. You know? Hope you can do the same. You know, whatever it is for you, the message here is you are not alone, and there is love and support for you. I'm here to listen as I do every week. We're in this together. We're all in this together. It's another crazy holiday season.

Debra Coleman [00:13:17]:
Right? But it doesn't have to be. And even if it is, we can still find joy in some of those crazy moments. You are not alone. So my happy my happy holiday, little elves, my have a seat community. Thank you so much once again for tuning in this week. I know this show drops Christmas week, so no no pressure to even hit the play button. I know you have tons of things to do. But even if you don't and you're able to steal Few minutes.

Debra Coleman [00:13:44]:
Thank you for taking a quick listen. And as always, don't forget to, hit that subscribe button. It's truly The only way I can convince Santa, honestly, to bring me a lifetime supply of candy canes. Y'all. It's the only way Cassandra checks those Santa checks that list and he checks it twice. So, all right, everybody happy holidays, big love and hugs to you. And as always stay safe, be well this holiday season and remember,