The holiday season is in full swing, and I’m so glad you’re here for another month of Good Thoughts. December is a time to reflect, recharge, and (let’s be honest) sometimes just survive everything that comes with the closing of the year. Whether you’re embracing all things festive or looking for moments of calm in the chaos, I hope this issue brings you inspiration and joy. ✨

P.S. I’d love to hear your feedback on this newsletter! Take this quick survey and let me know your (hopefully good 😉) thoughts.

♡ Like this newsletter? Share it with a friend! ♡

♡ MANTRA OF THE MONTH: Less is more.

The holiday season can be overwhelming and it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. The mantra “Less is more” helps me to stay grounded. I can too often feel the need to “do it all,” — attend every party, buy the perfect gifts, and host like a pro. But sometimes, simplifying is the best way to feel more connected and present.

This season, I’m challenging myself to focus on what truly matters: quality time with loved ones, thoughtful moments of giving, and creating space to recharge. I hope you’ll join me in embracing a slower, more intentional holiday season.

If you missed it last month, you can still check out this FREE downloadable Gratitude Journal — perfect for staying grounded throughout the end of the year!

Wellness Trends 🌱

In the spirit of balancing joy, obligations, and (sometimes) stress, here’s how I’m navigating the month with wellness in mind:

♡ Set Boundaries Early: Protect your energy by saying “no” to what doesn’t serve you. This inherently elevates genuine and authentic experiences, and promotes self-care. By being honest with yourself and not just “going with the flow,” you are creating space for meaningful connections and rest.

♡ Commit to Your Routines: Although it may feel like the holiday season is a good time to let things go and just start fresh in the new year, I personally reject this mindset! Now is arguably the best time to practice consistency amidst a busy schedule, and start thinking ahead to how you want to show up for yourself next year. If it helps with motivation, why not turn it into a treat yourself moment? Invest in a good moisturizer, buy yourself some winter workout gear, or even a heated blanket to cozy up your wind-down routine. I’ve linked some of my favorite cold-weather essentials here!

♡ Movement for Stress/Anxiety: Whether it’s a quick yoga session, a walk in the crisp air, or dancing to your favorite holiday playlist, moving your body is a great way to shake off stress. While I’ve always been a morning exerciser, I’ve started to incorporate more movement into my evenings to help move any anxiety through my body to help avoid a restless night’s sleep. Just a quick 15-20 minutes of elevating your heart rate — a few hours before bed, maybe before/after dinner — can go a long way toward improving sleep and overall wellness.

ICYMI, earlier this quarter I partnered with Happier, a meditation app. Meditation can be a great way to practice mindfulness, and bring peace to your life outside of otherwise busy or stressful moments. You can use this link to try it for 30 days completely free!

What I’m Loving Lately ✨

A quick roundup of things bringing me joy this month:

♡ What I’m watching:
Love Actually is our annual December 1st tradition and one of my favorite holiday movies! We watched it last weekend while putting up our tree and it was the perfect Christmas kickoff! I’m also excited to start using our Holiday Movie Jar throughout the rest of the month.

A couple other recent recommendations:

• Martha: regardless of what you think you know about the icon that is Martha Stewart, I highly recommend giving this a watch. I loved how it positioned her story from the perspective of a woman in business and how she participated in the documentary, owning her own narrative. I found it powerful and inspiring.

• Emilia Pérez: this was a fascinatingly unique movie starring Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana, and I couldn’t stop talking about it for days after it ended…(Warning: does include some violent scenes).

♡ What I’m reading:
James: A Novel just won the 2024 National Book Award in the fiction category so I had to pick it up! It’s a re-imagining of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from the perspective of Jim, the escaped slave who joins Huck on his journey down the Mississippi River. You can also listen to it on Spotify.

Brave New World: my fiancé, Cody, and I started our own book club where we read together once a week instead of watching TV. We wanted to choose classics, highly recommended, and even banned books — and we decided to start with Brave New World, a dystopian novel from the 1930s. It’s been a fun way to connect and learn together while cutting out screens for a night.

You can find these books and check out all my favorite and recent reads on Amazon.

♡ What’s inspiring me:
To Be Magnetic: Authenticity Challenge: If you’re not familiar, To Be Magnetic (TBM) is a community and framework offering a modern approach to holistic living and manifestation. Their tools focus on processing and releasing trauma, limiting beliefs, and mental blocks that might be holding you back from achieving your goals or dreams.

While manifestation can sound a bit “woo woo” to some, I’ve found TBM’s tools genuinely helpful for gaining clarity, removing mental blocks, and connecting with what I truly want. I even joke with Cody that I manifested him, my perfect partner, while deep into TBM work several years ago. 🤭

I’m currently doing their end-of-year “authenticity challenge” and loving the space it’s creating to reflect and process before the new year.

♡ What I’m Loving Lately:
It Takes Two: this PS4 game (yes, PS4 😆) has become such a fun bonding activity for Cody and me! My best friend and her husband gifted us a Playstation, and when another couple recommended this game, we thought, “Why not?” I’m not much of a gamer (unless it’s board games) but grew up loving Super Mario Bros, so I was down to give it a try.

The game’s premise? You and your partner play as Cody and May (LOL that the guy’s name is Cody), a clashing couple turned into dolls by magic. Trapped in a fantastical world, they must work together to solve challenges while mending their relationship on the brink of divorce.

It’s been another great swap from TV bingeing—we set a timer for 45 minutes to an hour, play a level or two, and end up laughing, practicing patience, and enjoying the quirky “life and love” lessons along the way.

Good Thoughts Brand

GTB is now available on Togeth3r.com! Last month, we were honored to gift our Launch Collection hats at a special Friendsgiving event with tastemakers from NYC’s wellness and beauty scene.

We’re excited to announce a new merchandise drop coming later this month! Instead of a limited release, we’ll be opening a 2-week window to secure your order. Once the drop closes, orders will be cut off—so stay tuned! You won’t want to miss these pieces!

Follow along on Instagram and subscribing to the Good Thoughts Brand newsletter here.

Career Corner 👩🏽‍💻

Last month we discussed value in the workplace.

With the new year around the corner, December is the perfect time to set career intentions for 2025. Here’s how you can set yourself up for success:

1. Reflect on 2024: What are you proud of? What could have gone better?

   • I recently shared on Instagram a simple framework through which you can explore and intentionally live out your desired personal brand. Consider a more tactical approach to showing up as your desired version of yourself in the new year.

2. Set clear goals: Choose 1–2 professional goals to focus on in the new year.

   • ICYMI last month I shared a FREE value tracker tool which will help set up this process for you of reflection and goal setting! Dive into this NOW, ahead of the new year, to keep yourself organized around tracking your goals and value throughout 2025.

3. Build your network: The holiday season is a great time to send thoughtful messages to colleagues or mentors and strengthen connections.

   • A few years ago, my colleagues and I hand-wrote over 200 holiday cards for clients! While the handwritten note was a nice touch, in hindsight, perhaps an email would have been better and gone over just as well. Our hands were in pain for weeks! 😂 So in the spirit of embracing modernization — here are a couple simple templates you can use to make the clients, coworkers, and mentors in your life feel appreciated this holidays season. Be sure to customize and add your own personal touch!

Love & Life 💘

With the busyness of the season and the new year approaching, it’s the perfect time to prioritize connection, so I’m re-sharing our FREE relationship meeting template.

Just like Cody and I like to go to new coffee shops each week, our friends Dani and Michael add their own twist to their weekly meeting by picking a vinyl record to set the mood while they chat and connect. 🎶

I’ve loved hearing how so many of you incorporate the Weekly Relationship meeting into your routines! If you have a fun or unique element to your weekly connection time, let me know—I’d love to share more ideas with the community! 🥰

♡ Creating Intentional Holiday Traditions:
Whether it’s decorating cookies, writing heartfelt cards, or creating a playlist of your favorite holiday songs, traditions bring us closer to those we love. Cody and I are starting a new tradition this year: choosing a new ornament. It’s our first holiday season living together and engaged! We’re excited to use these milestones as an opportunity to create new traditions as simple but meaningful ways to celebrate the season.

Do you have any favorite holiday traditions around gratitude, connection, love, or wellness? Let me know—I’d love to share ideas throughout this month on social!

Holiday Special: Good Thoughts Gift Guides 🎁

I’m thrilled to share my curated holiday gift guides, featuring thoughtful and unique finds for everyone on your list. These went out in a special edition newsletter last month and have already been such a hit!

• Gifts for the tech and travel lover

• Kitchen and home gifts

• Gifts for health & wellness

Find all the guides here, and check out my Instagram for more ideas and highlights!

Final Thoughts 💭

♡ December Reflections:

As we close out 2024, I encourage you to take a moment to celebrate how far you’ve come this year—every win, every lesson, and even the challenges that shaped you. The end of the year is a perfect time to reflect and reset, and despite all the tools and frameworks in the world, you can let it be as simple as stepping away from your typical routine, setting a timer for 5-10-15 or more minutes, and just taking some time to sit quietly with yourself.

Think about what you want 2025 to feel like. What habits, intentions, or goals can you plant now to make the transition into the new year smoother and more intentional? Whether it’s prioritizing well-being, fostering meaningful connections, or leaning into personal growth, the foundation you set today will be the motivation that carries you forward.

Cheers to the New Year — See you in 2025! 🥂

♡ Although this newsletter is only a few months old, Thank You, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of this journey. I look forward to continuing to grow and evolve together in 2025 and I am wishing you peace, joy, and inspiration as we step into the new year together!

If you haven’t yet, I’d love it if you could spare a few minutes to share any thoughts or feedback you have on the newsletter so far by taking this quick survey. I appreciate you, and I hope you have a magical holiday season.

With gratitude,
Tenika

Less is more. 😉✨

Let’s Connect!

Check out my website and follow along on social media for more daily positivity and inspiration!