Recently, I was the recipient of some kind words—words that felt like pure magic. That night, as I finally got into bed after settling the kids, I began reflecting on my day. And by "reflecting," I mean scrolling through my phone, which is when those kind words drifted back into my mind. Those kind words instantly shifted my day into a more positive and balanced state, leaving me feeling lighter and generally more optimistic.

During this busy holiday season, take a moment to pause. Think about all the people you encounter throughout your day: your child's teacher, a coworker, a friend, a child, or even a stranger at Starbucks. When you interact with them, those inner thoughts often surface—"Wow, her hair looks so neat like that," or "She looks really beautiful today," or "She manages to get so much done in a day."

Don't let those positive inner voices be the only ones speaking. SAY those words out loud. The simple act of verbalizing your inner compliment might be the very thing that completely changes not only someone's day for the better but it might be the thing they think about for days, months, or even years to come. Constantly rushing from one activity to the next, preoccupied with upcoming work meetings, or simply adopting a more introverted stance—only engaging when necessary—means we often miss opportunities to vocalize our inner positive thoughts. In today's often negative world, where we tend to focus on problems, intentionally spending more time and effort considering and sharing the positive will undoubtedly have a significant impact—not just on your own daily life, but on the lives of those around you.

So as we embark on holiday gatherings, speak your mind - tell your mom how much it really means that the holidays are calm and enjoyable when you and your family are able to gather at her house for a few hours Christmas Eve, tell your husband how wonderful it is really to have a support person who gets it and who you can rely on. Tell Jennifer from accounting how great her outfit is today or tell Mark from project management how much you appreciate every project you work on with him is smooth and reliable.