Tammy Winstead (00:00)
Welcome back to Unmasking the Heart for Change, a space where we peel back the layers, speak honestly, and reconnect with what truly matters, one heart to heart at a time. I'm your host, Tammy Winstead, and I'm really glad that you're here with me today. Today's episode is going to feel a little different. As we move into these final weeks of the year, I made the decision to pause, shift some previous recorded episodes around, and create a space for something quieter, something a little bit softer.
and a chance for all of us to simply enjoy the season we're in instead of rushing through it. So I want to begin this episode a little differently than usual. This past week has been one of those weeks that quietly rearranges your priorities, the kind that slows you down, the kind that invites reflection.
and the kind that gently reminds you of what truly matters in life. It made me realize how much time we spend hustling, moving, doing, and producing, when sometimes what we really need most is just to sit still and just be. Weeks like this remind us very gently, but very clearly, how fragile and precious life is.
And how important it is to be intentional with our greatest resource, our time. With the holidays right in front of us, it's so easy to get swept up in the noise and business of the season. The list, the shopping, the parties, the constant pull to do more and more and be everywhere.
the pressure, especially on social media, to make everything look perfect.
And while none of those things are bad, something about this week reminded me that the heart of this season has never been about what we buy. It's about how we invest our time. Now, I'll be the first to tell you, I'm a gift giver by nature. I've literally built a business out of my love for gifting. This time of year, I'm usually operating as one of Santa's elves, creating nonstop, working long hours, and sleeping very little.
In years past, I've ended the season completely exhausted and often sick. But this year, it's different. This year, I'm not pushing myself to hit or break previous records. This year, I'm choosing presence over presence. And I'll be honest, I'm enjoying the season more than I have in a long time. I even scaled back my own decorating. Instead of doing everything, I invested in my dream tree and took a minimalist approach.
And I absolutely love it.
Many nights you'll find me sitting in the glow of the Christmas lights, the fireplace going, allowing quiet to fill my space and my spirit. That is such a contrast from how I've done things in the past. And I'm realizing just how much I needed this shift. By allowing myself to scale back, I've gained clarity on what I value most this time of year. For me, it's simple. It's about who I spend time with.
It's about presence, not presents It's about memories that can't be wrapped or replaced. So today, we're unmasking something simple, but incredibly powerful. We're unmasking what really matters. For so many of us, the holidays come with expectations we never consciously agreed to.
We feel pressure to spend more than we should, to do more than we can, to show up perfectly to everything we're invited to, to manufacture memories instead of actually being present in them. And somewhere along the way, we forget that the most meaningful moment of the holidays are often the quiet ones, the laughter around the table, the conversation that stretches late into the night.
the shared silence, the comfort of being around people who truly know you. Those moments don't come from a store. They come from slowing down enough to notice them. There's one thing this week has put into perspective for me. It's this. Time is the most precious thing we have. And presence is the most powerful way we give it. Being fully present without distractions, without rushing, without pressure,
That is the real gift we give, not just to others, but to ourself. Because when we're present, we're not worrying about what's next. We're not replaying what's already happened. We're right here. And right here is where connection lives. I think sometimes we believe the holidays have to look a certain way in order to truly matter.
The house has to be just right. The gifts perfectly chosen and wrapped and the photos worthy of being shared. But why? The truth is the moments that stay with us rarely look perfect. They look real. They look like laughter that catches you off guard. Conversations go longer than planned.
and sitting together with no agenda, choosing togetherness over productivity. And when we release the need for perfection, we wake room for something better, connection. If you're listening today and you've been feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or emotionally tired, let this episode be your permission slip. You don't have to do it all. You don't have to buy it all. You don't have to be the one making all the magic happen.
You just have to be there, present. Because the people who matter most to you won't remember what you spent. They'll remember how they felt in your presence. They'll remember feeling seen, valued, and loved.
I want to invite you to pause for just a moment and reflect. Who do you want to be truly present with this season? What moments do you want to remember a year from now? And where can you choose connection over obligation? There are no right answers here, only honest ones. And I promise you when you allow yourself to answer these questions truthfully,
You'll feel the tension release. You'll breathe easier when you realize that much of the pressure you're carrying is pressure you've placed on yourself. No one else is requiring it of you. And often the things we're exhausting ourselves over don't hold nearly as much meaning to others as we think they do. So friend, take a deep breath and give yourself permission to enjoy the holiday season without the unnecessary stress and chaos.
This week reminded me once again that life can change quickly. And while we don't get to control much of that, we do get to choose how we show up. We get to choose to say, love you more often, to linger in those moments a little bit longer, to put our phones down, to truly hold space for one another. And those choices matter more than we realize. And here's what I've also been thinking about lately.
When we get clear on what really matters, it changes how we invest ourself, how we invest our time, our energy, and our hearts. Next week, we're gonna talk about the gift that you give yourself when you choose to invest in you.
not from a place of pressure or productivity, but from presence and purpose. Because when you're grounded in what matters, investing in yourself becomes an act of love, not guilt. As you move through the rest of this week and into the holiday season, I hope you give yourself permission to slow down, just to breathe, to connect, and to be fully present.
because what really matters has never been found at a checkout line. It's found in the moments we share together. Thank you for being here with me today. Thank you for listening with an open heart always. And until next time, keep unmasking, keep choosing what truly matters, and always remember change begins within and it starts one heart to heart at a time. See you guys next week. Bye.