One Word Wednesdays: A Simple Reflection to Ease Your Week

Each week, I choose one word that captures something I’ve been learning, feeling, or simply noticing in my everyday life as a mom.

These Wednesday reflections are my way of slowing down, giving thoughts room to breathe- especially in the weeks when life feels like it’s singing Christmas carols at triple speed.

This week’s word is:

PRESENT

Webster’s defines present as:

“Being in a particular place; existing or occurring now.”
or
“to make a gift to”

It looks simple on paper.

But being present?

That feels like one of motherhood’s most complicated tasks.

Especially in December.

This is the month when the world cheers for productivity.

Wrap the gifts.

Bake the cookies.

Attend the concerts.

Make magic.

Keep the peace.

Fix the broken ornament someone stepped on.

Do the thing you forgot to write on the list even though it definitely belonged there.

December comes with a long to-do list and a short fuse.

And in the middle of it all, there’s that whisper:

Be present.

Be present while the kids decorate the tree in a creatively questionable pattern.

Be present during the holiday movie you’ve seen 47 times.

Be present during the meltdown about the elf on the shelf not moving.

Be present when the timer goes off, the cookies burn, and someone yells from the bathroom.

Being present is beautiful.

But it also asks a lot.

And yet… being present doesn’t mean being perfect.

It doesn’t mean turning into the calm, glowing version of yourself you imagine in your head.

Being present simply means noticing.

Noticing the way the lights glow a little warmer on cold nights.

Noticing your child’s excitement when they talk about Santa.

Noticing your own tiredness- and treating it with care instead of criticism.

Noticing the parts of the season that feel good, even in the chaos.

Being present also means being present with yourself.

Not just with the kids.

Not just with the schedule.

Not just with the holiday hustle.

With you.

Your breath.

Your limits.

Your emotions.

Your need for five quiet minutes before you answer your name again.

Here’s the funny little twist of December:

You might spend hours wrapping presents…

and still forget to give yourself the gift of presence.

This word holds both truths:

Presents — the gifts we give.

Presence — the gift we often skip.

Both matter.

Both can be meaningful.

Both can bring joy- when they’re rooted in intention instead of pressure.

Presence isn’t about crafting perfect memories.

It’s about recognizing the magic that’s already happening around you, even if you’re in sweatpants with a messy bun and mismatched socks (me, right now).

And here’s the soft truth:

You don’t have to be present for every moment.

Just the moments that actually matter.

Let the small things go.

Let the imperfect things be.

Let the noisy things fade for a second while you breathe more deeply than you did yesterday.

Presence is not a performance.

It’s a pause.

A return to yourself.

A quiet acknowledging of “I’m here. And that’s enough.”

If this word resonates with you this week, I’d love to hear:

What’s one small moment you want to be more present for this December- or one moment you’re offering yourself permission not to cling to?

Your story might be the reminder another mom needs to breathe a little easier today.

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