Hello, my name is Leslie Kane and I am the host of the Why Not Today podcast.
This is a podcast to celebrate people who have been courageous and said, why not today?
I started this podcast in honor of my father, Patrick Kane, who often did say, why not today?
I'm based in Reston, Virginia, a Planned community right outside of Washington, DC, and thanks
for joining us today.
So today marks our 20th episode of this podcast.
I came up with this crazy idea based on somebody sharing a post on social media back in September.
And I'd always thought about doing a podcast.
And a friend of mine, I told her the story about why not today, which just kind of stuck
with me.
And then we were talking about the podcast and she's like, well, that's the name of your
podcast and why not today?
So I started this on March 5th, 2021, which happened to be my father's birthday and the
day he passed away.
And as I said, I do this in honor of my father and to share his principles, ideas, but also
give people courage to say why not today.
So we've had 20 episodes, this is our 20th episode.
And so today I thought I'm just going to share from my heart and share as we approach the
holiday season, some ideas and thoughts I have about why not today.
So this is our 20th episode and I want to thank you for everybody that's listened, everybody
that's shared it, everybody that's commented, everybody's given me some suggestions.
I want to thank all my amazing guests.
We have had lots of great guests.
Started out with obviously people I know and then they introduced me to people they know.
And it has kind of grown that way.
And it has been very, it's definitely evolved and it is something I'm learning every day,
learning something new to make this better.
And if you have suggestions, I'm always open for them.
And so yeah, we've had amazing guests and lots of people from people that started businesses
to leaving corporate America, to running for office, to quitting a job to go work for a
nonprofit and then having to go back to work for corporate because of the money.
And people that have started franchisers because of franchises, because of a child's health
issues knowing that family was more important.
I had somebody I know shares the coach and shared about healing the hustle.
And I think we all need to slow down a little bit and realize, you know, are you doing what
you're passionate about?
I've had so many people recently talk about how much they just don't like work.
And I love what I do.
And I want more people to love what they do.
I've had people, as I said, run for office.
I had the former mayor of a town.
I had a good friend of mine that was running for office.
And I've had a couple of people run for different offices and not make it.
And one friend ran for office and did make it.
And she's going to share another episode about the lessons she learned for that.
I've had people share their faith about being courageous and doing somebody wrote a devotional.
I had people talk from I had somebody from a church.
I had somebody from a shelter share.
I had a friend of mine that has her own podcast and challenges you to live like your color
of your nail polish.
I had somebody that helps with the Small Business Administration with starting businesses.
I had a friend of mine that, unfortunately, through many surgeries, became addicted to
toxic drugs and she shares her survival story and how she was able to go through the process
and changing and getting healthy again.
I had Mary Kay Asch's assistant share on Mary Kay's anniversary.
And as you know, if you listen to this, I am a sales director with Mary Kay.
So I do talk about Mary Kay, but that's not the focus of this podcast.
And then last week, we had a friend of mine that's a musician.
Oh my gosh, she just opened my eyes to so many things.
So people here have been courageous and shared their stories.
And so this week, I thought it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, well, this will air.
And what a perfect time to talk about the holidays and being intentional.
So first of all, happy Thanksgiving.
Hope everybody enjoyed time with your family.
And I love this weekend because it's kind of a time to reflect, to get ready for the
holidays.
But I really want to share with you guys today about being intentional in December and saying,
why not today to create a holiday for you that you enjoy and that has meaning to you
and gives you joy.
We get so wrapped up in the stress and the craziness of the holidays.
And sometimes we lose our joy and lose ourselves.
And we arrive at the day after Christmas just totally completely exhausted.
And I watch my family do that and my mother.
And you know what?
That's not the life that I want to design for me.
I'm going to share some ideas about creating the holiday season you want that gives you
joy and saying yes to the things that you want to do and how that can look like for
you.
Several years ago where I live, there's a beautiful town center and it's decorated gorgeous
for Christmas.
You have an ice skating rink, beautiful lights.
However, I found myself running in to the store and out of the store and hurrying to
grab this and hustling to do that and not really taking the time to look at the lights
and enjoy the season.
And so I started a practice several years ago about being intentional on December.
And literally I printed out a calendar and I have that calendar I'm sharing with you
guys today as a freebie for you to say why not today every single day in December to
do something that gives you joy to enjoy the holiday season.
There's so much hustle and bustle and craziness and getting the gifts and you know, I don't
know about you guys, but I need nothing.
And most people don't.
And we need to spend time with the people we care about and do the things we want to
do.
So this podcast is airing in 2022 and we've had a couple hard years and we have some years
where we weren't able to celebrate with family and do things and go to the parties.
Well, I think all the parties and all the things are back and full force.
And so I'm going to be intentional about doing the things I care about, spending time with
people that I care about and doing the little things to make a difference in other people's
life.
And so, as I said, I have a calendar that I'm going to share with you guys, a blind calendar.
It says why not today and it's December.
And I challenge each of you to take the month of December and share something or do something
every single day that gives you joy and do those things.
And it can be teeny tiny little things like look at Christmas lights, sit on your couch
and enjoy your Christmas tree.
It could be grabbing a coffee, fluffy coffee from Starbucks, a holiday coffee.
It could be, I mean, I've got so many ideas.
Oh, and there goes my alarm.
Alexa, turn off the timer.
Sorry about that.
But it could be watching a Christmas show or there's special Christmas shows you enjoy.
I know for me that I enjoy the Kennedy Center Honors and I looked it up and put it on my
calendar.
But you can Google it if you want to know, let me know what it is or let me know.
I can share that with you.
So it's watching that.
I love doing that.
It is, there's a CMA, a country music band.
They're doing a Christmas show.
I know a lot of other people probably have Christmas shows.
The lighting of the Christmas trees.
Those of us that live in North Virginia, have you gone downtown to look at the national
Christmas tree?
And I was listening to Radio the other day and they said there's another big Christmas
tree in D.C. you can go see.
One of my other favorite things in this area is to go to the Warp.
It's decorated beautiful.
I remember a couple years ago we were there at Thanksgiving and it was a little chilly
day and we're sitting there and there we're at this rum spillery and underneath the heaters
and it was just magical out there and then all of a sudden it started to snow.
And I shared it on social media and people were like it's snowing there?
Well it was fake snow.
But it was so much fun.
It was magical.
Where I live here in Reston next weekend, next Saturday Santa Claus will be coming by
barge and on with elves on paddle boards and there's music.
There's all kinds of activities and that's always a fun event.
My friend's restaurant that was with me to see that snow, she usually has fake snow and
a fire pit.
It is going to a Christmas craft show.
Not really to buy anything but look around and see what's there.
Send a note to somebody that you care about.
Not just like a Christmas card to everybody on the list and sign your name.
I know I love getting Christmas cards and I love hearing from people but I really enjoy
the handwritten note.
Just the thinking of you, just those little things, sticker.
You know if somebody pops in your head send them a text, send them a little card.
I am going to share also a why not today postcard I created that you can write a note on and
send it to a friend.
If you have a kid, one of your kids put it in their lunch box in the holidays.
Go to local pageants.
Is there a Nutcracker local?
I know Wolf Trap performing arts center here I think does next week and also a holiday
sing along.
Never been there and unfortunately I will be out of town so I will miss it.
Do you want to decorate for Christmas?
Do you want to or do you not?
You are allowed to say no to things too.
No is a complete sentence.
Say no to the things you don't want to go to.
If it is a party and you don't really feel like you need to be there or you are tired,
say no.
It is okay.
Decorate the way you want to decorate.
I am on the fence whether or not I am getting a Christmas tree because it is a little bit
of extra work to put the tree up although it gives me joy once it is there.
I think I have got an allergy when I touch the tree.
My fingers itch.
I have to put a glove to put the lights on.
I know I get it artificial but I am not going there yet.
Decorate the way you want to.
If you don't want to decorate that is okay too.
What gives you joy?
Decorate when you are ready.
I used to not decorate until the beginning of December and now I am going to decorate
probably later today.
There is a fun store called Mucket Country Store.
That is a fun thing to do.
Go to stores that are decorated.
Another fun thing in the Northern Virginia area is go to National Harbor.
The Gaylord Hotel is decorated beautifully.
You can go see ice which is a fun thing to do.
I did it once or twice and that was enough for me.
But you can still go into the Gaylord Hotel and the lobby is decorated beautifully.
You can watch.
They have a live show in there.
They have fireworks I think on Friday nights there.
There are so many fun things to do.
When the person sends you an invite, if you want to go, go.
If you think of somebody they pop in your head, call them.
If you want to meet them for coffee or lunch.
If you want to give back, there are so many ways to give back.
I do an adopt a mom program where I partner with an organization called FISH which is
friendly instant sympathetic help.
They provide food baskets for women in the area.
This year they have a need of 250 baskets and I provide a gift for every mother that
picks up her food basket.
A lot of times if moms cannot afford food they are not going to receive a gift.
A lot of the moms say can I open this on Christmas?
There are places that you can go help wrap gifts.
There are places that you can help give donations.
There is an elf shop I heard of that you can take things to them and then kids get to go
in and shop and pick the gifts they want.
As we approach the end of the year, do you want to clean out your closet?
You may have coats that when was the last time you wore it and are you really going
to ever wear it again?
And somebody else could use it.
Donate some gloves and scarves.
I know a lot of churches do a giving tree.
Grab a tag from there.
So as you can see there are a million and one ways to enjoy the holidays.
What gives you joy?
And what do you want to do?
And what do you want to say no to?
And look at your calendar and there are so many invites and make sure you don't fill
it so full that you don't get to enjoy the holiday season.
So that is my message that I want you guys to just enjoy the holiday season.
Be mindful of what you're doing and be present with the people you're with.
That is such a gift.
We don't need presence of things but we really need to be present with people and enjoy the
gift of people's time.
So whether it's a coffee or a walk or just as I said, texting somebody to tell them you
care.
And so those are some of my ideas.
And then I also want to share with you to think about new traditions, new things you
can do.
And also in being present, be present with your family and the things you do and don't
take it for granted.
You never know.
And as we've discovered the last couple years where everything can change in a moment's
notice.
And your family tradition of doing the same thing every year and you take it for granted
that you always do it.
But then what happens when it doesn't happen anymore?
Now of course, you know, that changes a lot with when people pass away, but also it can
change people move away or get married or have babies or tradition changes.
So I'm from a big family and for my entire life, we were all together for Christmas Eve.
We actually did a Christmas the night before the night before we did Christmas Eve.
We did Christmas morning.
We could do Christmas dinner.
We did the day after Christmas and it was like nonstop family time and we kind of laughed
at oh my gosh, how much togetherness can we have?
And we don't get to do all those things now because things have changed.
So appreciate the things you're doing and be present with the people.
Take the pictures and so you have some of the memories and as I said, be present with
the people and enjoy your time and create as I said, create those new traditions.
Nine years ago when my father was diagnosed with cancer, we went started a cane family
turkey trot walking around the neighborhood.
Well we moved it to my neighborhood on the lake and I always teased it was a 5k or 10k
and my family laughed at me.
They're like Leslie, it's not that long and it's not a strenuous walk, but there were
five or 10 canes at the event.
Well we did it yesterday or Thursday for Thanksgiving and there weren't as many in my family member
for traveling reasons and being sick and whatever, but we've created a new kind of family, a
community of friends and family that we are able to get together.
New people in that area that didn't know anybody to friends and had family visiting and our
friend Beth, we have a tradition, our strenuous turkey trot, we walk a whole mile and a half,
but halfway we have to stop for mimosa stop with my friend Beth's host.
And last night on Thursday she did a beautiful toast to my father and bringing community
together and I think that's what he did and that's what I hope to duplicate and replicate
and encourage you guys to create those new traditions.
So the other thing is I will have an episode next week and to think about, a friend of
mine wrote a book called Jingle and Joy and coming up with your intentional December calendar,
think about not just focusing on the jingle and the craziness and the perfect wrapped
gift and the perfect everything, but the joy of it and taking time for the holidays as
I said, what gives you joy, what is important to you.
So I encourage you, as I said, to be intentional in December.
Make it a December to remember, to create those memories, do the fun things, spend the
time with people.
Share on my, on social media, share on the Why Not Today podcast group, like what are
the things you're doing.
I actually, I think I'm going to do some giveaways like Jodi who's going to talk about Jingle
and Joy, she has a book, have that as a giveaway and I'm going to give away some things too.
So based on people who like, share, comment in December, we're going to do some fun giveaways.
We're going to make this a fun December.
And so I encourage you not only for you to be intentional, but encourage somebody else
to be intentional.
Encourage somebody to listen to this podcast, share it with somebody, to encourage somebody
to focus on the right reasons for the season.
What brings you joy, you know, and as I said, it is not the hustle and bustle of the holidays,
but enjoying family time, prayer time, and based on your faith, what is important to
you and how do you want to remember the holiday season.
So encourage other people.
Also, I encourage you to get some Why Not Today gear.
It's a shameless plug.
You know, we have t-shirts, I have t-shirts, I have cups, I have vinyls, I actually made
some Christmas ornaments and a coffee mug and I have created the logo with a Santa hat
on it.
So I've changed it a little bit for the holidays.
So if you were interested in getting something for you or somebody you care about, say why
not today, then I encourage you to do that.
So in every episode, I connect it back to my father.
Well, this is pretty easy.
But in thinking about this, and as I walk around the lake every day past her old house,
and family and holidays was very important.
My dad actually grew up an only child.
And so for holidays, it was pretty boring for him and kind of sad, I think, because
he didn't have all the, well, not the chaos, but he didn't have all the activity.
And so he created traditions for our family that we always welcomed anybody.
If you didn't have a place to go, you were always welcome.
And our family grew, not only did we have a big family, or do we have a big family,
but it grew exponentially with the people that we invited that needed a place to go.
And so I challenge you to invite somebody else to, you know, include somebody else in
your holidays, however you can, because there are a lot of lonely people and sad people
and people, you know, it is a hard time if you've lost a loved one, it makes it even
harder.
My younger sister, Amanda, who has Down syndrome often, and holidays, she's sad.
And she says what we all think is she misses her daddy.
And I definitely miss my dad during the holidays.
There's one thing I didn't miss about him.
He was meticulous about decorating the Christmas tree with tinsel.
And it often was a big argument, because of course, six kids wanted to decorate and do
it our way, but he had to do it perfectly.
But one year, kind of a funny Pat Kane story, to his detriment, he was being Mr. Perfect
decorating, and we used to have like 20 foot trees, the bigger the tree, the better.
He had to wire it to the railing, keep it up there.
One year he was decorating it on a ladder in a pair of cowboy boots and fell and broke
a tip.
So that was not very fun part of the holiday, but so many great memories of fun things that
we did as a family.
So create those memories, be intentional, and enjoy the holiday season and let me know
what you did to be intentional.
So thanks again for listening.
We are going to have a special episode next week.
So share this with somebody else.
We are on Spotify and Google and iTunes and all the places you can find podcasts.
If you just search, why not today?
We are on Facebook, we're on Instagram.
And share this with somebody else and thanks for listening.
And if this gives you value and joy, let me know.
I'd love to hear from you guys.
So this is Leslie Kane saying why not today, especially in December?
Bye.