I Attended Selfmade Summit 2023 & Left Feeling Empowered & Inspired

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." —Wendy Mass

"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." —Anne Herbert

"You can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!" —Anne Frank

"Deliberately seek opportunities for kindness, sympathy, and patience." —Evelyn Underhill

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members, a heart of grace and a soul generated by love." —Coretta Scott King

"Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary." —J.M. Barrie

"The words of kindness are more healing to a drooping heart than balm or honey." —Sarah Fielding

"Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud." —Maya Angelou

"We are all neighbors. Be kind. Be gentle." — Clemantine Wamaryia

"You’ve been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens." —Louise L. Hay

"Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference." —Barbara De Angelis

"Kindness is always in stock." —Katy Perry

"Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference." —Amelia Earhart

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." —Princess Diana

"Be kind to yourself so that you can be happy enough to be kind to the world." —Misha Collins

"One honest voice is louder than a crowd." —Reese Witherspoon

"It's a great thing, getting older. You are who you are; you say what you mean." —Reese Witherspoon

"I do believe that if you want to change the world, you have to be responsible for it." —Reese Witherspoon

"Every day you have to choose and cultivate your own happiness." —Reese Witherspoon

"Spend less time tearing yourself apart, worrying if you're good enough. You are good enough." —Reese Witherspoon

"There's no bad consequence to loving fully, with all your heart. You always gain by giving love." —Reese Witherspoon

"I’m just trying to matter and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody." —Reese Witherspoon

"I've realized that life is too short to spend my time with anybody who doesn't appreciate me, treat me with respect or bring value to the relationship." —Reese Witherspoon

"Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward." —Reese Witherspoon

"There’s something timeless and important about making people laugh, about being the right spot in their day." —Reese Witherspoon

"I’m trying to take the stigma off the word [ambitious] so we encourage more little girls to be ambitious, because I do think that’s how society will change." —Reese Witherspoon

"I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out." —Reese Witherspoon

"I encourage women to step up. Don’t wait for somebody to ask you." —Reese Witherspoon

"All we can do to create change is work hard. That’s my advice: Just do what you do well." —Reese Witherspoon

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

• Gifts for Him
• Gifts for Her
• Gifts for Foodies
• DIY + Handmade Gifts
• White Elephant Gifts
• Gift Sets

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!