Welcome to another edition of Kickin' it with Kristen — your midweek motivation every Wednesday!
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💡Aha! Moment
I picked Fearless as my word of the year for 2025, not really knowing what it would demand of me… or what it would give back.
Looking back now, I can say this without hesitation: 2025 stretched me, shaped me, tested me, and grew me in ways I didn’t see coming — and I wouldn’t trade any of it.
Fearless wasn’t about the absence of fear. It was about moving anyway. Trying anyway. Trusting anyway. Becoming anyway.
And because of that one word, here’s what this year looked like:
My 2025 Fearless Highlights
📖 I wrote my first book, The Cost of Staying. Not a chapter. Not a draft. A book. A story I finally had the courage to tell.
🏆 I became an Amazon best-selling author. A sentence I never imagined being able to say.
🥇 I won an award for my book. Validation that fearlessness produces something worth sharing.
💼 I more than tripled my business goal. No doubled, but 3 times the goal I had set for myself.. Fearless action brings fearless results.
👯♀️ I made more time for friends. Not in the leftover cracks of my schedule — intentionally. Fearless meant letting myself be supported, connected, and grounded.
✈️ I traveled more than I have in years. Said yes to new places, new experiences, new joy.
❤️ I navigated family challenges with more strength than I knew I had. Being fearless doesn’t prevent storms. It just teaches you how to walk through them with boundaries, grace, and humor.
The Truth I Learned: Fear doesn’t disappear. It just stops running the show.
Fearless wasn’t loud. It wasn’t reckless. It wasn’t bravado.
It was steady. Peaceful. Rooted.
It was:
- starting before I felt ready,
- speaking when it mattered,
- saying no when needed,
- asking for help,
- taking the next step (even when I could only see the next six inches),
- and trusting that I could handle whatever came next.
This year I didn’t become someone new — I became more of who I was supposed to be all along.
Aha Moment: Fearless wasn’t the finish line. It was the doorway.
A doorway into my voice. My work. My impact. My confidence. And the life I’ve been building quietly behind the scenes.
Which leads me to…
🔥 2026 Word of the Year
If 2025 taught me how to act boldly, 2026 will teach me how to continue boldly.
Fearless opened the door. Unstoppable is the word that will carry me through it.
More on that next week… 😉
One Thing to Know
🏨 Event Essentials - One of the biggest surprises for clients happens right after the contract is signed: the deposit is due. In most cases, hotels require an initial deposit at contract signing to secure the space and room block. This can range from a small percentage to a meaningful portion of the total estimated revenue, depending on the hotel, market, and timing.
The key is readiness. Contracts often move quickly once a property is selected, and delays in payment can put space at risk or slow the process down. Having internal approvals lined up, understanding how payments are processed, and knowing where the funds will come from ahead of time prevents last-minute stress and awkward follow-ups.
Being prepared for the deposit isn’t just about cash flow — it’s about momentum. When the deposit is ready to go, contracts get finalized faster, space is secured with confidence, and the planning team can immediately shift focus to the content, experience, and execution of the event. Planning ahead here makes everything that follows easier.
🏰 a_far_off_place by Katy Lampe - Time to dust off the ol’ New Year’s Resolutions list! If you’re anything like me, you kick off with a bang, but as the months roll on, those goals seem to saunter off into the sunset. But fear not! I’ve got one resolution you’ll actually want to keep—travel more! You can't put a price on epic memories, and trust me, you'll never regret diving into new adventures with your nearest and dearest. Be it a theme park, a cruise, or an all-inclusive escapade, I’m your go-to travel guru!
Reach out soon and let’s start working on something magical! Katy Lampe with Magical Moments Vacations
🏫 Learned - I’ve learned I need dedicated time every single week to record expenses and work on social media content. Not when I feel inspired. Not when I “get around to it.” Every week.
When I treat these tasks like routine maintenance instead of creative bursts, they feel lighter and more manageable. It’s not about being excited to do them—it’s about respecting my future self enough to stay on top of them.
✔️ Accomplished - With my nieces and nephews who live in town, I chose not to rush our time together or squeeze it in between other commitments. I just let it be what it was and made extra time of their Christmas break. It was a good reminder that not everything meaningful needs to be optimized or productive to be worth your time.
🤔 Insight for the Week
The best gift you can give someone is your presence. — Thich Nhat Hanh
❓A Question Worth Asking
Every week, I’ll leave you with one question—something I’m asking myself or my clients. Take it into your next team meeting, journaling session, or just a quiet moment.
🟡 This week’s question: Where could I be a little more present—without trying to fix, manage, or optimize the moment?
💬 Let’s Connect! Whether you’re planning an event, looking for leadership coaching, or dreaming up your next adventure, let’s chat. Hit reply, or find Kristen on LinkedIn and Katy on Facebook/Instagram.
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