Every year, I try to help busy entrepreneurs by helping you write your letter to Santa. This year is no different.

If you're like me, you don't want perfume or a picture frame for Christmas… you want stuff for your BUSINESS!

Gadgets, tools, and other fun goodies.

So, what's in your Letter to Santa this year?

If you’re like me, and would rather get something fun for your business than an other trinket, simply copy and paste the letter below (insert items you want from the brainstorming list below) and mail it to Santa and you’re set.

Avoid horrible gifts like this ->  and get stuff you actually want!

If you tend to get terrible gifts from family, I'm about to save the day. Heck, send your letter to Santa to your mother-in-law or a favorite Aunt so she won’t spend a week knitting a pair of wool socks that you’re allergic to.

Or so you don't get something like the items I've pinned on my Weird Stuff on Etsy board. eek! Nooooooo…..

The Fill-in-the-Blanks Letter to Santa.

Here you go:

Dear Santa,

I’ve been very good again this year. I’ve worked very hard on my business while keeping focus on important priorities like my (family, health, etc., insert yours here). I definitely should be on your “nice” list.

This year, I would love to get some gifts to invest in my business because I know that the more success I have, the more resources I will have, the more connections I will have, and the more influence I will have to make the world a better place, too.

Here are some items I’ve been wanting. You can surprise me.

((INSERT items from list below))

Thank you, Dear Santa. I hope that you are nice and cozy in the North Pole with Mrs. Claus.

((insert name here))

Ideas for Gifts for YOU That You'll Actually LOVE. 

Feel free to print this out and use it as inspiration for your wish list.

For when you’re on the go.

• Kindle – Read and learn on the go.
• A Cell Phone Upgrade. Christmas is always a good excuse to upgrade, especially if you use your phone for business. I'm upgrading to the iPhone 6s. I want a faster phone with a bigger screen (because apparently 42 is when your eyes decide to squint at the same things your 41 year old self could see just fine).
• Headset(s) for your Cell Phone. I keep one in my travel bag, one in my gym bag, one by my bed and one in my purse.
• Amazon Gift Cards to stock up on books and audio books, too.
• Audible credits. I can never have enough of these.
• iPad. I keep mine in my purse. It’s so much easier than carrying around a laptop.

Business Tools & Software

Having the right tools for the job can make all the difference.

• Camtasia
• SnagIt
• Photoshop
• Aweber – The service I’ve used since 2005 to manage most of my newsletters, ecourses, and ezines. (If you get emails from me, they probably come through this list managing service.)
• LeadPages– LOVE LOVE LOVE this.
• AW Pro Tools – If you're a big user of Aweber, this is a great add-on.
• Basecamp – Allows you to track projects and who is working on each one.
• Password Manager Program – Keeps track of all of your logins, usernames and passwords, so you don’t have to. (Try it free.)

Travel

• Luggage for traveling to cool conferences to hang out with me.
• Ticket to NAMS for April.
• For the ladies, spoil yourself and come to Beachpreneurs!
  • Beach Camp is our hotel event for all female entrepreneurs.
  • The Beach House is a mastermind retreat that's held in a house on Pensacola Beach.  (We have payment plans to make this affordable.)

Personal Development & Business Books

I've made some major changes in the way that I consume books recently.

When books started coming out on Kindle, I jumped on the bandwagon and started downloading all my books that I bought to my Kindle app – and I found that I barely read any of them. So now I've pretty much stopped buying books in Kindle and I have gone back to getting either a physical copy or the Audible (audio) version. I really enjoy getting away from screentime, so the paperback books are ideal for me to take outside or to the beach and read. And, the audio versions are great for the car and for when I'm cleaning around the house – or going on a walk around the neighborhood.

TIP! Before ever buying an audio version of a book, listen to the sample provided. The narration, especially if it's being read by someone other than the author, can ruin a perfectly good book. In which case, I always buy those books in paperback.

These are a few I've really enjoyed recently.

The Year of Yes How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person. by Shonda Rhimes

I listened to this one in audio version. To me, it had a slow start and I felt like I was listening to a lot of whining. Actually, the author is the creator of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, so… it actually sounded a lot like Christina and Meredith bantering in their complaining ways. (Which is why I stopped watching the show.) However, once we got into the actual meat of the book, the “where I started” was a great starting point that really demonstrated just how much she changed, from a fear-based person who was not taking care of the most important things in her life, to actually being free and happy.

 The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 AM) by Hal Elrod

I read this book in paperback and promptly handed it to my husband when I finished it and said “Read this!”. But he wasn't able to read it because I'd stolen it back to read it a second time. 🙂

The funny thing is that I am definitely NOT a morning person. And, this book did not convince me to become one. HOWEVER, it did teach me a lot of habits that I am now working into my day. For instance, I do my affirmations in the shower, instead of getting up earlier. And I have been working on more small bits of exercise throughout my day. I'm a work in progress, and I know that I should do more, but I'm very happy with this book and I feel like it's one that I'll be rereading again, and implementing pieces each time I do. And I am getting up out of bed even when I don't want to, as much. And, I joined the Miracle Morning Facebook group and have been loving the interaction there.

 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

I listened to this book on Audible while I was cleaning. 🙂 Appropriate, right?

A little background on me. I am not a hoarder. Nor am I a messy person. However, I do have way too much stuff. A year ago, I had tons more, but I've been getting rid of things over the past two years fast and furiously, and you know what? I can probably do it the next two years and still be getting rid of stuff.

I really enjoyed this book except for two main parts. 1. The author talks about how “stuff” makes you feel a lot. While I get that, and I obviously am attached to some stuff, I got lost on occasion about how things are more than things. If you get me. 2. The section on books… OMG OMG NOOOOOOOO! The author suggests ripping out pages of books that you're reading and throwing the book away. I. Can't. Even. Don't even get me started on this. I am so not ok with that. Scan the page and then give the book to charity. Don't destroy it. ACK! Other than that visceral reaction to that one chapter, I really enjoyed this book – even though that description really makes it sound like I want to punch the author. lol.

And these are MUST Reads if you haven't read them yet…

 The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone

This is a heavy, challenging, and deep book. But it's one that I highly recommend you read. Even if, like me, you can only handle a chapter at a time, because you feel like you have to run off and get stuff done every time you turn the page.

Seriously though, if you want to 10x your business profits, it's a great read. I actually have this one in hardcover and I also have it on audible, too.

 The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller

There is such power in focus to actually get things done and to get results.

With my coaching clients, for instance, if they're telling me they need to write blog posts, record videos, and start a podcast, I remind them of the power of momentum.

Which gets more attention? An expert with 5 videos on their YouTube channel or one with 100? Obviously, if you focus on pumping out quality videos for a year, you're going to blow away all of the other experts. 😉

Read the book. Just do it!

Camera & Microphones.

• Kick butt mic.
• Headset with a Microphone. For recording tutorials and webinars on your PC.

Done-for-You Content  – Because It’s AWESOME!

Do you really love staring at a blank screen? Why do things the slow way when you've got these shortcuts that can help?

• PLR Articles Because you can always use more articles for your blog.
• Coach Glue Workshops, Workbook and Planners.

Promo Stuff

• Personalized Twitter T-shirt
• Facebook Status T-shirt
• Cool Business Cards. Zazzle has really cool “skinny” & “chubby” sized cards.

SWEET Planners. 

• Leonie Dawson's “Create your Shining Business and Life” Planners

I love this planner, and it works really well to plan out not only what next year will look like for your business, and also what you want your life to look like too.

It's definitely a bit woo-woo. A few of my friends got it last year and went “what the heck, Nik?” lol! But, like I said, it's awesome if you want to do a lot of visualization and planning for 2016 – and especially if you're creative and want to have a keepsake to look back on at the end of the year when you go “LOOK AT HOW I ROCKED IT! I'M AWESOME!!!”

Here's my planner in the airport last year as I was working through it during a layover:

This gets a big recommendation from me. The whole system is broken down into weekly, monthly and annual planning and I recommend you work through it with your business coach.

• Natalie Collins “Biz Plan Book 2016 Edition“

I'm hearing really good things about this planner. Personally, I haven't ordered it yet (but I will be), so I can't tell you too much about it, but I do know Natalie well and she's awesome-sauce, so I expect this is, too.

Join an Awesome Community

Sometimes having the right community can make all the difference. Here are some places where I hang out.

• Earn1kaDay (Mostly marketers. I bought the lifetime option. You get all of Dennis' products he's ever created. It's pretty huge.)
• Your Shining Business Academy (Mostly creative business owners. Lots of love and support.)

Obviously Beachpreneurs is a great community, too, but that one is in person. 🙂

Stuff for your Office.

To make yourself more comfortable and productive.

• Desk Pad Calendar. For scheduling and staying organized.
• Handerpants – in case your hands get cold while you’re working. 😉
• Bacon Envelopes.
• Comfortable desk chair (if you are having back problems or just want one) or an exercise ball, if you prefer to sit on one like I do.
• Ergonomic keyboard or mouse.
• Space heater. brrrrr….

Awesome Courses

• I just got Michael Hyatt's 5 Days to your Best Year Ever and I'm really excited about it. Thank you, Santa! 🙂

Stuff to Fight Computer Butt.

• Weights
• Exercise Videos – I’m a fan of the Weight Loss Yoga (Biggest Loser), myself.
• FitBit
• Big Water Bottle
• Vitamix for Smoothies

Some Things to Reduce Stress and Be More Creative.

• Love to color? It's the new trend for adults.
  • Download these free coloring pages.
  • And this fun one, too.
  • These are the pens I use to color.
• Essential oils also help me to relax and focus while I'm working.

** Most of the stuff above is tax deductible. (Probably not the Handerpants, though.)

It’s Your Turn.

So, now, I’ll pose this question to you. What are you asking Santa for this Christmas? Help me to make my wishlist. 🙂

I’ll look forward to hearing your comments!

Warmly,

Nicole Dean