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Holiday Survival Guide—Simple Steps to Avoid January Exhaustion
December is here, and with it comes the pressure to make the holidays perfect for everyone else. Many of us fall into the “December trap”—overextending ourselves, saying yes to every request, and prioritizing others’ needs while neglecting our own. The result? Exhaustion, emotional depletion, and even resentment.
This season, let’s rewrite the story. Instead of running on fumes and collapsing in January, you can create a joyful, sustainable holiday by making a few simple shifts.
4 Ways to Protect Your Mental and Physical Health This Month
⭐️ Set Boundaries Without Guilt
First, give yourself permission to say no. You don’t have to attend every party or participate in every gift exchange. If something feels like it’s going to drain your energy, it’s okay to opt out.
Learn to say no even when you feel guilt. We have to start recognizing, that guilt doesn’t mean we’ve done something wrong. Guilt means we’re coming up against old conditioning and patterning. Feeling guilt is literally part of the growth process if we want to feel less resentful and irritated. It is the path to breaking patriarchal patterns.
I mention 3 specific things you can say to practice saying no in this podcast episode. Listen in and start practicing.
⭐️ Schedule Moments for You
Secondly, carve out time for yourself—and actually put it on your calendar. This could be a 20-minute walk, journaling with a cup of tea, or simply sitting to look at the fire. The key is to write it down in your calendar as this makes it as important as baking those cookies for Aunt Betty. I promise you, when you make treating yourself like a human a non-negotiable part of your day, you’ll need less recovery in January (and you’re more enjoyable to be around!)
⭐️ Constraint!
Third, for the love of god, please SIMPLIFY! Use some constraint, warrior!
Instead of trying to do *all the things*, pick one or two traditions that really matter to you and your family. Maybe it’s baking cookies together or watching a favorite holiday movie or driving around at night to look at the light.
To get started, ask yourself: “When I think back to other years, what do I like about this season?”
If you have no answer to that because your holiday memories are so focused on what others like, you can start by asking your family: “What’s one thing we could focus on this year to make the holidays special?” You might be surprised to find they don’t need—or even want—you to do as much as you think.
⭐️ Basic Human Care
Psst, did you know you’re a human being? With basic needs for survival like sleep, food, and movement? I swear, I forgot this for many years. How about this be the year that you bring YOU back into someone you consider during this season?
I’m not saying you need to do a full wellness overhaul but most of us are caring for ourselves worse than the care prisoners receive. We rationalize skipping meals, workouts, and sleep. And then act confused when we’re feeling anxious, weepy, or unregulated.
You are a human who requires care. Turn some of the care that you put on others on yourself: set bare minimums before we get too far into this month. On the Love Your Life Show, I share some of my basic requirements. Use mine or create your own. Let’s stop expecting ourselves to operate at superwoman levels when we treat ourselves worse than prisoners.
Entering a New Year feeling Light and Energetic
These 4 shifts might seem insignificant, but they add up. They are your foundation for a calmer December—one you don’t need to recover from. Allowing you to start your January lighter and dare I say, even with a bit of energy? Can you imagine that? Let’s try.
If you liked this show, you’ll like this one: https://smbwell.com/self-care-is-not-selfish/
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