Are You Caught Up in the Holiday Hustle?
The Christmas season is upon us, and it doesn’t have to go the way it always goes.
Most of us fall into the same holiday pattern year after year.
You likely already know how it’s going to unfold…and how you’re going to feel.
Before reading on, pause and ask yourself honestly:
How do my holidays predictably go?
And even more importantly: Is that what I want?
If your experience is anything like the clients I’ve coached this week, the answer is no.
Many people don’t want another round of chaotic, stressful, exhausting holidays that move way too fast.
Here’s the catch:
If you expect chaos, your reticular activating system (RAS) will scan your environment for evidence that confirms it.
Expect stress → you’ll see stress everywhere.
Expect overwhelm → you’ll feel overwhelmed before the day even begins.
Your brain is wired to make you “right” and will look for all the evidence it needs to make that so.
So how do you create a different experience this year? One that actually feels good?
4 Steps to Create the Holiday You Truly Want
1. Define Your Ideal Holiday Experience
Imagine it’s early January and you’re back at work telling a colleague about the best holiday you’ve ever had.
What would you say?
What would have felt different?
Write down a few sentences that capture the holiday you’d love to experience.
2. Choose 1–3 Anchoring Words
From what you wrote, pull out a few words that really resonate: for example,
peaceful, connected, joyful, slow, intentional, playful, spacious.
These become your north star.
3. Identify the Practices That Will Make It Real
Now list three actions or practices that support your ideal experience.
Think of this like a “Holiday Intentions List,” not a to-do list.
These can include both doings and beings:
-
Scheduling a slow morning each weekend
-
Saying no to activities that don’t align
-
Practicing releasing expectations (like one client who committed to noticing when expectations showed up — and gently letting them go)
Your practices are what create the conditions for your ideal holiday to exist.
4. Keep Your Vision in Sight
Literally.
Put your words or vision somewhere you’ll see daily. On your phone background, beside your bed or on the fridge.
A gentle daily reminder keeps you aligned when old patterns try to creep back in.
Take Care of You Along the Way
Holidays often disrupt routines, sometimes completely!
One of the strongest ways to support the intentions above is to protect your well-being.
That might look like:
-
Booking yourself some extra “white space”
-
Taking slow mornings
-
Going for a walk alone
-
Journaling with a cup of tea
- Continuing with your fitness routine
-
Simply sitting and staring out the window for a few minutes
Nourishing yourself helps you stay grounded, present, and connected to the holiday you actually want to experience, not the one that runs you on autopilot.
Old habits will try to pull you back into the hustle, they always do.
But you have a choice.
Come back to your vision.
Come back to your anchoring words.
Come back to the practices that support who you want to be.
This season is yours to create with intention and presence.
Give yourself permission to reimagine it and watch what becomes possible.