OK, people. It’s November. I know. It’s hard to believe, but here we are. The Halloween candy has been passed out. The pumpkins have been dumped into the compost bin. The stores are suddenly full of Christmas decorations. We’re moving into the final sixty days of the year and… the holiday season.

So, how do you feel about the holiday season? Are you looking forward to it? Are you dreading it? Maybe a little of both?

I have to tell you, the holidays used to be an extremely stressful time for me.

Back in the day, I put a ton of pressure on myself to be the perfect Betty Crocker mom.

I would bake gingerbread cookies from scratch… even though I hate baking.

I would set up a big, elaborate holiday arts and crafts table for my kids… even though that’s totally not my thing. (And honestly, it’s not their thing, either.)

I would accompany my husband Scott to a million different holiday parties that he wanted to go to, even though most of the time I wanted to stay home and read a book. Scott is a major extrovert and he loves going to holiday parties. I do not. I’m down to attend one or two, but going out every other night? Good lord. No thank you. But I forced myself to go along with Scott because I didn’t want to disappoint him. I thought I needed to be a “good wife” and just shut up and do it.

As a result, all throughout the holiday season, I felt powerless and exhausted. The feeling was, “Well, this is what I have to do…” rather than, “This is what I want to do.”

It wasn’t exactly a jolly, festive time.

A lot has changed since those days. These days, I want to feel empowered as I enter the holiday season, rather than powerless. I want to create a holiday season that feels meaningful rather than stressful and annoying. I want to finish the year feeling strong, not depleted.

Here’s something we can try together, right now. Get some paper. Fold it in half so you’ve got two parts, or two sides.

On one side, write down something like DREAM HOLIDAY SEASON. That’s where you’ll put a list of things you DO want to experience during the holidays.

On the other side, write down something like NO THANK YOU or NOT ANYMORE or HO HO HELL NO! That’s where you’ll put a list of things you DO NOT want to do and DO NOT want to experience during the holidays.

Then fill out both lists. I’ve been working on mine, too. Here’s what I’ve got so far…

DREAM HOLIDAY SEASON

– I want to curl up by the fireplace with a book and my favorite tea almost every night.

– I want to join my husband Scott for two holiday parties (maximum).

– I want to give my husband Scott a very special holiday present that involves lingerie that will make his eyes pop out of his head.

– I want to make lots of winter soups, stews, and chicken dishes in my Instant Pot, because my Instant Pot is the greatest invention ever.

– I want to spend quality time with my family.

HO HO HELL NO!

– I will not bake cookies from scratch. Oh HELL no.

– I will not overload my calendar with a million different activities.

– I will not put pressure on myself to send out handwritten holiday cards to err’body I know. It just doesn’t feel necessary or meaningful to me.

– I will not go overboard with champagne and sugary treats because that sends my body into peri-menopause hormone hell, and that is not cute.

– I will not allow guilt to drive my decision-making. Period. I do not need to play the role of “perfect Betty Crocker housewife” because hellooooo? That is not who I am. I have many gifts to share, but making pies from scratch is not one of them, and that is totally OK.

Did you know, it’s been reported that 97% of women have at least one “intensely negative thought” about their bodies every single day. 

This is not OK. 

This is a crisis. A mental health epidemic. Women everywhere—all ages, all sizes, from all walks of life—are locked in a pattern of self-criticism and poor self-esteem.

Imagine what would happen if we could just… stop. 

Imagine if we could look at our bodies and feel loving thoughts, not hateful thoughts. 

Imagine if we could pass this positivity along to our daughters and their daughters, too. 

The entire world would change.

If you want to create that kind of change in your own life—and for your clients, too—then please join me for a free 60-minute class called GOING BARE.

You can grab your spot right here. Hope to see you on the 15th!