The holidays are supposed to feel magical…cozy lights, traditions, connection, and a sense of slowing down with the people we love.
But for many women, that isn’t the reality. Instead, the season brings pressure, busyness, financial strain, disrupted routines, constant expectations, and the emotional weight of trying to make everything feel “special” for everyone else.

If you’ve ever hit December feeling more frazzled than festive, you’re not alone. But being overwhelmed doesn’t have to be part of your holiday experience this year. With intention, boundaries, and supportive habits, you can move through the season with more calm, clarity, and actual joy.

Below are practical ways to protect your peace,while still being present for what matters most.

1. Start With Your Non-Negotiables

Before the invitations come in and the calendar fills itself, pause and ask yourself:

What matters most to me this month?
What do I want to feel during the holidays?
What do I need to support myself?

Your answers become your seasonal non-negotiables. Maybe it’s maintaining your morning routine, protecting one quiet night per week, or sticking to a few key health habits. Maybe it’s prioritizing intentional time with your closest people over saying “yes” to every social ask.

When you lead with clarity, it becomes much easier to filter out what doesn’t align.

2. Release the Pressure to Make Everything Perfect

Holiday overwhelm often comes from perfectionism: the perfect gifts, perfect home, perfect memories, perfect schedule.

But here’s the truth:
Your worth is not measured by how well you perform the holidays.

You don’t need to overextend yourself to create a meaningful season. Your family won’t remember color-coordinated wrapping paper. They’ll remember how present you were.

Take shortcuts when needed. Delegate. Let good enough be good enough. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, not performed.

3. Protect Your Energy With Boundaries

This season tends to expose where our boundaries are thin. You’re allowed to:

Say “no” without guilt
Leave early
Choose rest over another event
Protect your mental and emotional bandwidth
Not explain your choices in detail

Boundaries aren’t harsh….they’re supportive. They help you show up in a calmer, more grounded way instead of running on fumes. Think of boundaries as a gift you give yourself and the people you love.

4. Keep Your Wellness Habits Simple and Realistic

Instead of abandoning your health during the holidays or trying to “power through” an unrealistic routine, focus on anchor habits, the few supportive choices that help you feel your best, even during busy days.

Some easy, grounding anchors:

Drink water before coffee
Get in a 10–20 minute walk
Eat a protein-forward breakfast
Maintain a consistent sleep/wake time
Stretch before bed
Practice 5 minutes of breathwork or journaling

These small habits help regulate your stress response, support your energy, and prevent the spiral into burnout.

5. Be Mindful of Overbooking Yourself

It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to “fit it all in.” But the holidays have a way of consuming every empty space unless you protect your time.

Try:

Scheduling downtime the same way you schedule events
Keeping one or two days each week completely open
Leaving buffer time between commitments
Avoiding back-to-back plans when possible

You deserve a season that includes moments to breathe, not just moments to rush.

6. Communicate Expectations Early

Miscommunication is a major source of holiday tension…whether it’s family, friends, or coworkers. Clear, early communication can prevent stress later.

This might sound like:

“This year I’m keeping things simple with gifts.”
“I won’t be able to stay long, but I’d love to stop by.”
“I’m not hosting this time, but I can bring something.”
“Let’s choose a date that feels good for both of us.”

Most people appreciate honesty,and it saves you from the weight of unmet expectations.

7. Create Moments of Joy That Are Just for You

So much of the holiday season is outward-focused. But you deserve to create experiences that refill you, not just everyone else.

Consider:

A slow morning with coffee and quiet
A sunset walk
A favorite holiday movie curled up under a blanket
A solo shopping trip with no rushing
Lighting a candle and reading for 20 minutes
A warm bath at the end of a packed day

Joy doesn’t always have to come from the big traditions. The micro-moments matter.

8. Give Yourself Permission to Feel What You Feel

For many people, the holidays can stir up grief, loneliness, family tension, or emotional fatigue. You don’t have to force happiness or pretend everything is okay.

Let your emotions be valid. Let them move through you without judgment.

Regulating overwhelm isn’t about suppressing what’s hard,it's about giving yourself the compassion and support you need to navigate it with steadiness.

9. Reconnect With the Meaning of the Season

When the holiday stress takes over, it’s usually because we’ve drifted away from what actually matters. Take a quiet moment and ask yourself:

What does this season mean to me?
What values do I want to honor?
What memories do I want to create?

Coming back to your intention grounds everything else. It becomes the filter for your decisions and helps you release the noise that overwhelms you.

10. Remember That Slowness Is Allowed

Just because the world speeds up doesn’t mean you have to.

You’re allowed to:

Move at your own pace
Simplify
Rest
Say “not this year”
Redefine what the holidays look like for you

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is slow down enough to actually experience the moments you’re trying to create.

The holidays don’t have to be something you survive. They can be something you move through with ease, intention, and a sense of nourishment, if you give yourself permission to shift the way you approach them.

Your peace is worth protecting.
Your energy is worth honoring.
And you deserve a holiday season that supports you just as much as you support everyone else.

Happy Holiday Season!!!

XO,

Marilyn

How to Prevent Overwhelm Around the Holidays