BLOG 347: I USED TO BE EXHAUSTED EVERY DECEMBER BUT THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED

I used to be exhausted every December. Truly exhausted, the kind of tiredness that seeps into your bones and makes even the most joyful moments feel like something else on the to-do list.Every year, the same pattern would repeat itself. I would rush to finish all my work before the end of the year, pushing myself harder and faster, not listening to my body at all. And the strange thing is, this always came at a time of the year when our bodies naturally want to slow down. Winter is meant to be a softer season, a gentle pause, almost a hibernation mode. But instead of leaning into that, I was speeding up.

I’d throw myself into Christmas shopping, ticking presents off lists as if I were in a race. I’d go to every event, say yes to every invitation, fill every spare moment with something. And although I always loved the idea of December, the lights, the cosy evenings, the connection, the reality was that I felt a bit too stressed to truly enjoy any of it.

Then, two years ago, something shifted in me. I realised that I didn’t want to end each year feeling depleted. I didn’t want the lead-up to Christmas to feel like a marathon I hadn’t trained for. I didn’t want to lose the beautiful moments of the season simply because I was too overwhelmed to notice them.
So I made a decision in November 2023- I would take all of December off work. This was a huge decision which, at the time, felt quite frankly impossible. But I dit. And it not only transformed my Christmas but it gave me a new working pattern, transformed the way I did business and transformed my self care.
Plus I started saying no to a lot more. Not in a dramatic, boundary-setting, announce-it-to‐everyone kind of way. Just gently, intuitively, quietly. I said no to things that didn’t feel important. I said no to things that didn’t light me up. I said no to anything that felt like too much.

And at the same time, I made the conscious choice to make each day as simple, easy and enjoyable as it possibly could be (within the normal responsibilities and restraints that come with life, of course). I didn’t overhaul everything at once; instead, I began looking for the tiny moments in each day where I could soften, pause, breathe.

I started giving myself a little longer for self-care, even five minutes more made a difference. A slower morning. A warm cup of tea sipped without rushing. A short Face Yoga routine to reconnect with myself. A quiet walk. A moment of gratitude. Small things, but each one grounding.

I also made being present with the people in my life a priority. Not just physically present, but emotionally present-  listening, noticing, connecting. Not multitasking in my mind. Not planning ahead while someone was speaking. Just being there.

And do you know what happened? I actually began to enjoy December again.
I enjoyed Christmas. I enjoyed the gatherings I did choose to attend. I enjoyed the slower pace I created for myself. And most importantly, I felt more me, more connected, more aligned, more grounded, more able to show up in the ways that mattered.

Now, that’s not to say everything is magically stress-free. Even this week, there is still so much to remember like school events, work commitments, end-of-year tasks, the mental load that always seems to expand at this time of year. Life doesn’t stop especially as a busy business owner and mother. But the difference is that I meet it all with a different energy now.

When I feel myself getting swept up in the busyness, I gently bring myself back. I pause. I breathe. I tune into my body. I remind myself that I don’t have to do everything at once. I ask myself what actually matters. I say no where I can. I ask for help when I need it.

And it really helps.

This shift has made December feel softer, more intentional, more joyful. It’s helped me show up for others in a fuller way because I’m not running on empty. It’s helped me appreciate the magic of the season rather than rush through it.

I’m sharing this today because maybe you need this reminder too. Maybe you’ve been moving faster than your body wants to go. Maybe you’ve been saying yes to things that drain you. Maybe you’ve been carrying the weight of expectation, your own or other people’s, and it’s feeling heavy.

So this is your gentle permission slip:

To go a little slower.

To make December feel how you want it to feel.

To live more mindfully, even in the busiest moments.

To choose the path that brings more peace, more joy, more presence.

To say no without guilt.

To rest without explanation.

To give yourself the same compassion you give so freely to others.If you need a moment to breathe today, take it.

If your intuition says “not this,” listen.If your body wants you to pause, honour that.If you want a simpler, softer December, you’re allowed to create it.And if you’re reading this feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or stretched thin, please know you’re not alone, and it doesn’t have to stay this way.

Sometimes the smallest shift can bring the biggest sense of relief.
Sometimes all it takes is one quiet decision:
I’m going to slow down now.And that can change everything.

If you would like a moment to rest and pause, I recommend my Face Yoga Retreat Bundle which is the perfect way to relax your mind, body and face this season and next year as well.