Hello and happy Monday! This is Susan Hyatt and it’s GO time. This is episode number 119.
In this BONUS episode we’re talking about how you can feel empowered as you enter the holiday season, rather than powerless. I want to help you create a holiday season that feels meaningful rather than stressful and annoying. I want you to finish the year feeling strong, not depleted.
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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.
I run an online community called BARE DAILY. This week, I’ve asked my BARE DAILY members to share their lists, too. I’m excited to see what they come up with.
And if you’ve been meaning to check out BARE DAILY, now is exactly the right time, because enrollment closes in ONE day. And then that’s the last opportunity to enroll for almost a year.
BARE DAILY is a community of women who have pledged to treat their bodies with love and respect. Inside, we’ve got videos, podcasts, workouts, recipes, special guest teachers who pop by, opportunities to work 1-on-1 with certified BARE coaches that I’ve trained, and daily inspiration to keep you feeling amazing.
Some of the women in BARE DAILY are working on losing weight. Some are working on bringing their hormones back into balance. Some are trying to release stress, build more energy, and feel 10x better. A lot of BARE DAILY members are working on improving their relationship with their body—learning how to treat their body like a friend, not an enemy—and the transformations have been incredible. Physical transformation, yes, absolutely. But it’s the emotional transformation that excites me even more.
So, if you want daily inspiration, sisterhood, support, and encouragement to get you through the holiday season—and through ALL of 2018, too—head to BARE DAILY and sign up. This is a beautiful holiday gift to your body, and to yourself.
Google BARE DAILY to find the sign up page. That’s B-A-R-E D-A-I-L-Y. Google it. Or go to my website and you’ll find it under the PROGRAMS tab. The link is S-H-Y-A-T-T-DOT-COM-SLASH-BAREDAILY.
Again, there’s a firm deadline to enroll, and then we’re closing the doors for about a year. So don’t dilly-dally on this too long. Give this gift to yourself. I will see you inside.
And regardless of whether you choose to join BARE DAILY or not, I am wishing you a healthy, joyful, and EMPOWERING holiday season.
Remember—you are not a helpless snowflake being blown around by the cold wintery winds. You are a queen. You get to decide how your holiday season is going to feel. You get to make your YES list and your NO list. It’s up to you.
It’s GO time.
