6 Steps To Get Through The Holiday Hustle with Support

Between the family gatherings, kids out of school, endless to-do lists, and that last-minute gift waiting for you at Target pick-up—it’s no secret that the holidays can feel like a whirlwind.  If your brain is running on overdrive and you’re craving a moment to pause, you’re in the right place. Episode 282 of the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast is here to help. How? By helping you navigate the holiday hustle without losing your cool. 

Tune in today for a simple yet powerful check-in that you can do in real-time, designed to help you breathe, reset, and approach the next few weeks with curiosity, joy, and even a little humor.

Here’s a sneak peek of what we cover:

✨Recognizing and preparing for the familiar holiday patterns that sneak up on us every year (like the way your children always squabble after reaching the fourth day of vacation or your inlaw regularly voicing their vastly different political views) 

✨Reflecting on past holiday experiences to learn what works and what doesn’t.

✨Identifying what you need to feel supported—whether it’s setting boundaries, asking for help, or scheduling 10 minutes of peace.

✨Strategies to show up as your best self—while also offering grace for the moments when our human shows.

In short, this episode is your guide to navigating the busy season with curiosity, self-compassion, and much less stress. So grab a cup of cocoa, take a slow, grounding breath, and join me. 

Let’s navigate this season together with a little more ease and a lot more enjoyment.

You can listen to the episode above or stream it on your favorite podcasting app here.

Prefer to read? No problem! Keep scrolling for a summary of the key takeaways.

In Episode 282: You Will Discover:

• How to prepare for predictable holiday challenges with clarity and calm.
• Simple ways to respond to tough situations with self-compassion and humor.
• Tips for identifying and meeting your needs to stay grounded.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.

Episode 282: Navigating the Holiday Hustle with Support (Transcript)

Hey there! Welcome back to the podcast,  episode 282, which is landing right on the week of December 23.

If you’re tuning in this week, you’re likely in the thick of the season — balancing family time, coordinating with guests, keeping up with kids out of school, and, for many of us, still managing work.

This time of year often includes a whole lot of joy, but it has the potential for a lot of demands on our capacity, physically, mentally, and emotionally, which can leave our brains reeling a bit. So, if you’re finding yourself feeling a bit untethered, I see you, and you’re in the right place.  I literally designed this episode with you in mind.

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First, I’m excited to share…

The next round of We’re Busy Being Awesome, my small group coaching program for ADHD brains, is opening soon.

In about month we’ll kick things off as you learn how to make a plan that truly works for you and your life, take action on those plans with less procrastination, and finally see those projects through and check them off the list.

We’ll be a small, tight-knit group of 10 to 15 people. We meet each week for hands-on coaching and support as we learn my Plan-Act-Complete framework.

If this sounds like the support you need in your life this new year, head to the link in the show notes or visit imbusybeingawesome.com/group for details. I’d love to help you work with your brain to get things done and create more time for what matters most.

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Today I want to provide you a quick check-in tool that you can return to whenever you need a pause, a reset, or just a reminder that it’s okay to take a breath and ground yourself, even in the midst of all the hustle of the season.

So, take this time for yourself; listen to the episode as often as you need over these next few weeks. I hope you’ll find it helpful in anchoring yourself and in helping you experience the season with a bit more lightness and fun – maybe even a touch of humor.

Let’s lean into the coming days and weeks – and honestly, whenever you need to feel grounded, with lots of curiosity, self-compassion, and the reminder that, hey, we’re all human here. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Let’s aim for real.

How To Navigate The Overwhelm & Stress of the Holiday Season

Step 1: Anticipate & Acknowledge Realities

To start, I want to invite you to grab a piece of paper or open a note on your phone, and let’s take a moment to anticipate what’s likely coming up or will come up in the next few days.

This is all about getting real with ourselves and acknowledging what might actually happen, even if it’s not how we’d love things to go.

• What are all the things you’re worrying or anxious about?
• What are the things you’re dragging your feet around,?
• What has you feeling irritated or even a sense of dread?
• What do you anticipate will happen or is happening or has happened in the past and you’re worried will happen again?

Let’s give these experiences a little space to breathe.

Take a few minutes to write down everything that comes to mind.

Maybe you’re picturing your kids arguing, or you’re anticipating a comment from an in-law about the way the house looks or the food you’ve prepared.

Perhaps you can already see that look your brother gives every time that one topic comes up — the one that always manages to press your buttons. Whatever it is, jot it down.

Now this is important – I’m not having you do this because I think it’s fun to spend a negative thoughts and experiences. No. That’s not it at all. We’re not doing this to make ourselves feel worse or to give ourselves extra stress.

This is about letting ourselves see these events as predictable patterns rather than being caught off guard and totally surprised when they happen – even though they usually happen every year. 

When we do this, we can start recognizing that, hey, these things aren’t surprises. It’s possible nothing’s gone wrong here.

In fact, my kids fighting – while I don’t love it – is actually a pretty familiar pattern when they’ve been home from school for more than 3 days in a row.

These are relatively familiar rhythms, and by seeing them clearly, we give ourselves a little bit of power over them.

When we name these moments ahead of time, we shift from feeling blindsided to feeling prepared. We can approach these situations with a clearer mind and maybe even a little more patience.

So take a moment. What are those things you almost know will happen?

Put them down, and let yourself look at them.

This step isn’t about changing anyone or expecting that this year will somehow be different; it’s about freeing ourselves from that shock factor when things play out the way they usually do. By acknowledging it, we’re taking a step toward accepting it, and that’s powerful.

Step 2: Explore Emotional Responses

Now that we’ve written down some of the things we can expect, let’s go a bit deeper and reflect on how these situations have felt in the past.

Think back to other holidays or family gatherings — when these familiar events have happened before, what emotions did you experience?

When they did comment on the flavor of your stuffing, or your sibling brought up that time you were late for some celebration, and now uses that as a measuring stick that you’re always late. 

Maybe you felt frustrated, defensive, embarrassed, defeated, sad. It’s no secret that the holidays can being up some big feelings, and this is completely understandable. 

Take a moment to write down some of these emotions.

Allow yourself to get specific, and remember, this is just for you. Whether you felt overwhelmed and overstimulated by the chaos and noise in past extended family Christmas celebrations, hurt by someone’s comment last year that you “still haven’t done that?

Wasn’t that your New Year’s resolution for the last two years?” or perhaps you felt a sense of pressure because you thought you have to keep everything together, and acknowledge those feelings. Let yourself name them without judgment.

Step 3: How Did You Respond?

Once you’ve named the emotions, then let’s look at how you responded.

When these situations happened in the past, what did you do? When you were feeling frustrated, embarrassed, guilty, pressured, etc. how did you show up? Did you…

• Say something sharp back?
• Change the subject?
• Shame spiral?
• Go for a walk and call your best friend to vent?
• Make sure everyone else had a great time, while you were silently miserable all day?

And again, there’s no judgment allowed here. We are being entirely curious. How did you show up when you felt those emotions?

Were any of these helpful in the moment?  Maybe they were maybe they weren’t. 

As you go through this step, we want to approach it with self-compassion. This isn’t about criticizing past reactions; it’s about learning from them.

We’re all figuring out how to navigate these challenging moments, and sometimes, that means recognizing patterns we might want to approach differently. Other times, it means celebrating the ways we’ve handled things well.

Give yourself the grace to look back without judgment. Think of it as gathering information about what helps you feel grounded and what might benefit from an adjustment. We’re all learning, and we’re all human here. The goal isn’t to be perfect — it’s simply to understand ourselves a bit better each time.

Step 4: Envision Ideal Responses

Alright, now that we’ve anticipated the likely events and looked back on how we’ve responded in the past, let’s take a moment to envision how we’d ideally like to show up in these moments.

Think of this as your chance to imagine how you’d want to show up if you were well-rested, not overstimulated or drained. You’re feeling good, supported, and grounded. If the exact same situation happened again – which, as we talked about in Step One, probably will –  how would you want to show up? 

Maybe you picture yourself laughing off your brother’s familiar comment because you know you have done an incredible job of planning ahead and getting places on time. You take a few breaths and know that this is his own insecurity that he’s projecting on you.

Or perhaps you have a few phrases that you use calmly if (and when) your in law makes a comment about the dish you brought for the potluck.

How would you feel if you felt really confident and stoked about what you brought for the meal?

What if you were able to laugh off their comments because you know what you brought is something your kids actually enjoy, and since they tend to be picky eaters, you know you won’t have to deal with hangry kids on the way home? 

What would your experience be like if – when you notice your mind starting to get foggy and you feel what I describe as particularly crispy – because of the overstimulation of sound and smell and music and kids running around – even though it’s all beautiful and lovely, your nervous system it says it’s too much.

What if in those moments, you let your partner know you needed to step out and go for a walk in the quiet, and you’ll be back refreshed in 20 minutes?

Now as a caveat,  I want to offer that when we’re thinking about showing up as our best selves and supporting ourselves through challenging situations, I am talking about interactions with safe people you genuinely love.

We’re talking about safe relationships here. – those connections where, even if things get tense, when we pause, we know that everyone is genuinely trying their best with what they have. It’s not about forcing yourself into a place of tolerance in situations that feel harmful or toxic.

Instead, we’re exploring ways to approach challenging yet familiar interactions with people who, for better or worse, are just as human and imperfect as we are.

So, in these moments, how do you want to show up? What would it look like to stay grounded, to meet a tough moment with patience or even a little humor?

If this sounds tricky, don’t worry — again, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about setting a gentle intention for yourself, a reminder of how you’d like to handle things in a way that feels true to who you are at your best.

Step 5: Identify Personal Needs for Support

Now that we’ve looked at the moments we expect and imagined how we’d ideally like to respond, let’s turn to what we actually need to make that happen.

Here’s the truth: it’s completely natural to feel a little “crispy” during times of stress — when we’re stretched thin, surrounded by family, or juggling responsibilities. And it’s okay to need support to stay grounded.

Take a moment to consider what you need to help you feel your best during these busy, sometimes rather taxing days. Here are some examples:

• Alone time even if it’s just a few minutes in a quiet room to breathe?
• Help with certain tasks, like getting a hand in the kitchen or with watching the kids.
• A solo act, like taking a walk, listening to music, or stepping outside for fresh air.
• Recruiting help and asking your kids to fill the water glasses before dinner, or your partner to wrap the gifts.
• Getting grocery delivery so you don’t have to deal with the intensity of holiday food shopping.

Whatever it is you need, let’s get clear on it and also consider how we can honor those needs. Give yourself permission to ask. It doesn’t mean you’re not capable — it means you’re human.

👉 Related: 8 Discreet ADHD Emotional Regulation Strategies for Adults

Step 6: Focus on Desired Emotions and Thoughts

Now let’s take a look at the emotions we want to bring into these moments.

This is all about identifying how we’d like to feel as we show up in this ideal way. Maybe you want to feel curious, playful, generous, or accepting. Whatever feels right for you, take a moment to imagine how you’d like to approach these interactions.

I mentioned this a bit before, but perhaps you feel curious about your brother’s comments, or accepting of all the pent-up energy over the past several days. Maybe you even laugh at some of the situations when they inevitably unfold.

Once you have those emotions in mind, then, let’s play with some thoughts to center you in that emotion. Because let’s be honest — it’s easy to get swept up in old habits and reactions, especially during busy or stressful times. But when we practice a few simple thoughts in advance, we can shift our mindset and come back to those emotions that help us feel more grounded.

For example, if you’re aiming to feel curious, you might think to yourself, “I wonder what’s going on for them?” or “I wonder how they’re feeling right now?” Sometimes, a little curiosity helps us step back from judgment and see things with a softer lens.

If you’d like to feel humor in the moment, you might try something like, “Right on time! Just as I anticipated. It’s day 4, and my kids are about to battle it out. My family is beautifully human.” A little humor can go a long way in helping us release the tension and embrace the imperfections around us.

Or, if you’re looking to practice acceptance, try thinking, “Nothing is going wrong here. This is exactly what I expected, and I can handle it.” These simple thoughts – when we have them ready to go – can be so powerful. They remind us that we’re prepared, that we can handle it, and that we’re okay.

So, whatever emotions you want to bring into these holiday moments, think of some phrases that help you feel that way. Keep it simple, keep it gentle, and remind yourself that, yes, you’ve got this. You can handle whatever comes up with compassion, humor, and grace.

Final Thoughts: Giving Ourselves and Others Grace

As we wrap up, I want to leave you with one final thought about grace — for ourselves and for those around us.

This time of year, family members are likely to show up with all of their unique quirks, their own stresses, and their little habits that might feel amplified during the holidays. And just like them, we’re also showing up as our wonderfully imperfect selves.

I know I’ve said it a lot this episode, but I’ll offer it one more time for brains like mine – there isn’t a “perfect” way to show up or respond or act. Perfect isn’t the goal, nor is it even possible.

We’re all navigating this season with the capacities we have at this moment, and that’s okay. What if we could let that be a relief? To know that these safe people in our lives – although they can certainly push our buttons at times – are simply doing the best they can with what they have. Just like us.

And for those of you – like me – who have an easier time with giving grace to others, but can be super hard on yourself…

Take a moment to consider the possibility of grace for you. What if everyone, including us, are genuinely doing their best? And perhaps even more challenging – when things DON’T go as planned, and you snap back at your brother, your make the snarky comment to your partner, you lose your cool with your kids, can we extend ourselves grace then, too?

Can we practice picturing each messy, imperfect moment as part of being human, a moment of shared experience rather than something we need to fix? 

When we lean into grace — for ourselves and for others — we can transform these holiday moments into memories where we truly showed up, embraced the imperfect, and let that be enough.

I hope you have a perfectly imperfect last few weeks of the year.

Alright, my friends. That’s going to do it for us this week.

If you’re ready to take this work deeper as you look ahead to the new year, the next round of We’re Busy Being Awesome – my small group coaching program – is gearing up. We’ll be kicking things off in a little over a month. Sign up to the waitlist below to learn more!

👉 Also, did you know I have and I’m Busy Being Awesome Planner?

If you want to use my personalized system to manage your time and get things done choose one of the options below + you’ll get access to my free training, which walks you step by step through different ways that you can use the planner to work for your brain depending on your preferred level of structure. There are two options available:

1. Print the Planner at home
2. Buy the hard copy on Amazon and get delivered

Links From The Podcast

• Learn more about private coaching
• Learn more about We’re Busy Being Awesome small group coaching
• Get the top 10 tips to work with your ADHD brain (free ebook!)
• Discover my favorite ADHD resources here
• Get the I’m Busy Being Awesome Planning System here
• Get the Podcast Roadmap here
• Get the ADHD Routine Revamp here

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