Choose Yourself This Holiday Season

Choose Yourself This Holiday Season

Every year, without fail, the holidays sneak up on me. One minute I’m crunching leaves under my boots, and the next the world is flooded with twinkling lights, countdowns, and an endless chorus of “Are you ready for the holidays?”  One minute I’m sipping a fall latte like a responsible adult, and the next minute the world is screaming HOLIDAY MAGIC!!! at full volume while I’m still trying to figure out where I put last year’s wrapping paper.

And every year, I feel that familiar pull: the pressure to do more, buy more, be more. More festive, more generous, more social, more everything.

And listen, I LOVE a good twinkle light moment. I love a cozy night. I love a festive vibe.
But I do not love turning into a frantic holiday raccoon running around Target at 9:47 p.m. trying to find a gift for someone I barely see the other 11 months of the year.

This year?
No thanks.
I’m choosing slow. intentional slow.

The Season of Doing Less

I know, I know. Doing less during the holidays sounds illegal. But stay with me.

Somewhere along the way, December became a sprint powered by caffeine, guilt, and coupons. the holidays became a sprint. We rush from store to store, event to event, obligation to obligation. There’s joy, yes of course. But there’s also exhaustion. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to cross the finish line of December feeling wrung out and disconnected from myself. I’ve decided I’m not auditioning for the role of “Holiday Overachiever” this year.

So I’m opting out of the frenzy. I’m giving myself permission to do less.
Not out of laziness. Though a nap is calling my name.
But because of intention. Because I actually want to enjoy the season instead of surviving it.

I want quiet mornings. Unrushed evenings. Conversations where I’m not mentally checking my to-do list while pretending to listen. I want that cozy, calm holiday energy we all romanticize on Instagram but forget to practice in real life.

There is a quiet magic woven into the pockets of slowness: early mornings with a warm mug, soft evenings lit by candles, conversations that aren’t rushed, moments that aren’t multitasked.

SIGN ME UP! I want more of that magic.

Being Present instead of Buying Presents

Some gifts can’t be wrapped.
Time. Attention. Presence. Peace.

Sure I’m still giving gifts this year. My love language isn’t “complete detachment.” but I’m letting go of the belief that love needs to be proven through purchases. I’m shifting from “What do I have to buy?” to “How can I show up?”

Because let’s be real:
No one is going to remember that decorative candle you panicked-bought.
But they will remember if you were actually there. Laughing, listening, smiling, engaging, and ENJOYING each other.

Because the truth is:
Years from now, people won’t remember what we bought them.
They’ll remember how we made them feel.

When we’re fully present with our families, our friends, ourselves; there’s a deeper kind of giving happening. One that doesn’t require a receipt.

Presence > presents.
(Yes, I said it. Yes, I’m proud of it.)

Self-Care isn’t Self-Indulgent, it’s Essential

Holiday self-care is not indulgent; it’s essential.
We can’t pour from an empty cup, and December has a sneaky way of draining the cup faster than we realize.

Self-care is survival.
It’s maintenance.
It’s the difference between “I’m enjoying this” and “Someone save me.”

This year, I’m putting self-care at the top of my list:

• Saying no without writing an apology novel
• Protecting my peace like it’s a limited-edition holiday release
• Not attending every event just because it exists
• Buying myself a gift first (radical, I know)
• Replacing perfectionism with “good enough and still cute”
• Taking breaks before I hit overwhelm
• Protecting quiet mornings like they’re sacred
• Letting go of the pressure to create the “perfect” holiday
• Choosing what nourishes me, not what impresses others

Most importantly: I’m banning holiday guilt.
I refuse to feel guilty for choosing my peace. After all, calm is the new hustle.

My Invitation to you. Here is your permission slip!

If any of this resonates. If you’ve ever found yourself wrapping gifts at 1 a.m. questioning your life choices, consider this your nudge.

Slow down.
Be Present.
Choose yourself a little more boldy this season.
And for the love of all things peppermint, stop trying to do everything.

The holidays don’t need more hustle.
They need more heart.
More ease.
More “actually enjoying your life.”

The holidays don’t have to be a performance. They can be a practice. A practice of connection, of rest, of gratitude, of simply being.

Maybe the greatest gift we can give ourselves this year is the permission to live the season differently.

So as the lights glow and the year winds down, I hope you remember that you’re allowed to create a holiday that feels good for you. Not the version marketed to us, not the one packed with pressure and performance, but the one rooted in presence, joy, and enoughness. Let this be the season you choose peace over perfection, meaning over madness, and connection over chaos. Give yourself permission to step back, breathe deeply, and savor the tiny moments that actually make the holidays feel magical. Because when you choose yourself, you don’t lose anything—you simply make more room for what matters. Here’s to a slower, softer, more intentional holiday season. May it meet you gently and remind you that you’re worthy of enjoying it.

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Much love,

Laura xo