Features:
1. Blueprints to holiday boundaries 2. Tools of the Trade: Quiet quitting the holiday hamster wheel 3. Limiting materialism with the 4-gift rule
One of my favorite lines in one of the saddest holiday movies ever (“One True Thing,” starring La Streep et. al.) is “sometimes more is more.” It’s simple. It’s true. It’s all-encompassing in embracing spirit. And it is embodied symbolically by the inch-by-inch overdecorated Christmas tree being bedecked by the main characters at that point in the plot.
And yet sometimes — especially in the winter season of shedding — more can just be overwhelming.
This friendly holiday reminder 👆 is brought to you & me both by writer & group coach Hailey Magee, pro at “helping you break the people-pleasing pattern & set empowered boundaries.” I also really appreciate her recent reminder that “you can be supportive toward another’s struggles while also making sure you are not neglecting your own needs for time, rest & self-care.” (Aaaaaand I looooove her message on what she calls “People-pleaser irony: Often, we don’t want to set boundaries with people who are being rude to us, because we’re afraid of coming across as rude.” 🤔🧐🤯)
How will you use this discerning boundary wall this winter?
My sister Substack creator Seo Yun Yang of the newsletter How I’m Building This Life has a wonderful article titled “Quiet Quitting: Holiday Edition” that really hooked me by leading with the concept of holiday “sprawl” (like how Halloween meant 6 trick-or-treat events this year, right??!). She lists 3 reasons parents in particular can safely embrace the idea of downsizing our commitments this year.
Kelly from Happy You, Happy Family is also riding the less-is-more Polar Express, as shared in this free 4-gift rule wish list printable:
I recently recorded a very interesting conversation on holiday downsizing & quiet quitting with local vegan foodie & lifestyle leader Sarah Metzger of the podcast What’s On Your Plate? — & we’ll be swapping roles when I join her as a guest just next week!