Ten Ways To Adjust Your Strategy and Rhythm For More Enjoyment This Season

Listen to the full podcast episode to learn about the science-backed practice that has not only changed my life but also the lives of countless people over the last two decades. This is something you can’t ignore if you want to achieve that great goal you identified for this year and write your new future.

Many high achievers and busy individuals find themselves running the ultimate “Holiday Race,” trying to fit even more transactions into their already packed schedules. As a result, the end of the year becomes a whirlwind of labor and to-dos that can feel overwhelming and stressful. 

But what if this year, instead of accelerating, we interrupted our normal busyness and slowed things down? What if we used this season to take time off, practice self-awareness, align our days with our values, and focus on what truly matters?

In this episode, I’m sharing my ten proven and tested strategies to help you adjust your holiday rhythm in a way that truly aligns with your values. These approaches aren’t just about getting things done. They’re about ensuring that each moment reflects the essence of what you want this season to mean for you.

Holiday Stress is Real

Many of us get so focused on making everything perfect for others that we lose touch with our own feelings. The pursuit of the holiday rush often sidelines our own needs, and we end up running on what I call “toxic fuel,” also known as stress, fear, and worry to keep up with it all.

But as I talked to more people, I noticed that what many truly crave is the exact opposite of the holiday hustle. They long for a slower pace, a chance to quiet their minds, which are constantly scanning for what more they “should” be doing. They want out of the cycle of accomplishment they’re caught up in. They tell me they want to step off the treadmill of endless tasks without the fear of falling behind when they eventually return.

Here are the ten strategies that will help you create an intentional holiday season from the inside out.

1. Prioritize Feelings over Tasks

Before you put another thing on your to-do list, ask yourself: What do I want to feel during this season? 

Too often, we jump straight into decorating, shopping, and planning without considering what emotional state we want to cultivate in the first place. What we feel is what we create. So, by intentionally deciding how you want to feel every morning, even outside of the holiday season, you set the tone for your intentional actions. Instead of beginning the day with stress, align yourself with a feeling, be it calm, joy, or gratitude, that you want to guide your day. 

2. Manage Your Energy

It’s easy to let our patience wear thin during the holiday rush. Recently, I had a test of patience at the airport when an unexpected security check due to a $4.69 bag of cornmeal threatened to make me miss my flight. 

In moments like these, I remind myself to manage my energy, stay calm, and self-regulate rather than allow irritation to take over. Recognize that not everything will go as planned. There will be traffic jams, family misunderstandings, and lines at the store. They are all part of the journey. By managing our energy, we choose not what happens but how we respond for a more peaceful season. 

3. Avoid “Toxic Fuel”

Toxic fuel is the source of energy that comes from stress, overwhelm, and fear. This type of energy may propel you through tasks, but it’s not sustainable. 

This season, it’s important to become aware of what motivates you. The best way to do that is by asking yourself, “Am I taking this action from a place of inspiration or fear?” When we come from a place of inspiration, our energy is positive and expansive. From fear, however, we contract. Shifting away from toxic fuel towards decisions and actions inspired by passion and purpose will not only make the holiday season more enjoyable. It will also enrich your sense of fulfillment.

4. Reframe Stress to Excitement

When holiday planning starts to feel overwhelming and stressful, try reframing that feeling. Instead of saying, “I’m stressed about Christmas,” tell yourself, “I’m excited about Christmas!” There’s a very fine line on the physiological spectrum between the two feelings, so it’s important to know where the tension is and move that fear, stress, and overwhelm to excitement if you really are looking for higher performance and happiness this season.

5. Be Like Your Favorite Pet

Have you ever noticed how pets, whether it’s a cat calmly purring or a dog excitedly wagging its tail, seem to be in the present moment, no matter what’s happening? Pets are experts at being present and adapting quickly to their circumstances. My suggestion is to be like your favorite pet this holiday season. If things go sideways, the gifts don’t arrive, or a plan doesn’t work out, take a deep breath like a cat, refocus, and bring yourself back to the present.

6. Create Empty Space

During the holiday season, it’s easy to take on too many commitments and become overwhelmed with bookings. Meeting friends and families, driving in holiday rush traffic, and buying last-minute gifts can quickly drain us. So, instead of filling your calendar to the brim, consciously choose to leave some space open. Say “no” to additional commitments and give yourself permission to rest and recharge. This will allow us to be honest about what we can handle and what’s important to us. 

7. Dream and Ask For What You Want

This is the exact time of year to reflect and connect to ourselves, know what you desire, believe in miracles, and be open to the possibilities. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself what you really want. Be open to receiving.  How do you do this, you ask? Simply say the words “I am open to receiving..” then fill in your order for the day.  

8. Give Generously

Nothing shifts your focus away from stress like giving. Many people need what you have to give. Whether it’s donating to a homeless shelter or simply being present with someone in need, giving not only helps others but also enriches our own emotional experience. Consider listening actively to those grieving or hurting during this season—it’s often the greatest gift you can ever provide.

9. Love Yourself Unconditionally

This sounds intense, but hear me out.  Real love means loving ourselves even when we burn the turkey, the house is messy, or we miss a meeting. It involves accepting ourselves even when things don’t go as planned, or we don’t finish what we want to in the day. Loving ourselves through and in spite of imperfections enables us to step into our happiest selves in this season. You might also be surprised at what you find when you let go of the need to control every outcome.

10. Connect Deeply

Finally, connection, whether with a higher power, ourselves, or others. Remind yourself that the assurance you’re seeking externally is inside of you, and then connect with that. This season, practice connecting deeply and being fully present with yourself and your loved ones.

Embrace these strategies to make this holiday season one of your best. As a special gift, I’ve prepared a bonus tool to help you make this season truly sensational.  Without even having to think, it will help you adjust your rhythm and take the most direct route to the peace and enjoyment you’re seeking. Happy holidays!

In this episode, I share how to…

• • Know how you measure a truly successful and happy holiday season based on your standards 
  • Learn how to cut the transactional approach that too often characterizes the season for too many
  • Avoid unknowingly operating on toxic fuel for your motivation so that you can sustain whatever the holidays present you order to sustain even in the messy moments (which will happen)
  • Download your Bonus Worksheet: “The Intentional Inside Out Holiday Plan For Busy Schedules” 

Resources and related episodes:

• Download the Intentional Inside Out Holiday Worksheet
• Tune in to the previous episode, The First 3 Steps To Creating What You Want After An Inner Shakedown
• If you’d like to be notified of when new podcast episodes are released, you can do so here: Playing Full Out
• Learn more about the Inside Out Method
• Connect with Rita on LinkedIn

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts for more tips, tools, and inspiration to lead the optimal vision of your life, love, and leadership. Remember, a half version of you is not enough. The world needs the fullest version of you at play.

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About Rita Hyland

With over 20 years of experience as an executive and leadership coach, Rita helps leaders — emerging and established — excel in corporate and entrepreneurial environments.

Rita believes if leaders were more clear about how transformation really works and more intentional about creating what they want, their impact, success, and influence in the world would be unstoppable.

Through her coaching programs, private coaching, and masterminds, Rita shows leaders how to win consistently and create the impact and legacy they desire.

Central to Rita’s work is the understanding that you will never outperform your current programming, no matter how strong your willpower.

When you learn to use Rita’s proprietary Inside Out Method, a technology that uses the best of neuroscience and transformational psychology to hit the brain’s buttons for change, YOU become both the solution and the strategy.

Her mission is to end talented, hard-working, and self-aware leaders spending another day stuck in self-doubt or confusion and not contributing their brilliant work and talent the world so desperately needs.