FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️: LOW STRESS, HIGH JOY HOLIDAYS - PART 2

I created this month’s episodes to help you tap into the holiday vibes you want to create for who you are NOW - here in midlife and beyond!

If you want to reduce stress and increase enjoyment around holiday meals, this episode can help. Tune in for three strategies to help you feel more ease, support, and joy. 

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In case you missed this: I created a unique holiday planner for midlife & beyond. I made it to ensure self-care and gratitude exist in the midst of meal planning, shopping, and celebrating. It also reminds me to release old beliefs and expectations to enjoy the season in a way that works for who I am now. 

OF COURSE I'm sharing it with you, my friend!

Get my free ‘Made For Midlife & Beyond’ Holiday Planner at the link below

https://karli-newman.myflodesk.com/holiday-planner-2024

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode (or any of them!). Send me an email at karli@flipsideofmidlife.com.

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Want to immerse in the FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️ community? Head to my website flipsideofmidlife.com where you can sign up for free emails you want to receive, become a member of ELEVATE, attend events, and work with me one-on-one.

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Transcript

FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️: LOW STRESS, HIGH JOY HOLIDAYS - PART 2

Hello to you, my friend. It's me, Karli. 

My emails and FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️ episodes this month are here to help you tap into the holiday vibes you want to create for who you are now, here in midlife and beyond. 

It looks different for each of us, but I'm willing to bet big that low stress, ease, and maintaining your sense of self are important elements for you. With those important points in mind, get ready to think about the meals that carry significance for you during the holiday season.

Keep listening, my friend. 

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Before we jump into the episode further, I want to remind you to check out the past few episodes if you've missed them. I've covered how to give yourself the gift of self-care and create a positive mindset around gift-giving this holiday season.

And if you don't receive my weekly emails, you might want to know that my emails and podcast episodes complement one another by focusing on the same topic in slightly different ways. By listening and reading, you get a broader picture of ideas, inspiration, and tools to help you foster whole-life wellness and expand in midlife and beyond.

If that sounds valuable to you, I invite you to join me in email-land at the link in the show notes or transcript or visit my website, flipsideofmidlife.com. I look forward to seeing your name on my list, my friend.

Okay, let's continue with how to reduce stress and increase enjoyment around holiday mealtime. Whether it's a big two-turkey Thanksgiving or a small gathering you host in December, shared meals hold significance during the holidays. They bring us together and are the background for memorable moments.

However, that extra meaning often translates to stress and overwhelm for the host. You may feel your heart beat faster and your breath become more shallow just by hearing me talk about it. 

Here are three simple, yet impactful strategies to lower overwhelm and stress. 

Number one, simplify and focus on meaning, not perfection.

I'm guessing you and I may have this in common. I have been known to put a lot of pressure on myself to have everything just right when it comes to holiday meals. 

It makes me miserable. It makes everyone else miserable, too!

But here's the thing. No one's experience is dependent on the complicated napkin fold, fancy butter, or specialty mocktail I created. They remember our time together, the things that made us laugh, and the love in the room.

This holiday season, I encourage you to let go of ‘perfect’ and do your best to simplify and focus on what is most meaningful.

Instead of planning an elaborate meal, build a menu around the foods that truly matter to you and your guests. Maybe it's a favorite family recipe that you serve in a dish with sentimental value. Think of the stories you can share around the table. When you focus on meaning, not perfection, you diffuse overwhelm and make room for joy.

This strategy is going at the top of my list, my friend!

Number two. Embrace a team effort. 

This is a big one, my friend. Hear me now. You don't have to do it all. Ask for help!

This can be one of the biggest mindset shifts women in midlife and beyond can benefit from. It's also one of the most powerful tools you have when it comes to reducing overwhelm and stress during the holidays.

Maybe you ask guests to bring an item on your menu. Perhaps your family members are divided between Team Setup, Team Cook, and Team Cleanup. Why not decide this is a year to pre-order and bring in the entire meal? 

A team effort makes things easier for you and it adds meaning and joy to the experience for those who help you.

Sounds like a win-win to me, my friend. 

Number 3. Practice mindfulness along the way. 

You spend a lot of time to plan and prepare holiday meals. You put a lot of your heart into it. Remember the joy you can experience by being present before, during, and after the meal. 

It's easy to get caught up in a swirl of worry (remember you're letting go of perfection), and think about what's next instead of what's now.

This year, notice how good it feels to plan ahead. Feel the joy of trying a new recipe for one of your menus. Stick your face into the bouquet in the center of the table to feel the petals on your nose and breathe in that heavenly scent. 

When you sit down at the table, take a moment to pause and be present. Take a deep breath. Notice the warmth of the room, the chatter of those at the table, the aromas of the food. Think about each of your senses if that helps you be in the moment. 

These are the moments that truly matter, my friend. They help you experience more joy more deeply.

As you prepare for holiday mealtime this season, remember to simplify and focus on meaning, not perfection, embrace a team effort, and practice mindfulness along the way. Shift your mindset and focus on what really matters to find that holiday mealtime can be a source of joy, connection, and ease, rather than stress and overwhelm. 

In case you missed this, my friend, I created a unique holiday planner for midlife and beyond. I made it to ensure self-care and gratitude exist in the midst of meal planning, shopping, and celebrating. It also reminds me to release old beliefs and expectations to enjoy the season in a way that works for who I am now.

It can do the same for you. Of course, I'm sharing it with you, my friend! 

Find the link in the show notes or transcript to get my free ‘Made for Midlife and Beyond’ Holiday Planner. 

I love having you here, my friend, and I hope these tips help you create a deliciously joyful and low-stress holiday season. I can't wait to meet you here again next week.

Thanks for listening to this episode of FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️. I'm Karli Newman, and it is my calling to help women like you tap into your positive mindset and inner expertise to see and seize the possibilities around you. You don't have to travel this journey of midlife and beyond alone!

The FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️ is where you connect more deeply with yourself and other positive, kind, and fun women who understand. Want to be part of this community? Head to flipsideofmidlife.com where you can sign up for free emails you want to receive, become a member of ELEVATE, attend events, and work with me one-on-one.

I'll be back soon with another episode to inspire and guide you to whole-life wellness in midlife and beyond. Please share FLIPSIDE OF MIDLIFE™️ with other women by subscribing, following, rating, or writing a quick review. I'm so grateful when you do! 

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