Tiny Habits to Stop Stress - So You Can Rest & Relax This Holiday Season
The holidays are here—a season of joy, connection, and celebration. But let’s be honest… it can also feel like a season of stress, overwhelm, and exhaustion. If you’re juggling endless to-do lists, family gatherings, and work deadlines, it’s easy to feel stretched too thin.
And when stress takes over? It doesn’t just stay in your head—it shows up everywhere:
❌ You’re snappy and irritable
❌ You can’t sleep (or you wake up groggy)
❌ Your digestion feels off—bloating, cramping, or sluggishness
❌ Your hormones go haywire—period problems, hot flashes.
If this sounds familiar, take a deep breath. You don’t have to push through the holidays feeling this way. You have the power to reset and reclaim your peace—and it starts with your mind.
The Power of The Mind
Here’s something amazing: A recent study1 found that even when people knew they were taking a placebo—not a real treatment—it still reduced their stress, anxiety, and depression within two weeks.
What does this tell us?
Your mind is incredibly powerful. It can drive real change in your body and how you feel.
Taking an active role in healing—even something as simple as taking a pill—gives you a sense of control. That’s an overlooked key to reducing stress.
The mind-body connection is real, my friend. While I love diving into science, metabolic pathways, and all things integrative, I always leave space for the magic that happens when we believe in our ability to heal. ✨
Stress: It’s More Than Just an Emotion
In case you haven’t noticed, stress doesn’t just live in your head. It creates a full-body reaction that can wreak havoc on your physical health:
✖️ belly fat
✖️ trouble losing weight
✖️ period problems
✖️ blood sugar swings
✖️ sleep struggles
✖️ groggy mornings
✖️ digestive issues
Stress feels heavy, but here’s the empowering truth: You can stop it in its tracks with tiny, intentional habits. These small steps create safety signals in your body, interrupt the stress response, and reset your system.
But we have the power to stop stress in its tracks—every day and all day, with tiny habits. Like…
❤️ Breathe for 30 seconds. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, and exhale for 4. Feel your shoulders drop.
❤️ Stand up and stretch. Roll your shoulders, reach for the sky, and shake out your arms and legs.
❤️ Take a 2-minute walk. Step outside, get fresh air, and let your mind wander.
❤️ Shake it out. Wiggle your whole body—it looks silly, but it releases tension like magic.
❤️ Tap gently around your eyes or collarbone to calm your nervous system.
❤️ Snuggle up with someone you love (or a furry friend). Oxytocin, the love hormone, melts stress away.
Here’s your challenge: Pick one thing from this list and do it right now. Yes, right now. Breathe, stretch, shake, or snuggle—whatever feels doable for you.
Every small step you take to calm your stress response brings you closer to balance, peace, and energy to fully enjoy the holidays. This season doesn’t have to be about surviving—it can be about thriving.
So, take a breath, give yourself grace, and know this: You are in control of how you show up this season.
Know someone who needs this message right now? Share this blog with them. Let’s spread a little calm and joy—because we all deserve to feel our best.
✨ You’ve got this. And I’m cheering you on. ✨
