Before You Take Care of Everyone Else: The Pre-Holiday Reset We All Need

I went to the store last week looking for fall things. Ya know, the typical stuff…a pumpkin candle, a cozy throw, something simple.
And BAM: Christmas. Everywhere. 🎄

We hadn’t even hit Halloween yet, and there were aisles of ornaments, wrapping paper, and peppermint bark like the North Pole had exploded overnight.

And that’s when it hit me…this is exactly how the holidays creep up on us every year. One minute we’re sipping pumpkin spice, and the next, we’re juggling school concerts, travel plans, and gift lists while trying to hold it all together.

And if you’re anything like me - a midlife woman, probably managing a household, a career, relationships, and your own changing hormones - this time of year can hit different.

When You Don’t Feel Like Yourself

Lately, I haven’t felt like myself.
My energy’s low. My workouts feel harder. My appetite’s off. I’m losing weight…but not in the good, strong, healthy way.

And it’s not just physical.
It’s that “blah” feeling where you look in the mirror and think, Who even am I right now?

Perimenopause can do that. It shakes up everything you thought you knew about your body.
One day, you’re fine. The next, you’re exhausted, moody, and can’t find your rhythm.

And the hardest part? I know what to do. I teach women how to fuel their bodies, manage stress, and lift heavy things. But when you’re in it - when your body’s changing, your hormones are loud, and you’re emotionally spent - even the “right things” feel hard to do.

It’s like remembering the lyrics to your favorite song, but forgetting the melody.
You know the words…but you can’t quite find the rhythm anymore.

How Stress Hits Different in Midlife

In my twenties and thirties, stress meant a bad day, a glass of wine, and moving on.
Now? A slightly messy kitchen or a single calendar change can send me into a full emotional spiral.

That’s not weakness. That’s chemistry.

In perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone are constantly shifting, and cortisol (your stress hormone) is louder than ever. So small stressors feel big. Your fuse is shorter. You cry or snap and then immediately feel guilty for it.

And when you combine that with the pressure to make the holidays “magical,” it’s a perfect recipe for burnout.

We plan the meals, the gifts, the decorations, the travel, and everyone else’s emotions.
We make the magic happen - but somewhere in that chaos, we forget the woman behind the magic.

Finding My Rhythm Again

Here’s what’s been helping me lately: music.

Music has always been my therapy. It’s my reminder that I’m still me, underneath the noise.
Sometimes it’s Dave Matthews (Grey Street, obviously). Sometimes it’s Bowling for Soup or Alanis Morissette at full volume in the car. Sometimes it’s something loud enough to drown out my thoughts.

Music changes my state when logic can’t.
It’s like therapy in just a few minutes. It shifts my energy, brings me back to center, and helps me breathe again.

So if you’ve been feeling off, start there.
Pick one song that makes you feel alive. Blast it. Dance. Cry. Sing. Move.
That’s your first step back to yourself.

🍂 Introducing: The Midlife Comeback: Pre-Holiday Reset

This year, instead of waiting until January to “start over,” I’m doing something different…something gentler.

I’m calling it The Midlife Comeback: Pre-Holiday Reset.

It’s not a challenge, and it’s definitely not another thing on your to-do list.
It’s a permission slip - a way to protect your peace before the holidays hit full volume.

For the next four weeks, I’ll be focusing on:
💫 Week 1: Nourish - Fuel your body with food that supports your hormones and energy.
💪 Week 2: Move - Rebuild strength and confidence through movement that feels good.
🧘‍♀️ Week 3: Breathe - Manage stress and protect your peace with mindfulness and music.
✨ Week 4: Reflect - Practice gratitude and self-compassion before heading into the new year.

This reset is designed to help you feel grounded, strong, and ready - not burned out - when the season gets busy.

🎧 How to Join

You don’t have to sign up for anything new - if you’re already subscribed to The Backstage Pass (my weekly newsletter), you’re in.
Each week, you’ll get one small focus, one playlist, and one way to take care of you.

Because before you take care of everyone else this season, you deserve to take care of yourself.

👉 Subscribe here if you’re not on the list yet

✨ Final Thoughts

We’re heading into a season that’s supposed to be joyful. But for so many women, it becomes a blur of exhaustion.

This year, let’s do it differently.
Let’s slow down. Fuel up. Move with intention. Turn up the music.

Your family doesn’t need perfect…they need present.
And that starts with you feeling nourished, strong, and centered before the chaos begins.

So here’s your reminder:

You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re just ready for your comeback.

Let’s find our rhythm again - one song, one meal, and one breath at a time.