Doing It All? Summon Your Inner Warrior This Holiday
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” - Lao Tzu
Holiday Harmony: Summoning Your Inner Warrior When You Feel Like You’re Doing It All
You are holding it all together. I see it. I feel it.
For the high-functioning family caregiver, the holidays often don't feel like a break; they feel like a breaking point. You are already managing the day-to-day care of a loved one, a household and on top of that, working a full-time job. Now, the calendar demands more: cooking the perfect dinner, hunting for gifts in crowded stores, and navigating the unique pressure of family gatherings.
I know this weight intimately, because I have carried it.
There are seasons in life when feeling overwhelmed becomes the norm, especially for those of us who care deeply about people, traditions and making the world a safe place for everyone. In my early days of caregiving, I took my youthful energy for granted. I thought I could do it all.
During the holidays, I would slip into overdrive, feeding on the need to make my loved ones happy and keep traditions alive no matter the cost to myself.
In spite of having siblings, I often felt like an only child running interference between divorced parents while also being the one reliable child they could call on for anything. Despite having a husband, I felt like the sole parent juggling the never-ending schedules and to-do lists. I just kept going because stopping did not occur to me.
How could I stop when I believed no one else would show up?
Over time, the compounding demands of my family role, marriage, caregiving, work, and personal aspirations overwhelmed my system. One day, I found myself lying in bed, totally depleted. I had burned out in silence. Chronic fatigue made it impossible to get out of bed, work or care for the family I loved so dearly.
I had finally gone over the cliff I had been running toward for years.
And then, something surprising happened: The world did not stop.
At first, this crushed me. I felt unnecessary. Like George from "It's a wonderful life", I pondered life without me in it. Eventually, I realized the profound wisdom in that moment. The fact that the world kept spinning wasn't a sign that I didn't matter it was permission to rest.
It took a "crash" for me to learn the importance of self-care, a positive mindset, and the wisdom of a holistic approach to life and caregiving. But you don't have to wait for the crash. You can choose to heal your story today. It starts by shifting from overwhelmed reaction to empowered response.
3 Quick Wins to Restore Your Inner Calm This Holiday
Here are three practical, sustainable steps to help you cultivate confidence and emotional resilience right now.
1. Practice "The Warrior’s Pause" (Emotional Resilience)
When a sibling criticizes a care decision or a parent begins a loop of complaints during a shopping trip, your instinct may be to defend yourself or absorb the negativity. Instead, practice mental flexibility. Before you respond, take a five-second pause.
The Shift: Visualize yourself in your favorite safe, private & judgment-free zone. Remind yourself: “Their opinion is a reflection of their story, not my capability.”
The Win: This pause prevents their chaos from draining your vitality. It allows you to respond with the "inner calm" of a leader, rather than the frantic defense energy of a child or sibling.
2. Redefine "Holiday Success" (Mindset)
You may be trying to replicate the holidays of the past while managing a present that has fundamentally changed. Give yourself permission to explore a simpler holiday experience. As I learned, trying to do it all is a recipe for burnout, not joy.
The Shift: Temporarily lower the bar on "production" so you can raise the bar on wellbeing. Order parts of the meal. Try a potluck. Buy gift cards instead of hunting for specific items.
The Win: By consciously doing less "doing," you create space for "being." You reclaim your energy to actually be present, rather than just present for everyone else.
3. Set a "Vitality Boundary" (Physical Wellbeing)
Caregivers often deprioritize rest, but as my story shows, no one will notice your need for rest if you look like you've "got it all together". You must become sensitive to your own needs and prioritize them. If the family dynamic becomes toxic or the noise of sibling rivalry gets too loud, give yourself permission to step away without guilt.
The Shift: Communicating your need for a break without an emotional charge is an act of healthy self-care. “I’m going to take a 15-minute walk to reset so I can enjoy the rest of the evening.”
The Win: This isn't quitting; it's restoring. It signals to your family-and more importantly, to yourself that your emotional safety matters.
Moving From Surviving to Thriving
The holidays are intense, but they are also a powerful mirror. They show us where our boundaries need strengthening and where our story needs healing. You deserve to feel empowered and to experience joy during the holidays, even amidst the chaos.
Are you ready to stop surviving the family drama and start thriving in your own life?
Let’s find your path to inner calm together.
This is about choosing to heal the foundational story.
It’s about giving yourself permission to restore your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. It's about learning to build your emotional resilience so you can move forward without guilt or overwhelm. It’s about discovering that you can be a wise warrior for others and for yourself. You can remaster your foundation for life to align with your long-term desires and increase your personal fulfillment without sacrificing your commitments.
This is your safe, private, and judgment-free zone to start that journey.
So let’s start here, together. You don't have to do this alone.
Join the Raffle or send me an email at [email protected], share one 'win' from this week, no matter how small. I am here to provide support and celebrate you.
With warmth and warrior spirit,
Mayra
