Maybe you've got a full house—kids home, family arriving early. Or maybe it's quieter, but your to-do list didn't get the memo. Either way, this week has a strange energy: not much is happening, but somehow everything feels busy.
Let's keep it simple.
What You'll Find in This Edition:
🍖 Food: Easy meals when your house is suddenly full
💪 Movement: Staying sane when your routine disappears
🧠 Mindset: Letting go of "finishing strong"
🍖 FOOD: When Your Kitchen Gets Crowded
Whether you've got kids home from school, college students back, or family arriving early—your fridge is about to work overtime. A few things that help:
Stock the easy stuff. Eggs, cheese, bread, frozen fruit, yogurt, roasted chicken. Nobody needs a meal plan right now. You need things people can grab without asking you 47 questions.
One real meal a day. Give yourself permission to phone in breakfast and lunch if dinner is handled. Or flip it—make a big breakfast and let dinner be leftovers and snacks. Not every meal needs to be a production.
Prep your holiday dish early. If you're bringing something to a gathering, make it (or prep it) before the week gets crazier. Future you will be grateful.
Let them fend for themselves sometimes. If you've got teens or adults in the house, you don't have to be the cruise director of every meal. Point them to the fridge. They'll survive.
Need something that pulls double duty? My chocolate avocado pudding from Love What's On Your Plate is ridiculously easy, tastes like actual dessert, and works for breakfast the next morning with granola and berries. One recipe, two meals, zero complaints. You can now choose between hardcover, softcover and ebook:
💪 MOVEMENT: The Shortest Day Is Almost Here
Saturday is the winter solstice - the darkest day of the year. And honestly? It’s weirdly my favourite. After the 21st, every single day gets a little brighter. We're past the worst of it!
Why This Matters: If you've been dragging, blame the light (or lack of it). Your energy isn't broken—it's December. And trying to force your summer routine right now will just frustrate you.
What Works This Week:
Stretching on the floor while the TV's on
A 10-minute YouTube workout in your living room
Dancing in the kitchen while you cook (counts more than you think)
Lying down with your feet up on the couch or bed for 5-10 minutes—this helps blood flow back toward your heart, calms your nervous system, and can genuinely shift your mood when you're running on empty
One walk outside if the weather allows—bundled up, short, done
The Goal: Move. Not perfectly, but consistently - just enough to remind your body it's still in there. Lower the bar now. Raise it when the light comes back.
The Bright Side: After Saturday, we gain about a minute of daylight each day. It's small, but it adds up. By mid-January you'll actually notice it. We just have to get through the next few days first.
🧠 MINDSET: You Don't Have to "Finish Strong"
December loves to pile on the pressure. Finish your goals! Reflect on the year! Set intentions! Start fresh!
Meanwhile, you're just trying to remember who's allergic to what and whether you bought enough gift bags.
Why This Matters: The "finish strong" mentality assumes you have extra capacity right now. You probably don't. And that's fine.
The Truth: You can end the year tired. You can end it without a word for 2026 or a vision board or a journaling practice. You can just... end it. Rest counts. Getting through counts.
When Everything Gets Pushed to January:
Waiting on someone at work who's out until the new year
Eager to start something but the timing isn't cooperating
Decisions hanging in the air with no one available to move them forward
That limbo is frustrating - especially if you're someone who likes to get things done (me).
The Reframe: This is a forced pause you probably wouldn't have given yourself. You get to put it down; not because you quit, but because the world did. Let the delay feel like a buffer instead of a roadblock. The thing will still be there in January, and you might come back to it clearer.
Need a reset? My Relaxation with Serotonin meditation is a good 13-minute pause when everything feels like too much.
Before You Go:
I've been working on some new things for 2026 - a cohort class to guide you to putting everything I say into action - how it works for YOU. More community exclusive content, meditation libraries. You'll hear about it first.
Let me know what you’re most interested in! What do you want to fix or need help with?
More practical strategies at svliving.com
What's getting you through this week? Hit reply—I'd love to hear.