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3 Mindset Shifts to Help You Manage the Holiday Season

Does the month of December fill you with joy or stress? This month is full of excitement, but also full of dysregulation, disrupted routines, extra demands, and emotional overload for everyone involved. 

In this episode, we’re kicking off the Surviving & Thriving in December series with three powerful mindset shifts that can help you navigate the season with more calm, more clarity, and a whole lot less pressure.

Guilt disguises itself as responsibility, as being a good teacher, a good parent, a good teammate. But in reality, guilt just weighs you down and drains the limited energy you do have."

As a special education teacher, I’ve lived through my share of over-the-top Decembers—trying to make it magical for my students, my coworkers, and my own family. And I learned the hard way that the magic happens when we let go, not when we pile more on. 

Today’s episode walks you through three mindset shifts that will help you reclaim your peace and set a grounded tone for your classroom.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✨ Mindset Shift #1: Ditch Perfectionism
Why “done is better than perfect” matters now more than ever—and how letting go of unrealistic expectations can transform your December.

✨ Mindset Shift #2: Release the Guilt
How guilt disguises itself as responsibility, and how to give yourself permission to say no, do less, and let “enough” be enough.

✨ Mindset Shift #3: Bring Down the Tone of the Holidays
How lowering the emotional volume helps students regulate, paras feel less overwhelmed, and you maintain your sanity.
Plus, I share a personal story about my daughter’s favorite Christmas memory—and why it had nothing to do with big plans or perfect decorations.

✨ Final Thought: Give Yourself the Gift of Grace
A gentle reminder that you deserve compassion in this season just as much as anyone else.

This episode is perfect for you if…

• Your students are extra dysregulated and you’re feeling the pressure
• You’re tired of trying to “make December magical” for everyone but yourself
• You want practical, mindset-based strategies to keep your classroom grounded
• You’re craving permission to simplify, slow down, and breathe

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