Enjoy the Holidays the Way YOU Want

Laura's Thanksgiving Painting Project!

Somewhere along the way, the holidays became a checklist. The perfect gifts. The perfect table. The perfect mood. The pressure to meet expectations—our own or everyone else’s—can pile up so high that the season ends up feeling more overwhelming than joyful.

But here’s the quiet truth we often forget: the holidays can be whatever you want them to be. Years ago, I decided to take the holidays into my own hands!

There’s a profound freedom that comes with stepping away from the scripts we’ve inherited. Maybe you grew up with big gatherings, but the idea of a quiet morning with coffee and a long walk sounds far more nourishing this year. Maybe you’ve always cooked the big meal, but this season, ordering takeout and watching movies in pajamas feels like the truest version of celebration. Or maybe this is the first year you’re letting yourself skip the parties, the pressure, or the traditions that no longer fit the person you’re becoming.

When you release the “shoulds,” you make space for what genuinely lights you up. You begin to notice the small joys: a slower pace, a moment of connection, the comfort of choosing what you actually have the capacity for. You also open the door to more honest relationships—because when you stop performing the holidays, you invite others to meet you where you truly are.

Enjoying the holidays your own way doesn't make them less meaningful; it often makes them more so. You get to anchor the season in what restores you, nourishes you, and feels aligned with your life right now—not last year, not five years ago, not anyone else’s vision. In fact, this year on Thanksgiving, I painted my bedroom and hung new curtains; it was a perfect day for me (see image).

This season, give yourself permission to create a holiday that reflects your heart, your values, and your capacity. Joy doesn’t come from doing it all. Joy comes from doing what matters—and letting the rest fall away.