Cass

I want to thank you all for tuning in.

So for this episode, being the festive season, I really just wanted to offer an episode that is a small pause in the December busyness.

Often the festive season has us feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or even a little lonely.

And I want you to know you're not alone.

I think everyone at some point in this festive season gets a little overwhelmed or a little bit stressed because it ends up being such a hectic time of year.

children are finishing up on school, parents may or may not be on holidays yet, there's all the Christmas present buying, there's all the shopping for food, planning holidays, planning kids activities, Christmas parties,

It's a lot.

So I just wanted to do a short episode to talk about why this time of year can feel stressful for many people, how to navigate it gently.

And towards the end of the episode, I'll share some of the topics we'll cover on Mind Your Being in 2026.

That always sounds a little strange to say the next year for the first time, but 2026 is just around the corner.

So let's kick off with festive season stress.

For many of us, this time of year comes with extra expectations and responsibilities.

It's not just the shopping or the cooking, it can be the emotional drain as well.

We hold the mental load of planning, organizing and caring for others.

So even if you're not hosting a Christmas event, the combination of work deadlines, family commitments and social events can leave your nervous system feeling overloaded.

But it is typical for stress to feel heightened at this time of year.

Add that together with hormonal changes, maybe sleep disruption, or just the sheer busyness and the fast pace of life these days.

It can make everything feel more intense, particularly at this time of year.

Something I notice amongst my friends and amongst colleagues is

There's a lot of pressure around the idea of the perfect festive season.