Anchor Your Non-Negotiables: A Holiday Strategy for Sanity and Joy

The holiday season has a sneaky way of piling on expectations. School events. Gift exchanges. Family dynamics. End-of-year business pressures. The “shoulds” stack up fast — and before you know it, you’re spending December sprinting instead of savoring.

In this week’s episode of theSerendipitous Rebel Podcast, Wendy and Krystal are handing you a permission slip:you’re allowed to slow down. You’re allowed to do less. You’re allowed to choose sanity and joy over pressure and performance.

If you’re a business-owning woman feeling the squeeze right now, this is your gentle reminder that you are not required to “do it all.” You get to decide what your holidays look like — and how you feel moving through them.

Here’s a deeper look at what we covered in the episode. (Spoiler: it’s going to make you breathe easier.)

Why We Need a Different Kind of Holiday Strategy

The holidays hit differently when you’re:
✔ a mom
✔ a business owner
✔ the emotional barometer for your family
✔ wrapping up Q4
✔ trying to be a functional human in a very chaotic world

As Krystal put it, so many moms aren’tenjoyingthe holidays — we’reexecutingthem. Running the show. Managing logistics. Holding traditions together with tape and caffeine.

And as Wendy shared, it’s not the menu or the Pinterest-perfect décor that matters most. It’s themeaning, the connection, and the moments we’re present for.

This is the year to rewrite how you move through the season.

The Three Rebel Strategies to Savor Your Holidays

1. You Don’t Have to Say Yes to Everything

Between school parties, holiday events, extended-family obligations, and “quick favors,” December becomes a magnet for guilt-ridden yeses.

But before you agree to anything, ask yourself:

Does this add joy — or pressure?

If it doesn’t add joy, the answer is simple:No is a complete sentence.

Release the guilt. You are one human being. You cannot be everywhere. You don’t have to be.

2. Anchor Your Non-Negotiables

This is the heart of the episode — and the inspiration for the title.

Pick the 1–3 things thatmakethe holidays feel like the holidays for you.

Maybe it’s:
• baking a family recipe
• seeing the national Christmas tree
• attending one specific event
• watching a favorite movie
• hosting a small dinner with your inner circle

These are your anchors. Your season’s soul.
Build everything else aroundthose— and let the rest fall away.

As Krystal shared, her grandmother’s Russian tort is a must. For Wendy, it’s visiting the DC Christmas trees with childlike delight.

The key:protect the magic, not the madness.

3. Choose Connection Over Perfection

Here’s your new mantra:
Be open to connection, not perfection.

No one remembers whether you made the pie or bought it.
They remember how you made themfeel.

Messy kitchens, imperfect moments, and laughter-filled chaos?
That’s the good stuff.

Let perfection go. Let people in.

Bonus Wisdom from the Episode

• Step out of the “shoulds.”

Traditions, roles, history — and emotional labor — can weigh heavily. You’re allowed to rewrite the rules.

• Your pace, your rules.

Traffic, shopping, year-end numbers… everything feels intense. Slow your pace when everything else speeds up.

• Simplify ruthlessly.

Order groceries. Buy precut veggies. Skip the complicated dinner. Choose ease.

• Moms set the energetic barometer.

Your calm creates calm. Your pressure creates pressure. Caring for yourself ripples outward.

• Align your holidays with how youwant to feel.

Ask:Do I want this season to feel cozy? Calm? Connected? Playful?
Then build your choices around that intention.

Want More Support with Creating a Holiday Season You Actually Enjoy?

✨ Grab the FREE Savour™ Your Holiday Guide

It expands on everything we shared in the episode — with prompts, grounding tools, and simple practices to help you slow down and savor what matters.

✨ Explore the SAVOUR Mastermind Retreat

If you're craving deeper support, strategy, and soul-aligned success in 2026, the SAVOUR Retreat is your sanctuary.
You’ll get coaching, community, and clarity — all infused with the essence of savoring, not hustling.

Final Thought

The holidays aren’t meant to be survived.
They’re meant to besavored.

Give yourself the gift of slower mornings.
Simpler traditions.
Deeper connection.
More presence.
Less pressure.

Your holidays, your pace, your rules.