December 25, 2025 • 13 mins
This gentle episode of I Choose Me is a pause… a look back at 2025. Together, we look to the new year with honesty and forgiveness, sharing six simple ways to choose ourselves with more peace and intention. Here is Jennie’s gift to you, offering grounding, hope and a moment that’s just yours.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Girl. Happy
holidays everyone, Okay, I'm sending you so much love from
my house to yours. And at my house, the trees decorated,
the lights are on, the music's on. We are all
still in our cute matching jammies, our Christmas jammies. I've
(00:25):
made it a tradition, you guys, to all have matching
jammis every year. I know it's a little extra. The
guys don't really love it as much as the girls,
but they humor me. So thanks guys. And honestly, I
might just order Chinese food because I'm so wiped for Thanksgiving,
if I'm being honest. But in all this coziness, I'm
(00:46):
also thinking ahead, because somehow we are already on the
edge of twenty twenty six. I cannot believe it. So
today's episode of I Choose Me is a gentle one.
It's a pause, a look back at twenty twenty five,
the places we have stretched ourselves to thin, the moments
(01:06):
we abandon our own needs, the boundaries we didn't hold,
and then the part I love. We are going to
walk into the new year together with honesty and forgiveness,
and six simple ways to choose ourselves with more peace
and intention. So if you need a little grounding today,
(01:29):
a little hope, or just a moment that is yours,
this episode is for you because we are on the
cusp of a brand new year. So here we go.
Here's my first question for you. Where did you give
more energy than you got back? Think about that. Maybe
(01:50):
it was your work. Maybe it was a relationship where
you did more of the heavy emotional lifting. Maybe it
was always being the reliable one, the fixer, the helper,
the person everyone calls when their lives are falling apart.
(02:12):
Even though you would drop everything to help the people
you love, maybe you didn't ask for help because, like me,
you didn't want to be a burden. We all do it.
We all have those blind spots where we treat ourselves
like an afterthought. The problem is when you spend a
(02:33):
whole year being the emotional shock absorber for everyone else,
you end up depleted, resentful, and just bone tired in
a way sleep can't even fix. So let's do this.
Let's name it. Where did you say yes when you
meant no? Where did you ignore the little voice in
(02:58):
your gut? Where did you feel small or invisible or unheard,
but just kept going anyway. I had moments of that
this year. Moments where my schedule owned me like a
dog on a leash instead of the other way around.
(03:18):
Moments where I let someone else's expectations override my own needs.
Moments where I poured from a cup that was basically
as dry as the Haar desert. This year, I like
to be done with that this new year. I want
to stand up for myself the way I stand up
(03:40):
for my kids, from my mom, from my husband, for
my friends. And I want that for you too. So
get ready. Let's blow twenty twenty six up in the
best way possible. So here are six solid ways to
chew yourself in the new year. Not fluffy resolutions that
(04:03):
never happen, not New Year Knew Me, bullshit pressure. I'm
talking real tools for real humans trying to build real peace.
Number One, set one boundary you can actually enforce, not
ten boundaries. One boundary, one place where you stop abandoning yourself.
(04:28):
Maybe it's not answering work techs after a certain hour.
I see my producer nodding right now, hoping that I
do that one. Maybe it's telling the friend who always
trauma dumps. I love you, but I am not available
for this right now. Maybe it's saying no to hosting everything,
(04:49):
every holiday, every school thing, every family obligation. Find the
place where twenty twenty five took advantage of you and
seal that leak. A boundary is not a wall, it's
a doorway where you are the one who gets to
decide who walks through. Number two, Reclaim the time you
(05:13):
gave away last year. In my twenty fifth hour episode,
we talked about how there is no magical extra hour
waiting for us in the sky. We have the same
twenty four hours as everyone else. And guess what, we
use a good chunk of twenty twenty five pouring our
time into things that didn't serve us or our well being.
(05:36):
So in twenty twenty six, picture yourself choosing one window
of time every week, just one that is yours, non negotiable, untouchable,
and start to cross off that time in your brand
new calendar. Maybe it's Sunday mornings, Maybe it's Wednesdays at lunch.
(05:58):
Maybe it's thirty minutes the end of the day. In
your version of a rose Garden, protect it. Follow through
with it. Treat it like it is an appointment with
your future self, because that is exactly what it is.
Number three, stop explaining your no. We over explain everything
(06:22):
because we don't want to disappoint anyone. We over explain
because we feel guilty for our own needs. We over
explain because we think a no has to come with
a full report, but it doesn't. A simple thank you,
but I'm not available right now, or I can't take
(06:43):
that on this week. That's enough. It might be hard
because they may be disappointed, But my dear, that is
theirs to hold, not yours. I know, why know. Maybe
let's hear that again. If they're disappointed because you said no,
(07:05):
that is theirs too hold. That might take some practice,
but you can do it. You saying no is okay.
A no is complete on its own. You don't need
to dress it up, accessorize it, or give it a
long backstory. Next year, allow yourself to say no more often.
(07:34):
Number four, Rest like it's part of your job, because
it is. Here's something we forget. Rest is not a
reward at the end of the week. It's maintenance that
allows you to show up for a busy week. I've
said it before, rest is not lazy. It's maintenance for
your soul. And that truth applies double during the holiday
(07:58):
season as we wind down and and we ramp up
for a new year. We live in a culture that
celebrates burnout like it's a badge of honor. We choose
productivity like it's proof of our worth or something. We
treat exhaustion like it's noble. But if you don't rest,
(08:18):
guess what you break. And if you break, everything around
you breaks a little bit too. In these last days
at twenty twenty five, choose rest, Choose recovery, Choose softness,
Choose not pushing through when your body is begging you
(08:39):
to stop. You know, I'm also talking to myself here,
so thank you for walking this journey with me. And
I really mean that number five. Tell yourself the truth
about your relationships. I know this is a hard one,
(09:00):
but in the new year, you deserve honesty. So I
want you to ask yourself who showed up for you
this year, Who consistently took from you without giving back,
Who drains your energy? Who makes you feel good? Who
makes you feel like the person you want to be.
(09:22):
This isn't about cutting people out dramatically. I wouldn't recommend
that I've done it doesn't go over well. It's about
repositioning what's important to you. Spend less time chasing people
who don't choose you, and spend more time watering the
relationships that make you feel whole. Choose reciprocity, Choose emotional safety.
(09:49):
Choose people who see your worth without asking you to
earn it. And number six for twenty twenty six, choose
goals that serve your soul. Your New year goals don't
have to be sparkly, impressive or instagram worthy. Honestly, most
(10:11):
New Year's resolutions actually fail in the first two weeks
of January. So make goals that serve you period. Maybe
your goal is to speak more kindly to yourself or
to your spouse. Maybe it's to stop fixing other people's problems.
Maybe it's to let something be good enough instead of perfect,
(10:35):
to stop saying sorry every time you need something or
don't like something. Maybe it's to practice being comfortable saying no.
Your goals should nourish you, not push you too hard
or punish you. Okay, now take a little break, take
(10:57):
a breath, Let that all settle in choosing yourself in
the New Year isn't about tightening up or toughening up
or being stronger. It's about softening into who you really
are and protecting that person with everything you've got. It's
about deciding that the version of you who got bruised
(11:21):
in twenty twenty five deserves better in twenty twenty six.
It's about creating a life where your peace is not
an afterthought. It's about remembering that you can love deeply
and still say no. Sometimes you can show up and
(11:43):
still set boundaries. You can be nurturing and still refuse
to deplete yourself completely. Remember you don't need another hour.
You just need to believe that you are worthy of
the hours you already have. So as we say goodbye
(12:06):
to twenty twenty five, let's give ourselves a break. Let's
reflect on all that has happened, what we've accomplished, and
what we have chosen for ourselves so far. In the
new year, please stay with me as we continue to
(12:26):
challenge ourselves to grow and to choose ourselves all over again.
Congratulations on a job well done. I'm so proud of you.
Congratulations for getting comfortable choosing yourself, for honoring the version
of yourself you are becoming because when you choose yourself,
(12:48):
everything else becomes a little more possible. I love you
all so much. Happy holidays, Let's keep going together.
You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Girl. Happy
holidays everyone, Okay, I'm sending you so much love from
my house to yours. And at my house, the trees decorated,
the lights are on, the music's on. We are all
still in our cute matching jammies, our Christmas jammies. I've
(00:25):
made it a tradition, you guys, to all have matching
jammis every year. I know it's a little extra. The
guys don't really love it as much as the girls,
but they humor me. So thanks guys. And honestly, I
might just order Chinese food because I'm so wiped for Thanksgiving,
if I'm being honest. But in all this coziness, I'm
(00:46):
also thinking ahead, because somehow we are already on the
edge of twenty twenty six. I cannot believe it. So
today's episode of I Choose Me is a gentle one.
It's a pause, a look back at twenty twenty five,
the places we have stretched ourselves to thin, the moments
(01:06):
we abandon our own needs, the boundaries we didn't hold,
and then the part I love. We are going to
walk into the new year together with honesty and forgiveness,
and six simple ways to choose ourselves with more peace
and intention. So if you need a little grounding today,
(01:29):
a little hope, or just a moment that is yours,
this episode is for you because we are on the
cusp of a brand new year. So here we go.
Here's my first question for you. Where did you give
more energy than you got back? Think about that. Maybe
(01:50):
it was your work. Maybe it was a relationship where
you did more of the heavy emotional lifting. Maybe it
was always being the reliable one, the fixer, the helper,
the person everyone calls when their lives are falling apart.
(02:12):
Even though you would drop everything to help the people
you love, maybe you didn't ask for help because, like me,
you didn't want to be a burden. We all do it.
We all have those blind spots where we treat ourselves
like an afterthought. The problem is when you spend a
(02:33):
whole year being the emotional shock absorber for everyone else,
you end up depleted, resentful, and just bone tired in
a way sleep can't even fix. So let's do this.
Let's name it. Where did you say yes when you
meant no? Where did you ignore the little voice in
(02:58):
your gut? Where did you feel small or invisible or unheard,
but just kept going anyway. I had moments of that
this year. Moments where my schedule owned me like a
dog on a leash instead of the other way around.
(03:18):
Moments where I let someone else's expectations override my own needs.
Moments where I poured from a cup that was basically
as dry as the Haar desert. This year, I like
to be done with that this new year. I want
to stand up for myself the way I stand up
(03:40):
for my kids, from my mom, from my husband, for
my friends. And I want that for you too. So
get ready. Let's blow twenty twenty six up in the
best way possible. So here are six solid ways to
chew yourself in the new year. Not fluffy resolutions that
(04:03):
never happen, not New Year Knew Me, bullshit pressure. I'm
talking real tools for real humans trying to build real peace.
Number One, set one boundary you can actually enforce, not
ten boundaries. One boundary, one place where you stop abandoning yourself.
(04:28):
Maybe it's not answering work techs after a certain hour.
I see my producer nodding right now, hoping that I
do that one. Maybe it's telling the friend who always
trauma dumps. I love you, but I am not available
for this right now. Maybe it's saying no to hosting everything,
(04:49):
every holiday, every school thing, every family obligation. Find the
place where twenty twenty five took advantage of you and
seal that leak. A boundary is not a wall, it's
a doorway where you are the one who gets to
decide who walks through. Number two, Reclaim the time you
(05:13):
gave away last year. In my twenty fifth hour episode,
we talked about how there is no magical extra hour
waiting for us in the sky. We have the same
twenty four hours as everyone else. And guess what, we
use a good chunk of twenty twenty five pouring our
time into things that didn't serve us or our well being.
(05:36):
So in twenty twenty six, picture yourself choosing one window
of time every week, just one that is yours, non negotiable, untouchable,
and start to cross off that time in your brand
new calendar. Maybe it's Sunday mornings, Maybe it's Wednesdays at lunch.
(05:58):
Maybe it's thirty minutes the end of the day. In
your version of a rose Garden, protect it. Follow through
with it. Treat it like it is an appointment with
your future self, because that is exactly what it is.
Number three, stop explaining your no. We over explain everything
(06:22):
because we don't want to disappoint anyone. We over explain
because we feel guilty for our own needs. We over
explain because we think a no has to come with
a full report, but it doesn't. A simple thank you,
but I'm not available right now, or I can't take
(06:43):
that on this week. That's enough. It might be hard
because they may be disappointed, But my dear, that is
theirs to hold, not yours. I know, why know. Maybe
let's hear that again. If they're disappointed because you said no,
(07:05):
that is theirs too hold. That might take some practice,
but you can do it. You saying no is okay.
A no is complete on its own. You don't need
to dress it up, accessorize it, or give it a
long backstory. Next year, allow yourself to say no more often.
(07:34):
Number four, Rest like it's part of your job, because
it is. Here's something we forget. Rest is not a
reward at the end of the week. It's maintenance that
allows you to show up for a busy week. I've
said it before, rest is not lazy. It's maintenance for
your soul. And that truth applies double during the holiday
(07:58):
season as we wind down and and we ramp up
for a new year. We live in a culture that
celebrates burnout like it's a badge of honor. We choose
productivity like it's proof of our worth or something. We
treat exhaustion like it's noble. But if you don't rest,
(08:18):
guess what you break. And if you break, everything around
you breaks a little bit too. In these last days
at twenty twenty five, choose rest, Choose recovery, Choose softness,
Choose not pushing through when your body is begging you
(08:39):
to stop. You know, I'm also talking to myself here,
so thank you for walking this journey with me. And
I really mean that number five. Tell yourself the truth
about your relationships. I know this is a hard one,
(09:00):
but in the new year, you deserve honesty. So I
want you to ask yourself who showed up for you
this year, Who consistently took from you without giving back,
Who drains your energy? Who makes you feel good? Who
makes you feel like the person you want to be.
(09:22):
This isn't about cutting people out dramatically. I wouldn't recommend
that I've done it doesn't go over well. It's about
repositioning what's important to you. Spend less time chasing people
who don't choose you, and spend more time watering the
relationships that make you feel whole. Choose reciprocity, Choose emotional safety.
(09:49):
Choose people who see your worth without asking you to
earn it. And number six for twenty twenty six, choose
goals that serve your soul. Your New year goals don't
have to be sparkly, impressive or instagram worthy. Honestly, most
(10:11):
New Year's resolutions actually fail in the first two weeks
of January. So make goals that serve you period. Maybe
your goal is to speak more kindly to yourself or
to your spouse. Maybe it's to stop fixing other people's problems.
Maybe it's to let something be good enough instead of perfect,
(10:35):
to stop saying sorry every time you need something or
don't like something. Maybe it's to practice being comfortable saying no.
Your goals should nourish you, not push you too hard
or punish you. Okay, now take a little break, take
(10:57):
a breath, Let that all settle in choosing yourself in
the New Year isn't about tightening up or toughening up
or being stronger. It's about softening into who you really
are and protecting that person with everything you've got. It's
about deciding that the version of you who got bruised
(11:21):
in twenty twenty five deserves better in twenty twenty six.
It's about creating a life where your peace is not
an afterthought. It's about remembering that you can love deeply
and still say no. Sometimes you can show up and
(11:43):
still set boundaries. You can be nurturing and still refuse
to deplete yourself completely. Remember you don't need another hour.
You just need to believe that you are worthy of
the hours you already have. So as we say goodbye
(12:06):
to twenty twenty five, let's give ourselves a break. Let's
reflect on all that has happened, what we've accomplished, and
what we have chosen for ourselves so far. In the
new year, please stay with me as we continue to
(12:26):
challenge ourselves to grow and to choose ourselves all over again.
Congratulations on a job well done. I'm so proud of you.
Congratulations for getting comfortable choosing yourself, for honoring the version
of yourself you are becoming because when you choose yourself,
(12:48):
everything else becomes a little more possible. I love you
all so much. Happy holidays, Let's keep going together.
Hosts And Creators
Tori Spelling
Jennie Garth
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