"You don't have to do it all this holiday season. Do the things that matter most to you." - Tami Stackelhouse
The holidays can be a difficult time of year for people living with fibromyalgia. Between shopping, cooking, decorating, family gatherings, and endless to-do lists, it's easy to push yourself too far and end up in a massive fibro flare. You want to show up for the people you love, but your body will remind you that there's only so much you can give.
Luckily, a memorable holiday season doesn't just come from doing everything you've always done. Instead, it should be about doing what matters most. By learning to prioritize, pace yourself, and let go of the "shoulds," you can create a season that's joyful and supportive of your health instead of draining it. As we head towards the holidays, take your time, slow down, choose what feels right for you, and give yourself permission to rest without guilt.
In this episode, Tami talks about why it's time to start thinking about navigating the holiday season, balancing energy and prioritizing what matters, planning buffer/recovery days before and after events, fibro-friendly food strategies, tips for eating safely, setting boundaries, mindset shifts for a less stressful holiday, time-savers to reduce stress this holiday season, why you should think ahead about dressing for comfort and creating a sensory-friendly environment for yourself, the impact of focusing on meaningful decorations and simplifying your holiday decor, the importance of accepting help, prioritizing joy over holiday "shoulds," letting go of old traditions and creating new ones, and more. You'll also get a sneak peek into the upcoming Living Well with Fibromyalgia Summit: Holiday Edition, featuring talks from Certified Fibromyalgia Coaches® on areas like balancing commitments, setting boundaries, and creating joyful new traditions.
Note: This episode is not meant to be medical advice. Every person and every situation is unique. The information you learn in this episode should be shared and discussed with your own healthcare providers.
Join us for the Living Well with Fibromyalgia Summit: Holiday Edition. This is a completely free, 10-day virtual event happening October 13th through 24th, designed to help you navigate the holidays with less pain and more joy.
To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.
For daily doses of hope, inspiration, and practical advice, join Tami on Facebook or Instagram.
Need a good book to read? Download Tami's books for free.
Ready to take back control of your life and health? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Certified Fibromyalgia Coach®.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.