Your Nervous System’s Holiday Survival Guide: Surviving AND Thriving Through Christmas

Inside Nat's Notebook - Real reflections for real change

Hey you - Merry Christmas

Christmas can feel like a beautiful, chaotic dance—one that leaves our nervous system feeling a little frazzled.

But what if we could shift the way we approach it?

Over the last weeks, we have dived deep into my journey with Burnout, I hope you gained a lot of insight from it and maybe some of it resonates with you. This week, We are diving into one of my favourite times of year Christmas!  It sure can be a Merry Dance for our wellbeing, let's have a look!

Christmas ahh the season of joy, laughter… and, let’s be honest, the occasional meltdown when the turkey burns, Aunt Carol starts her annual critique of your life choices, and someone gifts you another bath set you’ll be looking to re-gift.  

But before you dive headfirst into the mulled wine and plot your escape to a deserted island, let’s talk about how to make this season actually joyful—for you and your nervous system.  

Because here’s the deal: Christmas doesn’t have to feel like an Olympic-level endurance test, goodness knows I used to operate it that way. It can actually be a time to reset, realign, and even laugh at the chaos, with a glass of something festive in hand if that is your vibe.  

🧡Forget Perfect. It’s Overrated

Picture-perfect Christmases are for Hallmark movies, not real life. So what if the tree’s a bit lopsided, or the cookies look like they had a fight with the oven? The laughter from the mishaps is what you’ll actually remember.  

Your nervous system doesn’t care about aesthetics—it just wants you to breathe. So, take a breath, let go of perfect, and remember: burnt cookies = extra crispy love!

PLUS isn’t charcoal good for digestion? Winning!!   

🧡 Boundaries: Your Festive Superpower

You don’t have to be everywhere, do everything, or say yes to every invite. If it's not your thing, it’s ok to RSVP “no” to the Ugly Sweater Karaoke Night.  

Saying no is like giving your nervous system a comfy pair of slippers—it’s cosy, it’s kind, and it feels soooo good.  

🧡 Delegate Like a Boss

Here’s a radical thought: you don’t have to do it all. Let someone else host, cook, or even… yep… even wrap the gifts. 

Real Talk: I found letting someone else wrap the presents VERY challenging! What can I say, some things are just difficult to give up 🤔🤯  

Your family might grumble or like me, you might find it hard, but trust me, everyone will survive, you included. And if the bows are crooked or the playlist is 90% Mariah Carey? Well, maybe that’s a win too.  

🧡 Plan Your Escape Route  

Family dynamics can be interesting, to say the least. When things get heated (because someone brought up something from the past at dinner—why, WHY?) step outside for some fresh air or hide out in the bathroom for a mini nervous system reboot. Take a few long deep breaths and relax your shoulders before returning.  

Pro Tip: Practicing a quick breathing exercise = INSTANT calm 

Think of it like a dimmer switch on your nervous system, ahhh that’s better!  

🧡 Laugh Like It’s Your Job

Did you know laughter is basically yoga for your nervous system? Whether it’s watching Elf, having a dance-off to Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, (other Christmas Songs and Movies are available) or laughing until your ribs ache at your dog wearing reindeer antlers, laughter is your Christmas essential for your nervous system.  

Remember: if it makes you giggle, it’s gooooood for you.  

🧡 Claim Your Downtime  

Christmas chaos doesn’t mean you can’t have your own moments of calm. Snuggle up under a blanket, light a candle, and let the world wait for you. Your nervous system will thank you.  

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This season, give yourself the gift of letting go—the gift of joy without perfection, boundaries without guilt, and rest without explanation.  

Because when you’re calm, present, and maybe laughing at your crooked tree, you’ll realise that this—the messy, imperfect magic—is what Christmas is really about.  

#RebelMoment

This week, try one small shift—whether it’s breathing through the chaos or letting go of ‘perfect’—and see how it feels. Trust me, your nervous system will love you for it.

You’ve got this, my festive friend. And if all else fails, remember: there’s always wine and a Netflix marathon waiting for you.  

🧡 Merry Christmas and may your nervous system be as cosy as a pair of the softest fluffest socks! 🧡  

The real rebellion? It’s choosing to rest, to listen, to be present.

You’ve got this.

Let burnout be your guide to Reset Realign + Rise.

Life feels lighter when your nervous system is your ally.

Stay Blessed!

Nat x

🧡 Your Burnout Bestie 🧡

Ready to Break Free from the Cycle of Overdoing + find your FLOW?

On The Mat with Nat isn’t your typical yoga class. Forget sun salutations and standard sequences—that’s not how we do yoga here. These practices reset your nervous system so you can focus, feel clear, and move through the week like the superstar you are!  

Ready to ditch the tight shoulders, busy mind, and endless doing? Jump In

Hungry for more than just an hour’s session?  

The Seasonal Slumber Party is your secret weapon to hit reset before you hit the wall. It’s where awesome people like you stop hustling and rediscover what it feels like to drop into that flow state. Sign Up Here

Sick and tired of the grind? Lost that spark and not even sure why?  

It’s time to talk. I’ve been there, and I got you! Let’s Chat

Not sure and want to dip your toe in first? I get it.  

Subscribe to Nat’s Natterings for weekly reminders to step off the hamster wheel and start living from a place of calm inner power. Get on the List

About Nat

Nat Creasy, aka Your Burnout Bestie, doesn’t sugarcoat the hustle—she calls it out for what it is: an exhausting lie that’s making us all sick. As a Nervous System Mentor, Nat shows people how to break free from the cycle of exhaustion and overthinking, helping them operate from a place of power, flow, and clarity — meditation in motion.

She gets it. After 18 months knocked flat by burnout, Nat learned the hard way that constant striving is a trap. Now, she’s all about flow—teaching people that the real win isn’t about doing more; it’s about learning how to ride the waves of life with ease, in flow. Meditation In Motion. It’s about listening to your body, resetting your nervous system, and coming at life from a place of easeful power that fuels lasting success.

Tired of running on empty? It’s time to Reset Realign + Rise 

www.littlesoulshack.com