“The worst part of the holidays? The obligations that feel like forces…like purchasing gifts and going to parties I don’t actually want to attend,” a former client wrote in her reply to my newsletter about the best and the worst of the holidays.

A sense of obligation runs deep this time of year. There are travel plans to complete, meals to cook, gatherings to host, gifts to purchase, wrap, and send, family dynamics to navigate, events to attend, and traditions to maintain. Socially, logistically, emotionally, and mentally, it can take a toll. If this is you, it might feel like you have no choice in the matter — it all must get done. I hear you. And…let’s explore four ways to navigate holiday obligations that will be a little more self-supportive this year.

Gifts have never mattered that

See Full Page