There once was a girl named Summer and her holiday season used to look like this: 

 

After coming off her latest attempt at cutting out sugar for 30 days (holiday prep!), she spends 53 hours stressing about how she’s going to strategize the food and alcohol situation at the party so to not “blow everything she worked for”. She reads “Top 10 Ways To Avoid The Holiday Bulge” articles and since straight-jackets aren’t in season (come on Marc Jacobs!), she decides to opt for the strategy of carrying a piece of beef jerky in her purse in case she gets “tempted”….let’s hope she doesn’t run into a pack of wolves.

 

She tries on 15 outfits before going to the party praying that she’ll find some optical illusion panty hose that make her legs look like a baby giraffe’s. Feeling like a self-conscious sack of shit, she reluctantly heads to the party and mingles with a friend who can’t stop talking about how “I’m so bad for eating this delicious cheeseball, but it’s OK since I’m starting the LiquidPlumberFix again next week. Have you heard of it?”

 

After mentally committing to cut sugar for another 21 days she gives herself a free pass and pile drives into the entire buffet. She wakes up the next day in a self-loathing spiral cursing herself for having organs that require food to function and zero willpower. She submits to the fact that unless she can get her food under control, she’ll never be happy. She starts coming up with New Years Resolutions to “lose the weight once and for all”.

 

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Repeat.

 

This was my life for YEARS. Until after running through the same pattern for over 10 holiday seasons in a row, I was sick of it and decided it was time to make a different choice. I made a decision to stop trying to fix something that’s imperfectly fine the way it is. 

 

Here is how I want YOUR holidays to go down:

 

Getting ready for parties involves blasting your favourite playlist and shaking your booty as you put on a dress you love.

 

You hit up social events feeling comfortable and carefree.

 

The only thought you have when you catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror is, “this blue top makes my eyes pop.”

 

You cruise through buffets at social events giving no second thought to picking out the things you want to eat…because you’re a grown-ass woman.

 

The phrases “I shouldn’t”, “I can’t” and “I’m so bad” are as foreign from your vocabulary as brobdingnagian (google that and use it the next time you’re talking about Michael Fassbender).

 

Sometimes you might feel overly full and sometimes you might not—you give zero F’s either way.

 

The only next-day regret you have is that you didn’t take off your mascara before going to bed.

 

You enjoy pumpkin pie with a side of whipped cream, not guilt.

 

You easily opt for a lazy Griswold’s vacation movie marathon day in your PJs—no justification required.

 

You move your body because it’s fun and feels good—not because you need to earn or burn anything.

 

There is no repenting for your sins—unless you murder a person.

 

You put on more comfortable pants if the ones you’re wearing feel snug—then move on with life.

 

And you never skimp on a good cheeseball—I believe this was the first rule of Fight Club.

 

This is my wish for you this holiday season and I can tell you that it is possible.

 

December is one of the most triggering months—diet ads in your face 24/7, co-workers talking about the calories in egg nog, FitBit sales on the front page of Amazon, Facebook ads about getting abs for Christmas (now that is the true meaning of Christmas).

 

It doesn’t have to be this way. You can cruise into 2016 without an ounce of guilt, shame or judgment. No miracles required. 

 

I want that for you and you deserve it—so to help, you can always join my free Facebook community to get wicked support from women who ‘get’ where you’re coming from.

 

And if you want to take it further, join my 21 Step Body Image Remix program—we start Tuesday December 1st. It’ll take you step-by-step through how to ditch the annoying banter in your head so you can finally enjoy what the holidays are all about: awkward family traditions and scoring prime parking spots at malls.

This time around I’m including 2 bonus group coaching calls so you can get some extra one-on-one support from me…aw yeah! I’d love to rock this with you—get details and sign-up here>>>

 

Be Smashing!