Trimming the tree… and trimming my to-do list

December 14, 2025

Growing up, I watched my mother navigate the holidays with both excitement and dread.

She loved Christmas…but the thing she said every single year feeling frustration and overwhelm was:

“I can’t wait until this is over.”

That confused me as a kid.

As an adult, I get it. It is easy to let the stress, pressure and holiday commitments wear you down. 

I start to feel it the week before Thanksgiving and so do my relationships.

Suddenly, I become more focused on shopping, prepping, planning and doing and I lose all sense of balance.

Every year, I get better and better at tuning in and paying attention to what serves me so that I can be more available to the people I love.

This year I had an ambitious December plan that included family gatherings, social events, a holiday party we were hosting, a trip with my husband and robust business goals I put on my team’s shoulders.

It was a lot.

All good things — but still too much.

And I could feel it in my body.

The tightness. The pressure.The “push through it” energy.

So I once again:

I let things go.

I canceled the holiday party.
I said no to the trip.
I scaled back business expectations.

I trimmed my list — just like trimming the tree.

And almost instantly, I felt my nervous system exhale.

Space opened up. My body relaxed. Suddenly, I felt more available for myself and the people who matter most.

Here’s what I’m noticing:

When I override our capacity, I disconnect from myself.

And when I disconnect from myself, it becomes much harder to stay connected in my relationships.

This time of year naturally amplifies emotions and expectations — everyone’s a little more sensitive, even if they don’t say it out loud. That means your system needs more care, not less.

So as you move through the next couple of weeks, I invite you to pause and ask yourself:

What can I let go of?
What can I trim?
What would lighten my load, even a little?
And how does my body feel when I release something I thought I “had” to do?

Pay attention to the emotional, physical, and energetic shift that happens when you give yourself permission to do less.

Sometimes the best gifts you can give — to yourself and to your relationships — is the space to breathe.

in trust and gratitude,

Annmarie Chereso
Author, Speaker, Coach, & Meditation Teacher