The holidays have a way of exposing the gap between what we wish we could do and what we actually have the capacity for. If you’re moving through this season with low energy, heavy expectations, or the pressure to hold everything together, this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, Rudi explores the tension so many of us feel this season: wanting to create moments of warmth and meaning while also feeling tired, stretched thin, or emotionally overwhelmed. She shares five gentle, practical ways to navigate the holiday season with more compassion, more wholeness, and more honesty—so you don’t burn yourself out trying to keep up with everyone else’s expectations (or your own).

We talk about acknowledging what matters most, lowering expectations (twice), noticing the grief beneath the surface, honoring real limitations, and practicing surrender in a culture that tells us to keep doing more.

This episode is not a guide for getting everything done—it’s permission to do less, move slower, and show up as a human being instead of a holiday machine.

If you’re carrying a lot this year, you’re not alone. Your humanity has a place at the table too.