The holidays are supposed to be joyful, but for many people, they feel heavy.

Not necessarily with depression, but with expectations, comparison, and the pressure to feel festive all the time.

In this holiday special, Josh and Jon talk about why the season often feels so intense and offer three gentle psychological anchors to help you navigate it: permission to lower the bar, naming what the season actually is for you, and choosing a small grounding ritual.

Most of us don't see the slow drain happening until it's too late. We blame ourselves for being tired, for not bouncing back, for lacking resilience - when really, we're just running on empty without any systematic way to refuel.

Jon and Josh explore the three types of resets that prevent burnout, why "pushing through" is actually self-neglect, and how to use micro-resilience to build sustainable momentum without running yourself into the ground.

SKIP AHEAD:

(00:00) You're not weak - you're running an engine without oil

(04:00) The physiology of depletion, how stress hijacks your executive function

(10:00) The three micro-resilience domains, physiological, cognitive, and emotional resets

(16:00) Micro-resilience in action, the 10% rule, one decision removed, and energy matching

(20:00) Recovery rituals and momentum banking, prepare on good days for your tired future self

(25:00) The 5-day challenge, one depleted area, one small action daily

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🧠 Visit Inspire Services for mental health resources and support

You think you're out of motivation, but what if you're just surrounded by invisible resistance points that make every next step harder than it needs to be?Most of us can't see the friction draining our momentum. We blame ourselves for not starting, not following through, not sticking with it - when really, our brains are just following the path of least resistance. Scrolling your phone has near-zero friction. Going to the gym? High friction. Your life isn't designed around your goals - it's designed around avoiding resistance.Jon and Josh explore the three types of friction killing your productivity, why a cluttered desk does more damage than you realize, and how to use the friction index to rate any task and actually reduce the resistance by 20%.SKIP AHEAD:(00:00) Sometimes you're not out of motivation - you're just surrounded by friction(02:00) What friction actually is: environmental, cognitive, and emotional resistance(07:00) Why friction matters more than willpower (and how it reinforces procrastination)(11:00) The friction index - rate any task from 1-10 and see why scrolling beats the gym(18:00) Five ways to reduce friction: remove steps, pre-decide, prep your environment, add friction to distractions, turn effort into identity(24:00) When friction isn't physical - how shame and fear disguise themselves as logistics(27:00) The 20% challenge: pick one behavior, identify one friction point, reduce it by 20%📧 Sign up for the nonstatic newsletter to never miss an episode🧠 Visit Inspire Services for mental health resources and support