Episode 31: Permission to Pause: A Christmas Eve Reflection for the Joy CEO

Summary:

In this gentle and reflective Holiday Special, I’m sharing a Christmas Eve message straight from the heart. This episode is an invitation to slow down, breathe, and give yourself permission to feel whatever is present—joy, grief, gratitude, exhaustion, or a mix of it all.

I talk about the pressure we often place on ourselves to make the holidays “magical,” and why that expectation can disconnect us from what we actually need. Instead, I encourage you to ground yourself in the present moment, release the rules, and let this season look the way you need it to look.

This isn’t about doing more or being more—it’s about resting, reflecting, and offering yourself kindness. If this time of year feels tender, quiet, or complicated, this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Permission to Feel—Without Fixing

You don’t have to force joy or gratitude. Every emotion that shows up belongs.

Audience follow-up → What are you feeling right now if you let yourself be honest?

Grounding in the Present Moment

A simple pause and breath can bring you back to yourself when things feel heavy or overwhelming.

Audience follow-up → Where can you pause today, even for 30 seconds?

Letting Go of the “Perfect Holiday” Myth

The holidays don’t have to look a certain way to be meaningful.

Audience follow-up → What expectation can you release this season?

Finding Joy From the Inside Out

Joy doesn’t have to come from the calendar, the traditions, or the noise—it can come from within.

Audience follow-up → What brings you a sense of peace or steadiness right now?

Rest Is Not a Reward—It’s a Requirement

This season can be a time to rest, reflect, and reset without guilt.

Audience follow-up → How can you be a little gentler with yourself this week?

✨ Reflection Prompts:

1. What does “enough” look like for you this holiday season?
2. Where are you pushing when you could be resting?
3. What would it feel like to trust yourself to set your own rules?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

1. Anyone feeling overwhelmed or emotionally tender during the holidays
2. Leaders and high-achievers who struggle to slow down
3. Those craving a quieter, more meaningful end to the year
4. Anyone who needs permission to pause, breathe, and just be

🎄 Wishing you peace, presence, and self-compassion—today and always.

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1. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

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Summary:

In this reflective and energizing solo episode, I explore the transformative power of saying yes—not as people-pleasing or overcommitment, but as a grounded, intentional choice aligned with joy, growth, and purpose.

Through personal stories (including a yes that almost slipped away), I share how fear-driven default no’s can quietly limit our lives—and how conscious yeses can create real momentum in both business and life.

This episode is an invitation to examine what you might be saying no to out of habit, and what could be waiting for you on the other side of a brave, aligned yes.

If you’re craving expansion without burnout, and success that actually feels good—this episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Saying Yes Isn’t About Doing More—It’s About Choosing Better

A powerful yes should energize you, not drain you. Lori reframes yes as discernment, not obligation.

Audience follow-up → Ask yourself: Does this opportunity expand me—or exhaust me?

Notice Your Default No’s

Many of our no’s are rooted in fear, doubt, or old stories—not truth. Awareness is the first step to change.

Audience follow-up → Where do you automatically say no without pausing to check in with yourself?

The Yes That Almost Got Away

Lori shares a vulnerable moment where hesitation nearly cost her a meaningful opportunity—and what it taught her about trust and timing.

Audience follow-up → Is there a yes you’ve been postponing because it feels uncomfortable?

Saying Yes Sometimes Requires Saying No

Aligned yeses require boundaries. Not every opportunity deserves your energy.

Audience follow-up → What do you need to say no to so you can fully say yes to what matters?

Support Makes the Yes Sustainable

Growth doesn’t happen alone. Coaching, community, and accountability turn yes into lasting momentum.

Audience follow-up → Who supports you when you step into something new?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

Saying Yes to Being Seen – Choosing visibility even when it feels vulnerable

Support Systems & Coaching – Why expansion requires partnership

Focused Commitments – Fewer yeses, deeper impact

Joy as a Business Strategy – Aligning growth with fulfillment

✨ Reflection Prompts:

Where in your life are you playing small by saying no?

What would change if you trusted yourself to handle the yes?

How does joy show up when you choose courage over comfort?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

Entrepreneurs and leaders at a growth crossroads

High-achievers tired of saying yes out of obligation

Women ready to be seen, heard, and expanded

Anyone craving momentum, clarity, and joy in 2025

Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

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📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace

In this heartfelt and grounding episode, I open up about what the holiday season really brings forward—the joy, yes, but also the pressure, the expectations, and the feeling that we need to “perform” happiness. As the CEO of Joy, I’ve learned that real joy isn’t about perfect decorations, Pinterest-level gifting, or managing a holiday checklist—it’s about presence, connection, and emotional honesty.

I share some of my own stories about financial stress, over-giving, people-pleasing, and the moments when I felt pulled out of alignment with myself. These experiences shaped how I now approach the holidays with authenticity and intention.

If you’re craving a holiday season that feels calmer, more meaningful, and more you—this episode will meet you right where you are.

I talk about the emotional weight that comes with trying to create a “perfect holiday.” The truth? Joy grows when we stop performing and start being present.

Audience Follow-Up → Where are you performing joy instead of experiencing it?

I unpack the myth that generosity = expensive gifts. I share ten gifts that cost absolutely nothing—because generosity is about the heart behind it.

Audience Follow-Up → What’s one meaningful, zero-cost gift you could give someone this week?

The holidays pull at your time, emotions, and energy. I introduce a framework for protecting your joy so you don’t end the season exhausted or resentful.

Audience Follow-Up → Which boundary do you need to strengthen to protect your energy this season?

I explore the cultural shift away from material gifting—and why presence, stability, and emotional connection are the true holiday currencies.

Audience Follow-Up → Who in your life needs more of your presence rather than a wrapped gift?

I share personal stories of holiday struggle—from financial uncertainty to emotional heaviness—and how these moments ultimately helped me redefine joy for myself and for my family.

Audience Follow-Up → What past holiday experience shaped the way you show up today?

• 10 Gifts That Cost $0 – My list of meaningful, heartfelt gifts that require no money.
• Hula Hoop Holiday Reset Guide – A tool I created to help you stay centered, grounded, and aligned during the holiday chaos.
• My Personal Stories of Financial Pressure – How my own struggles reshaped my relationship with gifting and generosity.
• A Framework for Protecting Joy – The boundaries and practices I use each holiday season to stay present and emotionally healthy.

• Where am I overspending emotionally, financially, or energetically this season?
• What would a holiday defined by presence—not performance—look like for me?
• Which relationships need more of my time and heart right now?
• How can I simplify my holiday expectations without losing meaning?

• Leaders, parents, and caregivers feeling pressure to create the “perfect” holiday
• Anyone navigating financial stress or emotional overwhelm this season
• People craving a holiday experience built on authenticity, calm, and genuine joy
• Those who want practical, heartfelt tools to reset their mindset and energy

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