It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and also the messiest, the noisiest, and the most likely to send even the calmest among us into a full emotional tailspin.

This week Thrivesters, I’m coming to you surrounded by oyster-shell ornaments, cookie crumbs, and homemade wine toppers - because apparently, I still over-commit even while teaching YOU not to. It’s festive chaos over here, but it’s also exactly why today’s episode matters.

If you love the holidays and find yourself bracing for impact as soon as the extended family walks through the door, this one’s for you.

Here’s the truth we don’t talk about nearly enough:

Family dynamics have a special way of pulling us back into childhood roles faster than you can say “Who made this sweet potato pie?”

So today, I’m breaking down three ways to navigate all of it with clarity, humor, boundaries, and actual grace - not the kind you force through your teeth.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

1. Remember: It’s Not About You (Yep, I Said It)

2. Boundaries: Set ’Em, Say ’Em, Stick to ’Em

3. Go Inward: What’s Your Role Here?

You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll definitely recognize a few holiday characters in your own life… and you’ll walk away with a plan to actually enjoy the season without losing yourself in the process.

Because Thrivesters - the holiday drama doesn’t get to control your experience.

YOU DO.

✨ Ready for stress-free holidays (for real)?

Join the Weekly Buzz for gifts, boundary scripts, and my favorite little holiday surprises.

Link in show notes.

✨ Thinking about Thrive Coaching?

January spots are open now, and the investment increases soon.

Click here to get the details.

Go out there and thrive like you mean it.

Links & Resources:

• Join the Thrive Hive and receive the Weekly Buzz: ⁠https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/MurXaK9⁠
• Grab my best-selling book Unmute Yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Unmute-Yourself-Speak-Stand-Out/dp/B094988YFD
• Follow me on Instagram: ⁠@nancy_medoff (https://www.instagram.com/nancy.medoff)
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: @nancymedoff (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancymedoff/)

It’s December, Thrivesters, which means we are officially in the season where six months of living gets crammed into three weeks and somehow we’re all expected to smile, sparkle, and simultaneously attend 47 events with matching pajamas and homemade cookies.

Spoiler Alert: You cannot do all the things.

And neither can I.

In today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the years I used to run myself ragged hosting full-blown holiday extravaganzas - ice sculptures, champagne fountains, disco lights, custom cocktail napkins. Yes, in a Boston apartment. Yes, while I was flying around delivering keynotes and eating airport dinners.

And they were FUN…

Until they weren’t.

Eventually, the holidays became less “joyful celebration” and more “why am I sweating through December while everyone else is sipping mulled wine?” So I stopped. And wow, did people have feelings about it. (I still get the Devil Wears Prada up-and-down look every year. You know the one.)

Truth bomb for you Thrivesters:

You’re allowed to say no.

You’re allowed to protect your energy.

And you’re allowed to enjoy a holiday season that doesn’t leave you looking like the cat who touched the light socket.

Today I’m giving you five no-BS, drama-free ways to say NO - with kindness, with clarity, with confidence, and without ghosting people or offering panicked explanations.

December wants to pull you in a thousand directions and this episode hands you the scripts, the confidence, and the permission to choose where your energy goes this season - and where it absolutely does not.

Because protecting your peace is not rude, selfish, or dramatic.

It’s leadership.

It’s maturity.

It’s growth.

And it’s exactly how you step into 2026 as the YOU, you actually want to be.

✨ The next episode is a special one, so make sure you’re subscribed… it’s going to be GOOD.

Now go thrive like you mean it.

Links & Resources:

• Join the waitlist for my free 2025 Holiday Thrive Guide —your permission slip to slow down, savor, and actually enjoy the season. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/BpdMURp

• Join the Thrive Hive and receive the Weekly Buzz: ⁠https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/MurXaK9⁠
• Grab my best-selling book Unmute Yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Unmute-Yourself-Speak-Stand-Out/dp/B094988YFD
• Follow me on Instagram: ⁠@nancy_medoff (https://www.instagram.com/nancy.medoff)
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: @nancymedoff (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancymedoff/)

We’ve all said it, Thrivesters - “I’ll deal with it after the holidays.” And let’s be real… this is usually code for “I don’t want to think about it right now.”

In this caffeinated, no-filter episode, I’m diving into the three words that quietly sabotage your motivation and momentum every year. You’ll learn why “after the holidays” isn’t about time - it’s about avoidance - and how to take one small step now to protect your future self from burnout, guilt, and that January regret spiral.

I’m also going back to our roots and talking about the one word women need to drop from their vocabulary ASAP (hint: it’s right?), and why it’s secretly chipping away at your confidence every time you say it.

Get ready for a mix of straight talk, laughter, and my signature Thrive Hive truth bombs - because thriving isn’t something you postpone. It’s something you practice, especially when life gets full.

In this episode:

• The sneaky danger of “after the holidays” thinking

• The one small step to reclaim your time and energy right now

• How to prep yourself for a thrive-style new year - before January

Links & Resources:

• Join the waitlist for my free 2025 Holiday Thrive Guide — your permission slip to slow down, savor, and actually enjoy the season. https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/BpdMURp
• Join the Thrive Hive and receive the Weekly Buzz: ⁠https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/MurXaK9⁠
• Grab my best-selling book Unmute Yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Unmute-Yourself-Speak-Stand-Out/dp/B094988YFD
• Thrive Live Coaching Early Bird Pricing: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/C3Zwutq