Just a friendly reminder . . . if you celebrate holidays big, that takes a lot of energy that may have been normal in the past but might not now be if you are dealing with chronic health issues. Some choose to simplify or skip--and if that's you, that's totally okay--but for those who gain joy from the celebrations, it's time to start planning.

Stores have been running some fairly good sales for getting a jump on ordering Christmas presents (remember the shipping issues last year? supply chain shortages? well, they aren't fixed yet--expect out-of-stock and delayed items..all the more reason to start shopping). Having a few main items purchased is a huge relief.

It's not too early to start a notebook with sections for the holiday menu, a to-do list for cleaning/decorating, a list of names/addresses for Christmas cards, a list of names for gifts (and even some ideas of what to buy). Sickness, exhaustion from managing healthcare, and medications can all contribute to brain fog. You may have been the hostess with the mostess for that party you planned the night before a few years back, but this might not be the year for that. There's no shame in writing out everything so you stay on track and don't forget or over-extend yourself.

I'm not talking about a full-time fall mindset or putting up your tree in July or jumping in too early--just starting to get in mind what you want them to look like this year and what all it is going to take to make it happen . . . a few thoughts here and there, purchasing a few items as you come across them, that sort of thing.

Starting early means you can take it slow, at your pace, on your good days, which means you can then celebrate the holidays with maximum joy and minimum stress.

We have one more month of summer, and then we enter the wonderful world of cozy fall! Wishing you good health and a magical fall holiday season.

 This free site is ad-supported. Learn more
​