I love the holidays…..But they can also be a lot. Especially if your’e not protecting your energy.
And if you’re sensitive, intuitive, or don’t have the tools on how to shift through different nervous system states, it doesn’t take much to feel overwhelmed, drained, or reactive.
If you’ve ever left a gathering feeling tight in your chest, exhausted, ruminating, or questioning yourself, this post is for you.
I want to share three simple tools that I teach in my program The Embodied Shift Method to help you protect your energy before the holidays.
These aren’t about putting up walls or “blocking” people. They’re about building your capacity so you feel more grounded, steady, and safe in your body no matter who you’re around.
Why Protecting Your Energy Matters Before the Holidays
The nervous system piece most people miss
When your nervous system is already under pressure, even small comments can hit harder than they normally would.
And it’s not because you’re sensitive, it’s because your system is overloaded.
Energy protection is about choice, not control
Protecting your energy isn’t about managing other people, it’s about staying connected to yourself.
When you create space in your nervous system, you become less reactive and more proactive. You respond instead of bracing or fighting back (which I’m guilty of). You stay with yourself instead of abandoning yourself to keep the peace.
That’s the goal here.
Tool #1: Surround Yourself in the Golden Light of Love
A quick practice to protect your energy before the holidays
Here’s what I want you to do:
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine yourself surrounded by a soft, golden light. Just warmth, safety, and support.
I’m not going to tell you how it should feel because it’s different for everyone. But for me, it feels like I can breathe. It feels like a weight is being lifted off my chest. It feels calm and expanded. It feels like I’m safe. And I usually end with a soft smile.
So, before you walk into a gathering, take 30 seconds to see this light surrounding you. That’s it.
What this visualization actually does
This light:
- Is protecting, loving and supportive
- Filters out what feels invasive, judgmental, or heavy
I hear this question often: “but what if I can’t see this light or it’s hard for me?”
Don’t worry. You don’t have to visualize perfectly. Your nervous system understands intention.
You can also say to yourself:
“I am safe. I am supported. I get to stay with myself.”
Tool #2: Decide What You’re Open to (and What You’re Not)
Boundaries start before the conversation does
Before you go in, decide:
- What topics you’re open to
- What topics are off-limits
- What you’ll say if someone crosses that line
This isn’t about scripting every interaction. It’s about not being caught off guard if your boundaries do get crossed.
A personal example from my own life
I’m 37, unmarried, and I don’t have children. And every single holiday, without fail, someone asks why or when it’s going to happen for me.
It used to really bother me. And if I’m being completely honest, sometimes it still does.
But now, my go-to response is simple:
“God hasn’t made it happen for me.”
It’s true, it’s kind of awkward, and it usually shuts people up. They don’t know what to say. And the conversation moves on.
Giving yourself permission changes everything
The biggest shift wasn’t the words I chose. It was giving myself permission to stop explaining my life. If you don’t know already, the word “no” is a compete sentence.
And that you are allowed to say:
- “We’re not talking about that today.”
- “I’m not open to that conversation.”
- “That’s not something I’m open to sharing.”
Protecting your energy doesn’t make you rude. Not everyone needs or gets the privilege to your energy. You get to choose.
Tool #3: Wash the Energy Down the Drain
How to signal closure to your nervous system
After a gathering, don’t just mentally replay everything. Give your body a way to let it go.
You can do this a few different ways:
- Wash your hands, imagine the energy of the day running down the drain
- Take a shower, letting the water rinse off what isn’t yours to carry
- Say to yourself, “What’s yours is yours. What’s mine is mine.”
Why this simple ritual works
This isn’t fluff. It’s energy and it gives your nervous system a clear signal that the experience is complete.
When you practice this, you’re telling your body:
“We’re done now. We can settle.”
This Isn’t Just a Holiday Practice
How this became an embodied tool in my daily life
I don’t just use these tools once or twice a year. This is a daily practice for me.
What started as something I reached for during stressful family gatherings slowly became an embodied tool I use:
- Before seeing clients
- Before walking into public spaces
- Before leading breathwork events
- Before any environment where I want to stay grounded and connected to myself
Over time, it stopped being something I did and became part of who I am.
And that’s one way capacity is built. Through repetition, safety, and choice.
Your Energy Is Yours to Protect
This is where your power lives
You are not required to answer every question.
You are not obligated to hold every emotion placed in front of you.
You are allowed to decide what enters your system.
That choice belongs to you.
Building capacity creates freedom
When you practice protecting your energy in small, consistent ways, your nervous system learns something new:
I can be here without abandoning myself.
That’s self-leadership.
Want Support Building This Capacity Daily?
Your gentle next step
If you want support building this kind of capacity gently and sustainably, this is exactly why I created The Daily Shift.
It’s 5 simple nervous system tools for everyday support and designed to help you:
- Feel safer in your body
- Respond instead of react
- Create space inside your nervous system, one day at a time
REMINDER: You don’t need to change who you are AND you get to choose how you move through the world.
You got this and I’m rooting for you,
Haley
