The holidays promise magic but deliver a lengthy to-do list the length as well. In this conversation, cognitive psychotherapist and TODAY Show contributor Niro Feliciano helps us name the real culprit behind our December depletion: comparison culture, commercial pressure, and the quiet belief that we’re failing if we’re not doing everything. Drawing from her 31-day guide All Is Calmish, Niro gives a therapist-in-your-pocket reset for the season. She guides listeners through micro-moments of wellness that actually work when life is full: morning light, a sleep goal, short walks, friendship as medicine, and breathing tools so practical even Navy SEALs use them.
But this episode goes deeper than hacks. It’s about reclaiming joy from the performance of joy. Niro walks us through future-saving ways to handle family drama, why gifts can be a love-language landmine, and how simple strategies like shared wish lists and experience gifts restore connection. She speaks tenderly to the grieving, offering permission to do holidays differently, and reminds us that what kids remember isn’t the haul—it’s the presence. The kind that grows when screens go away, expectations loosen, and we choose the sledding hill over the spotless kitchen. This is the episode for anyone who wants a calmer holiday and a better life the other eleven months, too.
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