I'm Busy Being Awesome Episode 328: Holiday Stress & ADHD: 5 Coping Strategies for a Calmer Season
Nov 10, 2025
Explore the holiday stress curve specifically for ADHD brains. Discover practical strategies to soften stress buildup and learn about the Good, Better, Best framework for managing expectations. Simplify tasks by asking what makes things easier and plan ahead with if-then strategies for predictable challenges. Understand how to complete the stress cycle during peak times and practice self-compassion post-holidays. Equip yourself with tools for a calmer, more meaningful season.
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The Holiday Stress Curve
- Holiday stress typically follows a buildup, peak, and post-holiday crash pattern.
- Identifying this curve lets you interrupt and reshape the season into gentler rolling hills.
Set Good/Better/Best Goals
- Use a Good/Better/Best framework to set three versions of holiday goals so imperfection still counts as progress.
- Let the 'good' option be enough to lower pressure and keep momentum.
A Decorating Story That Calmed Pressure
- Paula shares a low-capacity decorating year where she simply assembled a pre-lit fake tree and plugged it in.
- That small action provided the twinkle-light warmth she needed and counted as enough.
