It’s Christmas. There are lights on. Something smells good. Someone is probably overthinking an ornament that doesn’t really matter. That counts as festive.

Love today might look like hugs and noise and too much dessert. Or it might look like giving each other space, lowering expectations, calling it an early night. Both are valid holiday activities.

Not every kind of love wears red and green or shows up on time. Some of it is quieter. Some of it is practical. Some of it is just staying kind when things aren’t perfect—and that, too, is very much in the Christmas spirit.

If your day feels ordinary, uneven, or pleasantly low-key, you didn’t miss anything. This still counts. The magic isn’t gone; it’s just not yelling.

So take what’s sweet. Let the rest slide.

Merry Christmas—exactly as it is.

Today in 15 seconds:

💬 Overheard in Therapy:
📝 Permission Slip Series:
🌌 Daily Cosmic Weather Report:
💎 Crystal of the Day:

Take 10 seconds to notice something delightfully small around you. It could be a sparkly ornament catching a stray beam of light, a ribbon lying in a surprising curl, a cookie that browned in exactly the wrong way but smells amazing, or even the way steam rises from a mug of hot chocolate.

Let your attention linger. Don’t overthink it—just pause. Take in the color, texture, movement, or smell. Let yourself actually feel the small delight without needing it to mean anything.

This little moment of noticing is a tiny act of presence. It’s a quiet acknowledgment that joy can show up in imperfect, fleeting ways—and that the magic of Christmas isn’t always loud or perfectly curated.

Even if nothing else goes as planned today, this moment counts. Let it land. Let it stick.

Get 28 Premium Somatic Resources for the Price of ONE — This Christmas Only

We see you.

The one who's done all the "right" things—the meditation apps, the deep breaths, the positive affirmations—and still can't seem to settle. The one who lies awake at night wondering why your body won't just calm down when you desperately need it to.

Here's what we want you to know: There's nothing wrong with you.

Your nervous system has been working overtime to keep you safe. It just needs the right support to finally rest.

That's why we created the Nervous System Regulation & Somatic Healing Bundle—28 gentle, science-backed resources designed to help your body feel safe again. We're talking polyvagal theory made simple, somatic healing workbooks, and compassionate daily practices that work with your biology instead of against it.

No shame. No pressure. Just body-based tools that meet you exactly where you are.

Here's what's inside:

The best part? For our Christmas pre-launch, you can get the entire bundle—over $500 worth of resources—for 95% OFF

This price disappears once we fully launch, and it's never coming back.

P.S. Your healing journey deserves gentleness. Let this be a soft place to start. 💛

“I don’t hate small talk. I just have a seasonal tolerance limit.”

There’s nothing wrong with small talk. It’s a social kindness. A way we ease into rooms, signal safety, pass the potatoes. But during the holidays, it can pile up fast—weather updates, travel questions, “So what’s next for you?”—until even the friendliest person feels quietly drained.

This doesn’t mean you’re antisocial or ungrateful. It just means your capacity is being shared widely right now. Love, in this season, often looks like showing up with less energy than usual and doing the best you can with it.

If your tolerance runs low, that’s information—not a failure. It might be a sign to step outside for a minute, help in the kitchen, pet the dog, or let yourself drift toward conversations that feel easier and lighter. It’s also okay to keep things simple. Not every exchange needs depth. Not every moment needs sparkle.

And if you find yourself opting out early or staying quiet longer than usual, that still counts as participating. Presence doesn’t have to be constant to be real.

This is Christmas, after all. A day where love takes many forms—including pacing yourself, honoring your limits, and trusting that even small, imperfect moments of connection are enough.

This Week: Permission to Laugh at Your Mistakes

Burnt cookies, tangled lights, forgotten gifts, awkward conversations—they are all part of your story this year. And yes, that includes the moments you swore would go perfectly and didn’t. This isn’t failure; it’s texture. It’s the human heartbeat of the holidays.

You don’t need to fix everything, explain everything, or make everything Instagram-perfect. Mistakes don’t erase the love you bring or the care you’ve shown. In fact, they often make the day more memorable, more real, more yours.

So take a breath. Notice the chaos. Smile at the missteps. Laugh at them if you can. Let them sit alongside the cookies that came out just right, the unexpected laughter, and the quiet moments that catch you off guard.

Christmas is often perfectly imperfect. And your laughter—especially at yourself—is one of the sweetest gifts you can give.

Above and within, a gentle rhythm

The night sky tonight is quietly festive. As Orion and Gemini rise in the east after dark, you’ll find a hidden holiday gem between them: the Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC 2264). True to its name, its stars trace the shape of a little pine tree, with the nearby Cone Nebula reaching upward like a frosty decoration. Binoculars will reveal the brighter stars, and a telescope can reveal dozens more, hinting at the surrounding star-forming clouds.

Sirius, the Dog Star, shines low in the southeast around 7:30 p.m. Its brilliant blue-white light can flicker with tiny flashes of color as it twinkles in the atmosphere. With a very large telescope and clear skies, the faint companion Sirius B is sometimes glimpsed—but be warned: it’s a challenge even for seasoned observers.

Jupiter and Saturn are out tonight as well. Jupiter dominates the western sky in the predawn hours, while Saturn is visible earlier in the evening, low on the horizon. Mars and Venus are still near the Sun and not easily visible tonight.

The waxing crescent Moon (~25% illuminated) glows gently in Pisces, setting the tone for quiet reflection and a little holiday reverie. It’s a soft reminder that magic doesn’t always roar—it sometimes appears quietly, in clusters and flashes, and always above us if we pause to notice.

Take a few minutes tonight to step outside, look up, and notice the unexpected delights in the sky—like a tiny Christmas tree hidden among the stars.

Orthoclase, also known as K-spar, is a remarkable mineral that reminds us of both the beauty and resilience of the natural world. Its colors range from soft beiges and greys to gentle pinks and warm browns, sometimes even glowing with shades of red, and its delicate cleavage planes give it a unique geometry that feels purposeful and steady. Found in granites and pegmatites across the globe—from the Ural Mountains to Madagascar—Orthoclase has also been discovered beyond Earth, in lunar sand and on Mars, connecting us to a sense of cosmic perspective that is rare for something you can hold in your hand.

Beyond its physical form, Orthoclase carries an energy that is grounding and transformative. It encourages you to slow down, inhabit your body, and feel your emotions without judgment. Its vibrations help release the small stresses and distractions that clutter the mind, replacing them with clarity, vitality, and a quiet joy that feels both comforting and energizing. Love, happiness, and presence don’t arrive as grand gestures when you work with this stone—they show up in tiny, luminous moments that remind you life is unfolding exactly as it should.

Reach for Orthoclase when:

Orthoclase also protects your energy field, acting like a gentle shield against negativity while affirming that challenges are part of the process, not a failure. The stone teaches that difficult experiences are catalysts, providing the raw material for growth and resilience. When you work with Orthoclase, you’re reminded that joy, clarity, and personal transformation aren’t somewhere in the future—they are accessible here, now, in the ordinary and extraordinary moments alike.

3-8 minutes to tune into what you’re calling in

Off the top of your head (3 mins): How does today’s version of love and presence differ from your usual idea of “perfect” Christmas?

Spill it (5-8 mins): Which part of this imperfect day do you want to remember most?

Let it land, let it go, trust it’ll return when it matters.

Take a moment in the comfort of your space where you can breathe and just be. 🏡

Take a slow, intentional breath and notice the corners of your home where stillness lives. It could be a chair by the window, a nook filled with blankets, or even the quiet space near a glowing tree. This is your sanctuary, however small, where the world slows, and you are allowed simply to exist.

Notice how it feels to settle here—how the air moves, how light filters in, how the familiar textures cradle you. This space doesn’t ask for productivity, perfection, or performance. It only asks that you show up and breathe. Let it remind you that even amidst holiday chaos, you can carve out moments of peace.

Linger here for a few breaths, noticing the quiet magic of being home, of being present, of being yourself. Sometimes the most beautiful thing to notice is that you are allowed to rest, right where you are, exactly as you are.

Today, give gratitude to a song, carol, or sound that lifts your spirits or sparks a memory. 🎶

Pause for a moment and notice the sounds around you today. Maybe it’s a familiar carol drifting from a neighbor’s window, a favorite holiday song playing softly in the background, or even the clink of mugs and laughter in the kitchen. These sounds are more than noise—they are tiny bridges to memory, feeling, and presence.

Let yourself lean into whatever arises. Perhaps a certain note reminds you of a loved one, a past Christmas, or a simpler moment in your life. Maybe a rhythm makes your body sway, tapping along to a beat you didn’t realize you needed. These sounds carry warmth, connection, and a subtle magic that doesn’t demand anything from you except attention.

Even amidst chaos, tension, or fatigue, noticing a single sound that delights or comforts you is a quiet act of gratitude. Let it anchor you. Let it remind you that joy exists in small, fleeting moments, and that music—whether nostalgic, celebratory, or new—can carry you gently into presence. Today, allow your ears, your heart, and your awareness to open just a little wider, and feel the soft, transformative power of sound.

What expectations of “perfect Christmas” are you carrying?

See what lives quietly in your mind, tugging at you, whispering that things should look, feel, or unfold a certain way. The idea of sparkling lights, laughter that never falters, gifts that are just right, food that is flawless, conversations that flow smoothly—these are the invisible scripts that creep in every year. They whisper that if the day isn’t magical in every moment, you’ve somehow failed.

But what if those expectations are not reality’s measure at all? What if perfection isn’t the point, and your presence—messy, tired, joyful, anxious—is what truly matters? Maybe the love you offer doesn’t come wrapped in glitter or bows. Maybe the memories that stick aren’t the picture-perfect ones, but the small, ordinary, sometimes chaotic moments.

Notice which of these expectations feel heavy, which ones make you tense or anxious, and which ones might be quietly optional. Imagine gently setting down the ones that don’t serve you, even for just a few hours. Give yourself permission to let the day unfold imperfectly, to let laughter mix with awkwardness, joy mix with exhaustion, and quiet mix with chaos.

Ask yourself: which parts of this day truly matter, and which are inherited scripts I can release? This reflection is not about judgment—it’s about noticing, choosing, and reclaiming your version of love, presence, and joy this Christmas.

Christmas isn’t only the lights, the gifts, the songs, or the hustle—it’s the quiet pulse of love, presence, and care that we carry in ordinary moments. It’s in the laughter that surprises you, the warmth of a shared glance, the patience you give yourself when the day feels messy.

To honor Christmas in your heart doesn’t mean chasing perfection. It means noticing love in all its forms—even when it’s quiet, inconvenient, or wrapped in subtle gestures. It’s giving yourself permission to rest, to laugh, to forgive, to be exactly who you are. This energy, this presence, doesn’t belong only to one day—it can stretch gently into every day of the year.

So as you step away from this newsletter, carry with you a sense of grace. Notice the small sparks, the moments of connection, the simple joys, and the ordinary magic. Let today’s imperfect, luminous Christmas remind you that love isn’t always obvious, but it is always real. Keep it in your heart. Let it ripple outward. And trust that even the tiniest flicker of warmth you nurture now can shine far beyond this moment.

P.S. We made this because most spiritual content made us feel like there was something wrong with us for being tired, messy, or not “high-vibe” enough. If this made you feel a little more human today, that's all we wanted.

💌 Pass it on

Got a friend who’s basically your spirit animal? Forward them this email. Sharing is caring, and honestly, who couldn’t use a little less chaos and a little more realness?

📬 We love hearing from you

Got thoughts? Rants? Random life updates? We’re here for all of it. Reply to this email. We actually love hearing from you (yes, really).