Holiday cheer can hide a heavy lift. Nearly half of adults feel more stressed from November to January, and many face the holiday blues or seasonal affective disorder. In this episode, we break down what to watch for, how expectations and routines shape mood, the simple resets that help (morning light, protected sleep, clearer boundaries, saying yes to help), quick planning moves to prevent overload, and when to seek support at 988. Press play to learn the red flags and small changes that can steady your season.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• What separates Holiday Blues from SAD and how that changes your plan
• Why low mood, sleep swings, or hopelessness are red flags to act on
• How morning light boosts mood and resets your body clock
• Start here: set clear yes/no boundaries and exit plans to protect energy
• Try small assists: accept help and delegate to cut mental load

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• 44. Beat the Holiday Blues with These Practical Mental Wellness Tips
• 49. Thanksgiving Special: How Practicing Gratitude Impacts Your Well-being
• National Institute of Mental Health

If you or someone you know is struggling with overwhelming feelings, you're not alone. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support 24/7. There's always someone ready to listen and help you through.

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Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

Asking for help is not a weakness; it is a sign of leadership. In this episode, we'll explore why it can be challenging in medicine, examining factors such as bias, pride, the lone-ranger habit, and the fear of burdening others. Hear practical shifts like saying yes to offered support, delegating to empower your team, and matching help to your season. Press play to pick one ask you will make today.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• Why asking for help feels hard and what to notice first
• What does it mean and how to reframe the story
• How to delegate to empower and offload for good
• Why asking boosts connection, trust, and performance
• How to practice a default yes and when to expand support

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• 115. Energy Healing For Burnout And Transitions with Candice Van Dertholen Part 1
• 116. Energy Healing For Burnout And Transitions with Candice Van Dertholen Part 2
  

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Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

Confidence is a skill, not a personality type. In this episode, we unpack why self-doubt lingers for women in medicine even when performance is strong. We show how the confidence and competence loop with staged learning can shift that story. Press play to pick one move you will try this week.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• What confidence really is and why it's buildable
• Why strong outcomes don't erase self-doubt and how to interrupt it
• How the confidence and competence loop works and where to start
• What stage you are in and how to move to the next one
• How to turn failure into feedback and celebrate facts that boost belief

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Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

Our most productive day might be the one with no agenda. In this episode, we unpack how unstructured time lowers the mental load, restores presence, and sharpens decisions. We share simple ways to build short breaks and parasympathetic days into real life without losing momentum. Press play to pick one small shift you will try this week.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• What a no-agenda day is and why it calms your nervous system
• Why schedule rigidity blocks presence with the people who matter
• How decision capacity drops without breaks and the quick fixes that restore it
• Why awareness comes first and how to block open space on your calendar
• What to put in unstructured time and how to avoid numbing defaults like TV and scrolling
  

Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

FOMO is fear pretending to be ambition. In this episode, we'll show you how comparison drives overcommitment and anxiety, and how JOMO helps you choose what matters. Learn simple shifts to pause before yes, listen to your body, and back your decision without second-guessing. Press play to pick one choice you will make differently today.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• What FOMO really is and why it spikes in the era of constant feeds
• Why comparison to highlight reels fuels anxiety, burnout, and poor sleep
• How to pause before yes and ask better questions that honor priorities
• How to listen to your body for decision signals and reduce indecision fatigue
• Make the decision, back yourself up, and stop the energy drain of second-guessing
  
  

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Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

Grace is the quiet power that changes everything in medicine. We'll show how letting go of perfectionism and choosing realistic optimism restores energy, connection, and real precision. Press play to pick one shift now and share it with a colleague who needs a lighter load.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• What grace really means in medicine and why it changes everything
• Precision vs perfectionism: How to aim high without self-punishment
• The recovery tool you are allowed to use
• A simple planning check that lightens your load
• Why women in medicine need grace now more than ever

Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

What if resilience wasn't about pushing through, but bouncing forward with intention? We will explore what true resilience looks like for women in medicine, beyond burnout and perfectionism. Through real stories and simple strategies, we'll unpack how to recover, reframe, and reconnect with your well-being. Listen in to redefine strength and take your next step toward healing.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• Why "bouncing forward" is a more helpful definition of resilience
• What do you actually need to recover in your well-being?
• Story reframing: what can this struggle teach you?
• The power of self-compassion and treating yourself like your best friend
• Redefining resilience as healing and growth, not just toughness

Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine

What if success isn't about doing more, but about small moves that matter? This episode explores how tiny, intentional actions can create meaningful momentum. With neuroscience and real-life coaching insights, we show how lowering the bar with compassion leads to lasting change. Tune in and take one small step toward a more balanced life.

Key Takeaways To Listen For

• How self-compassion reduces overwhelm and helps sustain momentum
• A 5-minute break that transformed an entire workday and created a ripple effect
• The "floor and ceiling" method for flexible and sustainable goal setting
• Habit stacking, redefining success, and celebrating progress over perfection
• Why starting small, like flossing one tooth, can be the most powerful move

Connect With Us
Do you want to hear more from the ladies of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com!

▶️ Watch our videos: https://youtube.com/@createmeaninginmedicine