One question to ask yourself

Is there anything left I want to create before the end of the year?

Journal on this - I don't mean achievements per se (but if that's what comes up for you, get curious). It's one month until the end of 2024. How do you want to feel? Is there anything you can space for now, that will leave you turning into the new year with a little more peace? What can you take action on now?

Something to consider

Is your health focus your new diet culture?

I was honoured to appear as a guest on a podcast earlier this week with someone who I truly love the mind and soul of (coming soon) and even as someone outside of the nutrition space, she highlighted what she's noticed, that I've been saying for a while - a lot of new wellness culture is just another way industry is trying to control you, preoccupy your mind, take you away from being content where you are. Be mindful of losing your energy to popping your poop in the post. Be mindful of giving your money to greens powders that give as much as your 49p broccoli and greens. Be mindful of sharing your purpose with something that makes 0.5% of difference to your health.

One thing I'd tell my younger self.

Scarcity is stressful for the mind, abundance is healing

Whenever we focus on things that are scarcity inducing to the mind (time, food, money, relational), it will create a stress response that will trigger us to act in short term preference over long term gain. Think instant over delayed gratification. Consider this with your festive food. If you're only allowing it for a short period of time (damn chocolate coins only being available a month a year), you're more likely to eat tons of them now (which is legit fine). One thing I've tried to do since becoming a business owner (and recovered my disordered eating) is come at things from a space of abundance - it seems to support my long term peace and success.

Journal on this - where does scarcity crop up for you? How does it impact your feelings and your behaviours?

One thing to try this week

Stop trying to clear the decks & instead, just get on with doing stuff that matters, while tolerating the fact that the decks aren't clear.

In action? Try to spend the next few hours doing whatever seems most useful or meaningful, right now. & create a to-do list that allows space for 'future stuff', this stuff that may never get done, that doesn't stress you out, but is there for the moments you may have space and capacity. Put it below your 'need to today' list, your 'need to this week' list', and your 'sometime soon' list. This quote Oliver Burkeman by the way, a person much wiser than me.

A few things to tell you...

Another solo pod from me this week (don't get excited there are no 'on a rolls' with a baby) on what to do once your period comes back in hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery - listen here

Lynn was back on the pod this week what a joy! She and Anna suggest ways to incorporate fear foods at this time of year, exhaustion (can't relate) & metabolic adaptation here

Thanks to everyone who's joining the free December stress-less challenge this month - as a result, we've raised over £1600 for Marie Curie Hospice in Edinburgh, you are amazing!

One more thing...

Please share your favourite stuff.

Thank you all for continuing to share your favourite Monday email quotes. I see them all. I know how much I love seeing impactful quotes from strangers, so it means a lot that you allow me to hopefully be that person for someone else. f there's something you really relate to or know someone who'd benefit from something in this email, please share it and pay it forward. Words are magical, and if I've learned anything from writing these emails to you for years, you never know when someone needs to hear the exact thing you've got to say.

The weekly perspective