Welcome to the Autism, ADHD podcast. I am so happy that you join me today. I want to take a moment and ask for your help. Please take just a second and give the podcast a five-star review.

This will help me continue the podcast and keep bringing you

helpful information. Thanks so much again for taking the time to give that five-star review. Now,

let's get started. It's holiday time and we all know the holidays can be pretty stressful.

So I want you to dig deep and be realistic about your energy and your time.

I also want you to consider your mental health and your physical health.

Put aside all of those societal expectations

and extended family expectations. Gently put it aside. Take a breath and know that it's okay to recognize that you have limits because you are human. I'm human.

We all are and that's okay. So, you know, we're surrounded by things we feel pressure to do.

And you don't have to. It's okay to give yourself permission

to not have to do all the things. You don't have to do off on the shelf. You don't have to go see

the lights. You don't have to decorate the house because sometimes we just have to give

ourselves permission to not do all the things. I want you to take five minutes, only five minutes because I know you're busy. Like I am, I want you to make a

list of what really matters. What's important to you in your family? While you're writing

your list, again, want you to consider your energy, your time, your mental health, and your physical health.

Now, after you make that list, I want you to start marking out what isn't completely necessary. So this is my list. We aren't visiting anyone

out of town. Despite feeling like we should, we just don't have the energy. And that's okay.

We are putting up a tree, but aren't doing any other additional decorating.

We're cooking a formal dinner or more formal dinner for us anyway on Christmas Day,

but we're having our favorite foods, not what is expected, but what we like, which includes

chicken nuggets. The kids aren't into dealing with wrapping paper, so that's one less thing for me have to do.

I plan on sitting down and watching a Christmas movie.

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