How to Break Busy for the Holidays

Sign up for FREE COACHING with Alli – https://alliworthington.com/freecoaching    The holiday season is almost here, friends. Before we get swept up in parties, plans, and pressure, I want you to pause and imagine something different. What if this year came with less stress and more joy? What if you finally ditched the Christmas chaos instead of letting it run your life?   Today, I'm sharing Chapter 6 of Breaking Busy, where we'll walk through practical, step—by—step ways to make this season more peaceful and purposeful. This isn’t just theory; it’s a real-life companion to help you discover joy over stress.   We’ll talk about traditions, expectations, and how to find a holiday rhythm that fits your family. Together, we’ll break the cycle of busyness and help you create a calmer, more meaningful season.   Timestamps: (01:08) - The Importance of Traditions and Why They Anchor Our Families (14:27) - Why Traditions Need to Be Flexible (22:38) - What Mary and Martha Teach Us About Expectations and Grace (25:25) - Tweaking Traditions: Small Shifts That Make the Holidays Feel Lighter WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days. I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo, Alli

Sign up for a FREE Coaching Call with Alli -- https://alliworthington.com/freecoaching    We’re kicking off something brand-new that I’m calling The Best of the Best. Because sometimes, the wisdom we most need is what we’ve already heard but forgotten—a reminder that helps us refocus and recharge. These bite-sized clips from our most-loved episodes will help you gain fresh clarity, renew your mindset, and apply proven advice to your daily life.   Today’s focus is The Best of Boundaries and Rest—packed with insights to help you set healthy limits, find rest that actually restores you, and reclaim your energy for what matters. This episode shines a light on why burnout happens and shares ways to create meaningful space in your schedule.   Sasha Shillcutt breaks down boundaries, John Mark Comer explores Sabbath rest, and Jess Connolly offers real-life strategies for rest.This one will push you, free you, and hand you the next right step you’ve been missing.   Timestamps: (01:21) — Why Boundaries Matter and What Women Often Get Wrong with Sasha Shillcutt (06:01) — Sabbath Rest and Finding True Rest for Your Soul with John Mark Comer (09:46) — Practical, Real-Life Strategies for Incorporating Rest with Jess Connolly WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days.   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo, Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW  Today I'm joined by Dr. Will Cole, one of the leading functional medicine doctors in the country—and truly the go-to expert for women who feel awful but keep hearing, "Everything looks normal." If you're exhausted, foggy, inflamed, or dealing with strange symptoms no one can explain, this episode is here to let you know you're not alone and finally feel understood. Dr. Cole and I dig into why so many women hit a wall in midlife, even when their labs look "fine." He unpacks the difference between normal and optimal, which markers actually reflect fatigue and inflammation, and how to know if your body is stuck in survival mode. We cover thyroid health, ferritin, gut issues, and the sneaky ways low iron can hide in plain sight for years. We also get real about stress, hormones, and the environmental shifts that make these symptoms so common for women right now. And here's the best part—Dr. Cole doesn't just explain the why, he shares practical, science-backed shifts and functional medicine solutions that help you feel better, think clearer, and get your spark back. So if you've ever left a doctor's office thinking, "My labs are normal, but I still feel terrible," this episode is here to validate your experience and offer a plan that finally makes sense. Timestamps:   (08:18) - Where to Actually Start When You Want Your Energy Back (15:50) - Why Gut Issues Explode in Midlife & What Real Healing Timelines Look Like (26:33) - Understanding Midlife Weight Gain (Especially Around Your Middle) (33:38) - The Supplements Most Women Truly Benefit From (38:26) -  Small, Doable Changes That Help You Start Feeling Better Fast   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days. I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo, Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW    You know how everyone assumes that, because you write books, host a podcast, and coach others to get their lives together, you must have it all figured out? Well, let me tell you—I don’t. Today I’m getting real about what happened when I, someone who literally teaches strategy and balance, hit the wall. I found myself burned out, empty, and crying out to God for help.   Here’s the truth: even the strongest women hit a wall. And when I did, I realized that ‘getting my life together’ didn’t mean working harder or pretending I was fine. It started with one small, holy whisper: Get help. That whisper changed everything—my business, my faith, and my family.   In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the exact steps I took to rebuild from burnout. We’re talking therapy, coaching, household help, and why waiting for the ‘perfect time’ keeps so many women stuck. If you’ve ever felt exhausted, overextended, or guilty for needing help, this one is for you. Asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. And it’s the first step toward freedom. Timestamps: (01:39) - Getting Help: Why Even Strong Women Can’t Do It All Alone (05:03) - Therapy Isn’t a One-Time Fix: How to Keep Growing and Healing Through Every Season (05:34) - The Truth About Burnout: What’s Inside of You Always Spills Over to Those You Love (07:53) - Business Coaching: The Secret to Faster Growth and Real Balance (09:22) - Your Time Matters: How to Finally Focus on What’s Truly Worth Your Energy   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:  Alli’s Product Recommendation - Bye Bye Foundation Full Coverage Moisturizer with SPF 50 Alli’s Food Recommendation - Allegro Organic Decaf Green Tea Start your Free 30-day trial of Uplift!   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo,   Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW  Today I get to sit down with Mark Batterson—pastor, bestselling author, and one of the most trusted voices on spiritual courage, calling, and long obedience in a loud, distracted world. His new book is a powerful reminder that God shapes us not only in mountaintop moments but also in the quiet, daily faithfulness that transforms us over time. We’re talking about grit—the kind that stays when it would be easier to quit. Because here’s the truth: everything meaningful takes longer, costs more, and stretches us deeper than we ever expect. But when you keep showing up, even when it’s hard, that’s when you grow into the person God is building you to be. Mark and I dig into doubt, divine timing, and the spiritual resistance that always seems to show up right before a breakthrough. He shares practical, powerful wisdom for anyone who wants to follow God with courage that lasts—not just emotional highs that fade, but anchored faith that stands the test of time.   Timestamps: update once first cut is available (02:52) - The Story Behind “Gradually, Then Suddenly” and Why It Changes Everything (04:00) - Going After Your God-Sized Dreams Without Fear or Frenzy (05:17) - How to Stop Feeling Behind and Start Trusting God’s Timing (09:07) - What It Really Looks Like to Commit to the Long Game (10:40) -  Why We Overestimate the Short Term but Underestimate What God Can Do in the Long Run   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE Links to great things we discussed:    Mark’s Book - Gradually Then Suddenly Mark’s Product Recommendation - Pink Miracle Shoe Cleaner Kit Mark’s Movie Recommendation - David The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days. Catalyst Mastermind I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo,   Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW    I’m about to say something that might make you want to tune out: you don’t need balance. You don’t. What you need is clarity and courage. You need to stop measuring your life against some invisible checklist that was never yours to begin with. Balance is a myth, and it’s keeping too many of us stuck, exhausted, and chasing something that doesn’t exist. I know the dream of balance sounds good, but here’s the truth: you don’t have a balance problem—you have an expectation problem. Today, we’re going to break that myth wide open and build something better. Something that actually leads to peace, purpose, and sanity. Here’s what nobody tells you about balance: it’s often a trauma response disguised as productivity. It’s our attempt to control everything so we don’t feel like we’re failing at anything. But friend, you weren’t created to juggle it all. You were designed to live with intention. To honor the seasons. To walk in the beautiful rhythm of a life led by purpose, not pressure.   Timestamps: (00:29) - Balance Is a Myth: The Lie That’s Keeping Women Stuck and Exhausted (03:29) - Why “Balance” Is Broken (and What It’s Really Costing You) (06:39) - God Calls You To Be Faithfully Aligned with His Purposes (06:55) - How Life-Giving Rhythms Bring More Peace Than Balance Ever Could (08:32) - Practical Steps to Build Rhythms That Restore Your Sanity and Strengthen Your Faith   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind Alli’s Product Recommendation - Acid League Toasted Thai Coconut Living Vinaigrette Start your Free 30-day trial of Uplift! I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo, Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW    We’re continuing our Health and Wellness Series today with my dear friend, Jordan Lee Dooley. Jordan is a bestselling author, podcast host, and a steady voice of truth for women who feel caught between hustle culture and holy living.   She has such a gift for helping us untangle the confusion around health and faith, so we can stop striving, stop chasing perfection, and start living with peace. In this episode, we’re talking about what it really means to be good to your body, not through the latest trends, rigid rules, or guilt-driven routines, but through stewardship, simplicity, and grace.   Jordan gets real about how even good things—like caring for our health—can quietly slip into idol territory if we’re not careful. You’ll discover how to find freedom, joy, and a sense of purpose in caring for your body the way God intended: with wisdom, not obsession.   This conversation is going to encourage you, challenge you, and remind you that true wellness isn’t about striving harder—it’s about living lighter, with faith firmly at the center. Timestamps: (04:00) - Why Getting to the Root Cause of Your Health Struggles Is a Process (11:50) - The Habits Jordan Once Thought Were “Healthy” and Why She Let Them Go (14:54) - The Truth About Being Good to Your Body: Stewardship Over Perfection (19:29) - The Simple First Step You Can Take Today to Start Honoring Your Body Well (23:28) - The Obstacles That Keep Women from True Health and Freedom WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind Jordan’s Book - Be Good to Your Body Jordan’s Song Recommendation - Isn’t He Good Jordan’s Product Recommendations - Crunchi Highlighter & Pumpkin Spice Bone Broth Protein The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days. Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW  I am proud to co-own Little Things Studio, a wonderful woman-owned small business in Nashville, TN. We create each piece with great care and can't wait for you to experience the love that goes into every item. Whether you visit our store or shop online, you'll find that all our products are crafted with love right here in the USA.   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo, Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW  What if I told you burnout isn’t about your calendar? It’s not. That bone-deep weariness—the kind that sleep doesn’t touch—doesn’t come from doing too much. It comes from doing too little of what actually matters. The problem isn’t your schedule; it’s your soul running on fumes. We’ve been told the story that burnout is all about overcommitting, overachieving, and overdoing. And sure, sometimes that’s part of it. But for most of us—the givers, the helpers, the women holding everything together—burnout isn’t about piling on more. It’s about what we’ve cut out. We’ve quietly deleted the very things that restore us. You can perfect your morning routine, turn off every notification, and still feel empty. Because burnout isn’t about how busy your days are—it’s about how fulfilled your heart is. And here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck in depletion. Today, we’re going to talk about how to reclaim what fuels you, reset your rhythm, and start living from a place of fullness instead of running on empty.   Timestamps: (00:39) - The Surprising Truth: Your Burnout Has Nothing to Do with Your Calendar (03:27) - Why Doing Less of What You Love Might Be Draining You (05:13) - The 3 Hidden Sources of Burnout You Don’t See Coming (07:58) - Soul Neglect & Overcarrying Leads to Emotional Exhaustion (12:06) - 3 Practical Steps to Move from Burnout to Real Alignment   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind Alli’s Product Recommendation - Apple AirTags Start your Free 30-day trial of Uplift! Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW  I am proud to co-own Little Things Studio, a wonderful woman-owned small business in Nashville, TN. We create each piece with great care and can't wait for you to experience the love that goes into every item. Whether you visit our store or shop online, you'll find that all our products are crafted with love right here in the USA.   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo,   Alli

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW!   We’re back with another episode in our Health & Wellness Series, and today we’re diving deep into emotional health with one of my favorite people on the planet, Niro Feliciano. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know Niro is a powerhouse of wisdom. She’s a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and the kind of friend who always knows exactly what to say when life feels overwhelming.   Her new book, All Is Calm(ish), couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s the guide every woman needs before the holiday whirlwind begins. Because let’s be honest—this season that’s supposed to be full of joy? It often leaves us frazzled, overcommitted, and wondering how we got so far from peace.   In this episode, Niro and I get real about the emotional toll of the holidays. We talk about the invisible pressures we put on ourselves, the myth of perfection, and how to rewrite the script before December even starts. You’ll hear us laugh, share stories, and dig into the science behind stress—and how faith can be the anchor that steadies us.   You’ll leave this conversation with practical, grace-filled strategies to help you show up with more calm than chaos, more presence than pressure, and a peace that doesn’t disappear when the wrapping paper does.   Timestamps: (01:21)- The Reason the Holidays Feel So Hard (04:39) - How to Set Boundaries That Protect Your Peace This Holiday Season (14:46) - The Super-Toxic Expectations We Quietly Pile on Ourselves (22:34) - Clear Signs You Need to Set Boundaries Before Burnout Hits (26:28) - Navigating Grief During the Holidays    WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Niro’s Book - All Is Calmish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays Niro’s Song Recommendation - Been So Good Niro’s TV Recommendation - Ted Lasso Niro’s Book Recommendation - The Tell Niro’s Product Recommendation - Curls Rock Get 40% off at Little Things Studio  I am proud to co-own Little Things Studio, a wonderful woman-owned small business in Nashville, TN. We create each piece with great care and can't wait for you to experience the love that goes into every item. Whether you visit our store or shop online, you'll find that all our products are crafted with love right here in the USA.   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars. Your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo, Alli

Join the Catalyst Mastermind !    You know what to do, so why aren’t you doing it? You’ve got the plan, the Pinterest board, and the color-coded calendar to prove it. Maybe it’s the business idea that’s been “almost ready” for six months, the book still inside you, the course you’ll launch someday, or the hard conversation you keep postponing.   I’m not judging. You’re in good company. Every ambitious woman I know has had that 2 a.m. moment of frustration: I know exactly what to do, so why can’t I make myself do it? We tell ourselves it’s a motivation problem, but what if it’s actually something deeper?   Here’s the truth: it’s not about willpower, laziness, or even time. It’s about identity. The gap between who you believe you are and who you’re becoming is where resistance lives. That’s why it feels so hard—you’re stepping into a new version of yourself, and your old identity is fighting to stay in charge.   But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck. You can close that gap. You can start showing up as the woman who already does the thing, even before it feels natural. That’s how transformation works—it’s not about waiting until you feel ready, it’s about acting like the future you right now.   So today, let’s stop rehearsing the plan and start living it. Let’s stop waiting for perfect timing and start trusting that God has already equipped you for this moment. You don’t need more motivation—you need to believe you are the kind of woman who follows through. And once you believe it, you’ll finally do the thing you were made to do.   Timestamps: (00:47) - The Real Reason You’re Not Doing What You Already Know to Do (03:46) - What the “Identity Gap” Really Is (and Why It Changes Everything) (05:16) - The Most Common Identity Gaps Keeping Ambitious Women Stuck (07:43) - Three Powerful Identity Shifts That Can Change Everything (09:56) - Three Simple Actions to Close the Gap and Move Forward This Week WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE     Links to great things we discussed:  Alli’s Product Recommendation - These Are the Good Old Days Banner Start your Free 30-day trial of Uplift! I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo,   Alli