How I’m Coping with the Mental Load of Perimenopause, ADHD, Teens and the Year-End Chaos (With a Little More Awareness This Time)
There’s a certain time of year that always seems to come for me — and not gently. The late-November to late-December vortex.
If you know, you know.
Every single year, this season knocks me flat. It’s like the universe decided to take every family birthday, every event, every celebration, every piece of Christmas planning, and stack it all into six jam-packed weeks… and then hand it to the most easily overwhelmed, emotionally saturated version of me to “manage”.
Between my birthday, my daughter’s birthday, my nephews’ birthdays, my dad, my father-in-law, my husband, and then Santa breathing down my neck — it has always felt like the ultimate mental load marathon. Gifts, dates, logistics, what we’re doing, who’s cooking, who’s hosting, how to make everyone feel seen… on top of the everyday juggle of teens, work and hormones.
Most years, this season empties my cup completely.
But this year feels… different. Not lighter. Not magically easier. Just… more aware.
🌿 Awareness Changes Everything (Even When Life Stays Busy)
This is my first “birthday-to-Christmas gauntlet” since:
- my ADHD diagnosis,
- fully realising I’m in perimenopause,
- and committing to being kinder and more realistic with myself.
And honestly? Awareness doesn’t remove the chaos — but it makes it gentler.
Before, I thought I was just bad at keeping up. Now I know:
- My brain genuinely struggles with multiple overlapping timelines
- Decision-making costs real energy
- Hormones amplify emotional load
- Social planning drains me
- And my nervous system has limits that deserve respecting
I’m not “too sensitive” or “disorganised” or “dropping the ball”. I’m a woman with ADHD, in perimenopause, holding a big life — and doing my best.
🔥 This Season Still Feels Big… But I’m No Longer Fighting Myself
Nothing about this time of year has changed. The birthdays are still stacked. The calendar is still full. Christmas still comes at the same speed.
But I have changed.
This year, I’m approaching everything with:
- More self-compassion
- More emotional honesty
- More realistic expectations
- More flexibility
- And way less guilt
I’m planning differently. Resting earlier. Noticing the warning signs in my nervous system sooner. Allowing myself to say no without spiralling. And dropping the invisible weight of “performing Christmas perfectly”.
For the first time, I feel like I’m walking into this chaotic season with myself, not against myself.
⚡️ ADHD + Perimenopause + Festive Season = A Big Cocktail… But I Finally Understand the Ingredients
ADHD makes me:
- take on too much
- forget what I’ve said yes to
- underestimate how long things take
- leave everything to the last minute
- feel flooded when multiple demands hit at once
Perimenopause makes me:
- more tired
- more emotionally fragile
- less tolerant of pressure
- quicker to feel overwhelmed
- slower to recover
And then the festive season piles on:
- deadlines
- obligations
- expenses
- expectations
- social energy
- schedule changes
- sensory overload
In the past, I would crumble under the combination, not even knowing why. Now, at least I understand the terrain I’m walking through.
🌼 Going Easier on Myself Is the Real Gift This Year
This season, I’m letting myself:
- buy the simplest gifts
- outsource where I can
- say ‘that’s enough’
- rest before I burn out
- let things be “good enough”
- make space for meltdowns (mine!)
- recover without guilt
- ask for help
- and celebrate without forcing myself to be “on”
I’m choosing regulation over performance. Presence over perfection. And survival over sparkle.
🌟 Working With My Brain, Not Against It
I still feel overwhelmed. I still get anxious. I still have doona-hiding moments.
But I no longer push myself blindly. Understanding the why lets me support myself with compassion and realism.
This year might be the first where I get through November and December without feeling completely wrung out… or maybe it’ll still be messy.
But at least I’m meeting it with self-awareness and softness.
🎄 And My End-of-Year Sidekick: The Silly Season Duo Pack
At the end of the day, one of the things that genuinely helps me hold it all together during this chaotic stretch is my Silly Season Duo Pack — one of our most-loved blends and mists designed exactly for this end-of-year swirl.
Here’s why it’s such a support for me:
-
This pack was literally created for “end of year craziness”
-
It’s perfect when your nervous system feels stretched, overloaded or just DONE
-
The blend helps me feel calmer, more steady and less reactive
-
The mist wraps everything in a grounding, festive, comforting scent — mandarin, vanilla, frankincense and cinnamon
-
It helps me soften, breathe and come back into my body when the season feels too loud
I always keep the blend in my bag and the mist on my desk or in the car — little pockets of support that help me regulate and reset when I feel myself getting swept away.
If you’d like this gentle support too, you can find it here (currently with 20% off!):
👉 Silly Season Duo Pack
Yours in Health,
Alisha x
How I’m Coping with the Mental Load of Perimenopause, ADHD, Teens and the Year-End Chaos (With a Little More Awareness This Time)
There’s a certain time of year that always seems to come for me — and not gently. The late-November to late-December vortex.
If you know, you know.
Every single year, this season knocks me flat. It’s like the universe decided to take every family birthday, every event, every celebration, every piece of Christmas planning, and stack it all into six jam-packed weeks… and then hand it to the most easily overwhelmed, emotionally saturated version of me to “manage”.
Between my birthday, my daughter’s birthday, my nephews’ birthdays, my dad, my father-in-law, my husband, and then Santa breathing down my neck — it has always felt like the ultimate mental load marathon. Gifts, dates, logistics, what we’re doing, who’s cooking, who’s hosting, how to make everyone feel seen… on top of the everyday juggle of teens, work and hormones.
Most years, this season empties my cup completely.
But this year feels… different. Not lighter. Not magically easier. Just… more aware.
🌿 Awareness Changes Everything (Even When Life Stays Busy)
This is my first “birthday-to-Christmas gauntlet” since:
- my ADHD diagnosis,
- fully realising I’m in perimenopause,
- and committing to being kinder and more realistic with myself.
And honestly? Awareness doesn’t remove the chaos — but it makes it gentler.
Before, I thought I was just bad at keeping up. Now I know:
- My brain genuinely struggles with multiple overlapping timelines
- Decision-making costs real energy
- Hormones amplify emotional load
- Social planning drains me
- And my nervous system has limits that deserve respecting
I’m not “too sensitive” or “disorganised” or “dropping the ball”. I’m a woman with ADHD, in perimenopause, holding a big life — and doing my best.
🔥 This Season Still Feels Big… But I’m No Longer Fighting Myself
Nothing about this time of year has changed. The birthdays are still stacked. The calendar is still full. Christmas still comes at the same speed.
But I have changed.
This year, I’m approaching everything with:
- More self-compassion
- More emotional honesty
- More realistic expectations
- More flexibility
- And way less guilt
I’m planning differently. Resting earlier. Noticing the warning signs in my nervous system sooner. Allowing myself to say no without spiralling. And dropping the invisible weight of “performing Christmas perfectly”.
For the first time, I feel like I’m walking into this chaotic season with myself, not against myself.
⚡️ ADHD + Perimenopause + Festive Season = A Big Cocktail… But I Finally Understand the Ingredients
ADHD makes me:
- take on too much
- forget what I’ve said yes to
- underestimate how long things take
- leave everything to the last minute
- feel flooded when multiple demands hit at once
Perimenopause makes me:
- more tired
- more emotionally fragile
- less tolerant of pressure
- quicker to feel overwhelmed
- slower to recover
And then the festive season piles on:
- deadlines
- obligations
- expenses
- expectations
- social energy
- schedule changes
- sensory overload
In the past, I would crumble under the combination, not even knowing why. Now, at least I understand the terrain I’m walking through.
🌼 Going Easier on Myself Is the Real Gift This Year
This season, I’m letting myself:
- buy the simplest gifts
- outsource where I can
- say ‘that’s enough’
- rest before I burn out
- let things be “good enough”
- make space for meltdowns (mine!)
- recover without guilt
- ask for help
- and celebrate without forcing myself to be “on”
I’m choosing regulation over performance. Presence over perfection. And survival over sparkle.
🌟 Working With My Brain, Not Against It
I still feel overwhelmed. I still get anxious. I still have doona-hiding moments.
But I no longer push myself blindly. Understanding the why lets me support myself with compassion and realism.
This year might be the first where I get through November and December without feeling completely wrung out… or maybe it’ll still be messy.
But at least I’m meeting it with self-awareness and softness.
🎄 And My End-of-Year Sidekick: The Silly Season Duo Pack
At the end of the day, one of the things that genuinely helps me hold it all together during this chaotic stretch is my Silly Season Duo Pack — one of our most-loved blends and mists designed exactly for this end-of-year swirl.
Here’s why it’s such a support for me:
-
This pack was literally created for “end of year craziness”
-
It’s perfect when your nervous system feels stretched, overloaded or just DONE
-
The blend helps me feel calmer, more steady and less reactive
-
The mist wraps everything in a grounding, festive, comforting scent — mandarin, vanilla, frankincense and cinnamon
-
It helps me soften, breathe and come back into my body when the season feels too loud
I always keep the blend in my bag and the mist on my desk or in the car — little pockets of support that help me regulate and reset when I feel myself getting swept away.
If you’d like this gentle support too, you can find it here (currently with 20% off!):
👉 Silly Season Duo Pack
Yours in Health,
Alisha x
3 comments
I’m feeling these feels! We are just back from nearly a month in Europe – suddenly it’s a month until the silly season 😬🙄🤞 I’m making it easy on myself, although overlay that with a four hour road trip (with the dog) and lalalakala – I’ll get through 🌸🤞😘
I’m feeling these feels! We are just back from nearly a month in Europe – suddenly it’s a month until the silly season 😬🙄🤞 I’m making it easy on myself, although overlay that with a four hour road trip (with the dog) and lalalakala – I’ll get through 🌸🤞😘
Great article. That is exactly how I felt this time last year to a point that I almost didn’t do something for my 50th because I was so overwhelmed. Thank you for sharing.
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