Week One didn’t just go off the rails — it launched itself into a ditch, set the ditch on fire, and then asked me why I was surprised. I started this whole Calm Before Christmas thing imagining soft mornings, mindful moments, gentle progress… and instead I got chaos, exhaustion, random tears, zero follow-through, and whatever the emotional equivalent of tripping over my own feet is.
I had this picture in my head of myself easing into the week with intention and clarity, like some serene version of me was finally about to take the wheel. What actually happened was life coming at me like a rogue wave. The food goals? Gone. The movement goals? Absolutely not. The tiny mindful resets? Didn’t see a single one. My brain? Actively sabotaging me, sometimes before I even got out of bed.
But somehow — and I genuinely don’t know how — the one thing I did manage to stay consistent with was my daily gratitude. Three small things, every single day. The only rope I managed to hold onto while everything else slipped straight through my fingers. And honestly? I’m counting that as a win, because it proved I didn’t completely abandon myself.
So before I move into Week Two and try again with slightly more realistic expectations, here’s the brutally honest breakdown of everything I planned to do in Week One… and how spectacularly it all dissolved.
“Change never starts calm — it starts messy.
But even messy effort still counts.”
The Calm Before Christmas – Week One Action List
Better Eating — Not “Perfect” Eating
- Home-cook dinner six nights this week
- Include something green with lunch every day
- Skip snacks on three days (meals only, no grazing)
- Keep portions realistic and intentional
- Swap one comfort-food moment for a drink, walk, or pause instead
More Movement — But Make It Realistic
- Go for a short daily walk (10–15 minutes counts)
- Move for three songs a day — dance, clean, stretch, whatever fits
- Play actively with Ruby (park trips, chasing, dancing, laundry fun)
- Stretch before bed instead of immediately scrolling
Mindfulness Moments
- Do one 10-minute bedtime meditation each night (from your YouTube channel)
- Take a deep breath before eating and practice a short moment of gratitude
- Keep a “Daily Wins” note on your phone — one thing you did well each day
Small Joys, Big Gratitude
- Write down three small things you’re grateful for daily
- Take one photo each day of something that made you smile
- Tell one person something kind or encouraging each day
Reset the Space
- Declutter or tidy your “corner of doom”
- Do a 10-minute evening reset — clear the bench, tidy toys, reset small zones
- Complete one focused cleaning project before the weekend
13 November 2025
With Ruby and I being sick, the idea of being mindful to make healthy choices, didn’t feel achievable. I was awake at 1 am thinking about McDonalds. After a rather sleepless night, we woke up and started the day.
Instead of making breakfast, I got straight into content creation. I had created a To Do List for the week and it was now Thursday, and only one task had been crossed off the list. I thought about ordering food the entire time, but didn’t.
By lunch time, I was hungry, tired, sick and just over it. I ate more than I should. I know I could just not say anything but how would that be different to my every day life. I did bad and I want to do better. Dinner was takeaway because while being sick, by the end of the day, I could barely keep my eyes open. I’m exhausted.
I am grateful for being able to start again, having an adorable toddler chasing me round, and having some FB Marketplace items delivered.
Did I briefly touch upon other things from the list today? Yes.
Could I have done better? Also yes.
14 November 2025
I woke up at 4 am and didn’t instantly go back to sleep. There was some anxiety going on because I thought I saw a huntsman spider moving into our cupboard before I went to sleep. I don’t mind if I don’t see them, or they live outside. But the idea of waking up with one on my face because it doesn’t understand boundaries, terrifies me.
So, I scrolled, I commented, I watched some vids. While doing that, I ate two slices of cold pizza around 5 am. By 6 am I went back to sleep.
When morning hit, I did my normal post, feeding Ruby, and ate another two slices of pizza with an 800ml cold coffee (liquid coffee, a powdered coffee, in water, no milk or sugar.) Then got up to try and have a morning full of content creation.
I got a load of laundry on, did some yard work so that Ruby could play outside for about 30 minutes, then sat down for worky work.
I got a lot done, with minimal snacking. We had a healthy dinner and I forgot to stretch before bed. But, I did get things tidied up in the kitchen and Ruby’s play area.
I’m grateful for Ruby feeling better (she’s been sick a few days), for having a couple of lighter posting days ahead, and knowing my groceries are being delivered this afternoon (which means I actually did the shopping.)
Did I achieve more from the list today? Yes
Could I have done better? Also yes.
15 November 2025
Even though it was Saturday morning, I still woke up just after 4 am. I’m still sick, with a scratchy throat and an annoying cough. I scrolled, commented and did Facebook things until the rest of the house was awake. I made a healthy bagel breakfast, so it felt like a good start to the day.
By mid morning we were snacking. My head cold had only been getting worse and I was struggling. I still made a delicious lunch but there wasn’t any more progress to the day.
For dinner, we ordered burgers. They were smash burgers, with loaded pulled pork fries on the side. Also got an order of wings, which we ended up snacking on the following day.
I’m grateful that there was no pressure for me to do anything on the weekend, that we could order delicious burgers and that I didn’t spiral as my plans for this week unravelled.
Did I do things off the list, that I should be doing? No
Could I have done better? Yes.
16 November 2025
Sunday morning I had planned to take a trip to the Warilla Beach Cafe for breakfast. It’s been a year since we were last there and I really wanted to get out to create some new content. Being sick, feeling so rundown over the last week, has made me put a lot of plans on the back burner and it was starting to feel stressful.
For self care, I ended up having a toddler free shower, brushed my hair and let my brain relax. I really deep dived into a few reasons why I’m struggling with this journey and self care. Unfortunately, the details are a little too personal for me to get into but I do believe that if I can unpack them, I might be able to make some progress.
EJ grabbed Hungry Jacks for breakfast. I had a breakfast wrap with sausage, egg, hashbrown, bacon and BBQ sauce, with some onion rings on the side. I am obsessed with onion rings. And let’s not forget the iced coffee. It’s definitely a big breakfast BUT I usually skip lunch after it, so I think that’s okay.
So, what did we do? We relaxed and got into gamer mode. We played World of Warcraft all afternoon and it was fabulous.
I’m grateful for a relaxing day with my family, getting to play Legion Remix in WoW, and for being able to have a toddler-free shower.
Did I do enough off the list? No
Could I have done better? Yes
17 November 2025
So, Monday started with an ever intensifying head cold. My to do list stared at me, mocked me and I still thought it was absolutely possible to achieve things off it. I REALLY want to get started on clearing out a section of my house I lovingly refer to as ‘Crap Corner’. It’s a dining table that has things piled high, things shoved under, and a pile of shoes that I don’t believe people even wear.
I haven’t been up to doing the voice over for Meal Hope or Reviews, so I started feeling pretty down on myself for not getting out content. Luckily I had preprepared blog posts for the rest of the week, so I put a stop to my negative thinking.
I spent more time in bed than I wanted but used the time to prepare everything for EJ’s birthday.
I’m thankful for being able to buy things when I need them, that I can spoil someone who deserves it, and that I was able to keep positive even though it was not my natural reaction.
Did I do enough off the list? No
Could I have done better? Yes
18 November 2025
Another day of feeling absolutely awful. I got my morning posts up, ended up ordering breakfast from McDonalds because I did not feel like making something, and distracted myself with a little gaming.
Gaming used to be a huge distraction for me and my life revolved around Secondlife or World of Warcraft. I would spend 12+ hours on either of them daily. It drowned out the noise from my trauma, and gave me purpose while crushed by the weight of agoraphobia.
EJ got home early, as the groceries were arriving, so while he showered, I put the groceries away, and did a quick vacuum of the house. I wanted to get it done before he got home. Then made his birthday dinner.
Chaos ensued with a toddler who went nappy free for 5 minutes before promptly peeing on the floor. Mess cleaned up. Then, she pushed her bowl of rice into her cot. Mess cleaned up. Then, I moved the bowl of rice out of her reach and it fell on the floor. Mess cleaned up.
By the time the night was over, I was emotionally exhausted, alongside the physical exhaustion of being sick. Ruby had an awful sleep, and woke around 1 am. I was tired, emotional, not coping and sobbing silently. I eventually got sleep.
I am grateful for being able to cook a delicious meal, to have groceries and birthday gifts delivered to my door when I don’t have a car, and to have a curious toddler who is determined to learn in her own way (even if it is inconvenient for me.)
Did I do enough off the list? No.
Could I have done better? Yes
19 November 2025
I woke up feeling like the night had betrayed me. I was all tears and sniffles. Not the best start to the day. Instead of ordering in something for breakfast, I made a low carb bagel. That felt like a small food win. I didn’t snack through the day, another small food win. I made a burger for lunch. Then, had an extra delicious home-made dinner. When it came to food, this was my win for the week. I made better choices.
While still feeling sick though, everything else felt so much harder. The idea of tackling big cleaning projects is a no no. But, keeping Ruby’s play area tidy, keeping the kitchen clean, taking trash out, has been something I managed to achieve all week. So, that feels like a win.
I’m grateful for family that love me, for having a roof over my head that I can call mine, and not giving in to depression, even when my body was desperately trying to.
Did I do enough off the list? No
Could I have done better? Yes
This is a small gallery that represents my week. My yard work shoes, playing WoW, drinking water (with cordial), and some food choices that made me smile.
If you’ve been following along and feel like you’re ready for your own small reset, I’d love for you to join me in Week Two. Every post is an open door — no pressure, no perfection, just real life and honest effort.
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