This is how I’m staying grounded this holiday season when life is busy and crazy.

I love the holiday season — the lights, the coziness, the excitement — but it can also be chaotic and overwhelming. Between homeschool, therapies, lessons, family plans, traveling, just mom life in general and everything else that gets added this time of year, some days I feel like I’m running on autopilot.

But here’s what I’m learning year after year (and reminding myself of daily):

Gratitude isn’t about having a perfect season. It comes from slowing down enough to see what God is doing — especially in the little things.

When I take time to focus on gratitude, it helps me stay centered no matter how busy the day gets.

Here are the simple ways I’m choosing gratitude right now:

1. Morning Gratitude Before the Noise

Before the kids are up…before the day gets started…before the to-do list starts calling…

I take time to spend with God.

My morning time truly sets the tone for the whole day — especially during the holidays. I do devotions, pray, read the daily verse in the Bible app, journal and write down the things I’m grateful for.

It doesn’t have to be long, but it does need to be intentional.

“Gratitude grows when we slow down enough to see what God is doing.”

2. One Simple Reset That Brings Peace Back

When my home feels chaotic, my mind quickly goes there too — especially this season.

So every day, I choose one reset that helps me breathe a little deeper. Maybe it’s:

• wiping the kitchen counters
• cleaning the bathroom
• vacuuming the main floor

But while I’m doing it, I thank God. Do I love vacuuming? Nope. But thanking God for our home while I’m vacuuming gives me a completely different perspective.

Just one tiny reset brings me peace — and gives me a moment to practice gratitude right in the middle of real life.

3. Gratitude in the Middle of Real Life

Gratitude comes easy on calm days… but on the hard or chaotic ones? It needs to be intentional.

I’ve been reading a devotional about appreciating the hard seasons — and it’s stretching me in good ways. We all have tough days. Some weeks are heavier than others.

So I practice gratitude right where I already am:

• in the car on the way to therapy
• watching my kids laugh while making a mess (this one is hard)
• during a simple dinner at home (leftovers for the win)
• on a morning walk with my husband
• while I sip my cold brew

Gratitude doesn’t require a perfect moment — just a pause during the day. 

4. We Practice Gratitude as a Family

This time of year, kids are extra excited, overstimulated and always hungry.

So we keep gratitude simple:

• one thing everyone’s thankful for at dinner
• small joys from the day
• moments we saw God provide
• one sentence of gratitude written in the morning

It’s not fancy — it’s real life.  But it’s shaping their hearts and teaching them the meaning of gratitude. 

5. Letting Go of the Pressure + Perfection

Gratitude grows when we release the pressure to do it all. Seriously, when I let go of the pressure and stop striving for perfection, life is less stressful and more calm. 

I’ve learned to let go of:

• perfect meals
• picture-perfect holidays
• overcommitted schedules
• unrealistic expectations (especially with my family)

I want a holiday season filled with peace — not stress.

Gratitude won’t remove the busy, but it makes everything feel lighter. And when we look for what God is doing right now, the holidays feel more like a gift and less like a whirlwind.

Friend, you don’t need a perfect season.

You just need a present one. 

If you want a calmer home going into the holidays…Your days don’t have to feel rushed or chaotic.

Simplify the Chaos will help you build simple routines, resets and rhythms that make your home feel peaceful — even during the busiest time of the year.

And I walk with you through it step-by-step.

Start simplifying

Love,

Billie-Jo