Ep 187 - End-of-year rest & renewal: What you actually need right now

As the year draws to a close, many of us feel caught in a push–pull: wanting to wrap things up, while also desperately needing rest.
In this final episode of Get Jasched for the year, Jess offers a gentle, grounded reflection on navigating the end-of-year period with more self-trust, clarity, and compassion — especially after what has been a heavy year for so many.

This episode explores:
- Why end-of-year overwhelm is so common (and so human)
- The tension between slowing down and needing to keep going
- How to release pressure without avoiding responsibility
- Why scheduling rest — or even future planning — can actually calm the nervous system
- The difference between sustaining yourself and regenerating energy
- How play, imagination, and presence support wellbeing and resilience
- Letting go of “shoulds” and tuning into what genuinely serves you now and future you
Whether you’re feeling exhausted, reflective, hopeful, or all of the above, this episode is an invitation to pause, breathe, and reconnect with what you need — without guilt or comparison.

A supportive listen for leaders, business owners, and humans navigating the emotional complexity of the holiday season.

Transcript

Hey, everyone.Welcome to another episode of Get Jasched.I'm your host, Jess Jasch.And if you're watching this episode, you can see it's very festive th- festive themed episode, um, because this is the last episode for the year of Get Jasched, this podcast.Uh, and I'm such a Christmas baby.Like, I'mNot literally, but I justChristmas is such a magical time of the year and I feel like it's so important, no matter what you celebrate, right?I'm gonna get to a very clear point here.But it's so important to do what you can to allow yourself to be in the magic.And I don't mean just Christmas.I think it's more the time of year that it is.It is the, um, the summer winter solstice, depending on which hemisphere you're in.It is a new year or we're approaching the new year.We are wrapping up the end of one year and maybe feeling all different kinds of ways about it.Uh, we are wrapping up and hopefully, and this is part of the encouragement that I encourage for you, hopefully being in some kind of reflection of the year that has been.And maybe even being in envisioning of the year or the time that we are looking at and looking forward to.And even since I first started talking in this episode, I've noticed my voice has slowed down.My tone has changed, because while normally I'd wannaWell, normally I think there's this tendency at this time of year to want to bring a high energy to things.And it doesn't mean good or bad, but there can be this pressure we put on ourselves to, um, to create energy that may not be there.And I feel like, and I know I have friends in the nor- northern hemisphere who are literally, you know, they're bunkering down into like snowy snowy winters that I don't get here, like here in Australia or where I live that doesn't exist even in winter.But, you know, they're bunkering down into like hibernation mode.And then here in Australia, we're just trying to survive the fucking humidity or the hail, the thunder, like the storms, all of it.Um, but there is this push-pull that can happen at this time of year.It's this push-pull of I need to get so many things done or I want to get so many things done and I also am feeling like I need to just start slowing down and wrapping things up and coming to rest.And I'm here to say, and I'm here to tell you, yes to all of that.Yes to all of that.Yes to letting yourself try and achieve the things that are going to make you feel maybe a little bit better or a little bit more prepared or reduce some tension or stress that you then don't have to carry with you into the break, for example, if you are having a break.Or just the holiday period, which still feels, even if you are working through, there's still a vibe that ofthat is different to the rest of the work year.Um, so yes, you're allowed toOh God, you're so allowed to want to keep trying to achieve a few things to help you feel like you can wrap up the year completely.And at the same time, and this mightI'm both this year.So this might be you, you might be one or the other, you might be both right alongside me.At the same time, you are allowed to start to find pockets of downtime or of rest or of, I don't know, preparation or of, you know, just starting to switch off.Even if it's not all in one fell swoop, even if it's in moments where maybe you are working but youinstead of working overtime like you might have all year, maybe you are starting to actually switch off about 4:00 or 5:00 rather than longer.And actually getting to take the dog for a walk more consistently in the afternoons after the heat has eased a little bit, at the very least.or, you know, you're actually stopping and having lunch and may, like whether you work in an office or you work at home, or you work anywhere in between, maybe the, maybe you're noticing some pockets like that.Maybe.And that is okay too.And I think that's really going to be the main message of today's episode, this very last episode of Get Jasc171125 Stakeholder and PR board report.doched for the year, because I wanted to make sure that we all switched off for the 2 weeks over the break, whether you are having a break or not.The main message is not altr- there's gonna be so much, uh, advice flying around.And I know I am, I am gi- out there giving advice too, so, so I'm not criticizing it all because some of it's necessary.But it s- it may feel like we are under pressure to be doing certain things, but what is most important is really practicing tuning into what feels good for you.And I don't mean just what feels good.I mean good as in useful.I mean good as in what you need, not necessarily what you want.If I hadLook, if I had what I want, and I do wish that we all do get what we want, but if I had what I want, uh, I would already be on holidays right now.Honestly, I would already be packing up and going, "All right.breaking for the rest of the year.Uh, we're having a whole month off.Whole 4 weeks off."That's where I would be.And after, after the course of this year and where I have landed at this point in the year, and it's not, you know, it is, it, it's not necessarily bad in this moment but like, it, the plan has had to change a little.And where I am at, in this moment, this week of the year, at the time of recording, it is 2 weeks before Christmas.This is coming out just over a week before Christmas.So, at this point in the year, m- I have long known that there is a necessity for me to still be doing certain things in order for me to really be able to actually rest for what I'm estimating to be about 2 weeks over the break.And if I didn't do that, I would, I wouldn't actually get a proper rest because I'd still feel like I need to be, be doing little things.Even though, h- here in Australia, I know it's very different, um, in some other countries, but here in Australia, like we do largely, largely shut down for 2 weeks.Most businesses, um, w- h- who is largely my client base, we, w- they do shut down.So, it is an opportunity to slow down and have that kind of mandatory break, but I, as a business owner, who is in charge of my own, uh, largely in charge of my own time and schedule outside of things that are scheduled, uh, it would be so easy for me to still try and, try and do things to get ahead.And I wouldn't actually then get a proper break if I did it that way.It just wouldn't happen.So, that is where the choice comes in for me, even though, in an ideal world, y- there would be, mm, longer periods of rest and switch off and it would be all so supported and everything would be set up, prepared for the new year, for, you know, the first quarter of the new year and all of that.I am doing myself a service by staying switched on and actually still striving and, and working on certain goals that I have or certain things that I need to have in place.And because it, because of that, it feels better to me.It feels, uh, it feels useful.In some ways good, but it feels useful to me to be doing it this way.So I am able to lean into it and, and regenerate a little bit of energy with that perspective because I know that there is an end goal coming.Uh, if I didn't have that end goal coming, it would feel like I'm just being stretched and stretched and stretched and that's where I personally would start to feel the burnout.That's where I would start to experience the weariness and the soul weariness that can come with this time of year for so many people.So in this case, I'm trying to offer perspectives that allow you to, rather than feel pressured by what you, quote, "should" do, allow you to really check in with what feels best for you, for you now, also for future you, for any break or any whatever over, over the holiday period, as well as future you into the new year.And I am someone whoI love a plan.Right?I love a plan, I love having a plan, I love creatingLike, I love, uh, I was gonna say creating goals, but it's actually figuring out my goals so then I can create a plan and work towards them.That feels really good for me, it feels really supportive for me, but also feels exciting for me.So this is coming from that perspective.Other people work differently.But I also know that because of how our brains work and because of how our energy works, if you have things that you want tothat you, that, that you kind of feel like, oh, I should probably get them done now and, you know, but you'll- it- all the timing is really kind of like, well, I guess if I get them done now, but I could wait and then what do I do?And then you know that you're gonna have goals that you're gonna wanna set and find and, and achieve in the new year.I've said this a few times on the socials previously, but I'm, I'm gonna say it again here and now.It is so important to schedule in, if there is, like, a goal-setting day, like, a strategyIt's so important to, to schedule in a day.It doesn't have to be this week, it doesn't have to be this side of Christmas.In fact, I would say, like, at this stage, unless it fits into your next week, I would say leave it for the new year.But schedule it now.Schedule a day in now and it is amazing how what then happens in your mind is it releases this pressure valve.It releases this pressure of needing to hold it all.Even if you have a running list, there's still these question marks of when am I gonna get to that?When am I gonna address that?Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.'Cause our minds are starting to do that at this time of year.So it releases this pressure of needing to hold it all and this pressure of needing to do it all now because what if you don't get to it?But also, you don't have to do it now.You could do it later, but, you know, then you'll feel better if you do it now.Like, all of that que- the, all of the question marks, if you schedule in whatever day that is going to be for you now, even if that day is that first full week back in the new year, doesn't matter.It will help you navigate your energy, your mental energy, your emotional en- energy now.I just had to shut the window because people are starting to be on leave and they're mowing their lawns, which is great, but I didn't want that constant drone in the background.But, but the point is, maybe they're getting through their list of things to do too.They're mowing their lawn now so that if it storms, it becomes easier to navigate in the next week or 2 rather than leaving it.Because if, if you understand Australian or Queensland weather, you'll understand what that's like.But that's the point is, sometimes it can feel so overwhelming to even think about the new year at this point.It's like, I don't fucking know.I'll know when I get there.We'll, uh, we'll figure it out, we'll figure it out.But we're still kind of having to navigate and piece together those moments now and still having to navigate, and unconsciously are trying to piece together all of that mental processing now.And it- that's where the overwhelm can come in.There's so much, there's always gonna be so much.But this time of year, we have all the additional pressures.And look, maybe this isn't your favorite time of year.Maybe you just don't love Christmas, if you celebrate Christmas or the holiday season.Maybe there's a bunch of different reasons why that could be, right?Like, there's no, there's no pressure to even like this time of year.But I think it's also important to acknowledge that there can also be other things that are playing on you at this time of year that aren't just the busyness.Uh, maybe it doesn't look-the way you thought it would by this stage your life, work or personal.Maybe it doesn't look the way you thought it would at this point, and you are navigating the f- the, the feelings and the thoughts that come along with that.Um, maybe there were certain things you wanted that didn't happen or there were certain things you thought would be here that aren't, or a certain, a certain vision you thought would be the case and now you're navigating something totally different.And when we throw in potential, um, family or close loved ones into the mix, even though they can be so well-meaning or it can be such a nice experience otherwise, there's still this unspoken pressure, whether that is from other people or just from our own in- internal-ness.Uh, there's, there's so many layers that can be needed to navigate at this time of year, and I really wanted to address that and I really wanted to use this episode as an opportunity to reiterate and remind you that you only need to do what is best for you.Sometimes that is going to be doing something, and sometimes it's gonna be doing something that doesn't feel the most comfortable.You know, sometimes we might need a bit of space this year, uh, you know, this time of year.But also sometimes we may feel we want space but it's gonna be really good for us to be around our people.So with love and care, really tend to not forget yourself and what you need, but doing that by being honest, really honest and upfront, even if it's just with yourself.Really, really honest and upfront with yourself so you can give yourself that rather than default into what might be the path of least resistance but ultimately doesn't serve you as much.And this is why it's such a nuanced conversation, it's such a nuanced time of year.When I work with clients on this, it reallyLike, I can't give very specific advice in this format because there's, you know, an infinite number of different needs listening to or watching this.But when I work with clients, we really dive into what they're, you know, what they want for themselves, but also where their stresses might be coming from or what stories they're telling themselves about this time of year.And it's definitely something that I work on for myself as well.I, I must often address that for myself because I- I, like I said right at the beginning, I love Christmas but it's not always the simplest or lightest time of the year.It, it can be mixed.It can be both.It can be several things.So really use this as this reminder for you to acknowledge if you're feeling busy and overwhelmed.Maybe you only have time to listen to this episode but you don't really have much time to do anything else 'cause you might be navigating a whole bunch of things.Family visiting or wrapping up work and trying to get all the work in that you need to get done, and I don't know, dealing with kids and Christmas present shopping or grocery shopping or whatever.These are all very generic things, but whatever it is that is feeling like it can pile up for you.So do what you can to really just take a breath, even if, if it's just as you're listening.take a an exhale that allows you to just go, "Okay."Not, "What is the path of least resistance?"But, "What is going to serve me the balance of in this moment as well as in the future for during this holiday period or post this holiday period?"And just look ahead just enough not to freak yourself out, not to add more pressure to yourself, but look ahead just enough to be able to go, "Okay, if I set this up now, whether that is if I schedule this day for myself now, even if it's for later, just putting it in the calendar is actually going to help my brain."You don't even need to plan what you're gonna do on that day.If you navigate that day on your own, if you take yourself through your own strategy envisioning day or if you get someone like me to work with you on that kind of immersion day for strategy and envisioning and planning and reflection and all of the things, you know?Someone else can work on, can hold that strategy, that plan, fa- that facilitation for the day for you.But you don't even need to figure out the plan yourself at this stage.You can schedule it in or you can engage someone like me to schedule it in with.But doing that now, however you do it, can help you just navigate the rest.So that could be one thing.If it's recognizing that you're gonna be really peopled out, even if there's people you love, right?We gotta be real, sometimes it's just a lot because it's all condensed into one small period, uh, compared to the rest of the year sometimes.And, and, and we love that, but it also feels busy and sometimes we don't really feel like we got much of a break even if we were technically on break.So it's really looking forward just enough even if it's that week.I'm just gonna say Christmas.I know not everyone celebrates it, so however you celebrate the holidays, if you celebrate.But just as these marker days, right?That week between Christmas and New Year where days don't really feel like they exist.but they're there anyway, is recognizing, "Okay, what days do we have, I don't know, family visiting or people around or have things to do or work to do?"Uh, whatever it is, seeing what pockets of those days you can do that is more about play or rest and rejuvenation.Not just rest by doing nothing, and I do understand sometimes we just need to stare at a wall, but rest by rejuvenation or play, whether that's for yourself or time for yourself, and we all have different needs.Time for yourself where you're just like, "I just need to have this pocket of, this pocket of, of a moment to myself so then I can rejuvenate, re- re- regenerate my energy and then I can come back in and keep enjoying this company and this time with other people."Or play where it's not about running around having to do all the things or having to cook or having to clean or having to whatever it is, but where is the moment of play where you get to be carefree?And I, I, I love this season because that childhood magic feeling around Christmas has never quite left me.But I found the busier I am, the more adult I get, I need to kind of like move the start of the Christmas period forward for me personally in order to actually get a chance to experience it.Because I, for years growing up it, I was such a s- stalwart like 1st of December is when the tree goes up.Does not go up beforehand, does not go aft- up after.It's that day or that weekend, whatever it is.And in recent years I've moved that forward to the 1st of November.Like, I don't care, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia.There's no other holidays, th- like the 1st of November putting up the tree or that first weekend in November, it's l- it's f- fluid.It's, you know, not rigid, but it allows me more time to soak in the Christmas spirit.And, and, and by the Christmas spirit I mean how do we play?How do we use our imagination?How do we allow ourselves to tap into that?Because as adults we get so caught up in the adulting, which yes is important, some people need to adult more if we look at specific examples.But we forget to d- we, we forget to or we just don't feel like we have time to, and in many cases a lot of people just don't have time to because the economy is the way it is or whatever is the way it is, and, and, and life is significantly harder this year for a lot of people than it has been in previous years or previous, you know, many years.So it's really how can you try to incorporate a little bit of play and imagination into a time that feels busy so that you can use that energyto fuel you, rather than just your resources, which are finite until they are renewed and regenerated.So rather than just sustaining, which just keep, means keeping with the status quo, and if you lose that energy, you try to just get up to sustaining level.What can you do to regenerate?And, and play is one of those really important things that research has found helps us.Helps us learn.When we learn through play, we learn better.Uh, and it helps us feel better, even in little ways.So you may not have kids around you.I don't have kids, you know, I've many a niece and nephew, they're growing.But, you know, you may not have kids around you, so you may not have that typical, like, that play thing, but you canI am a firm believer you can still do this as an adult.You take yourself for a drive around to look at Christmas lights and just let yourself, even if it's just for a moment, get s- get lost in the wonderment of it.If you can stomach Christmas movies, what if you just let yourself watch one and actually just watch it?Just sit down and enjoy it.Not on your phone.Not, umIdeally not while you, you know, having to prepare and do adult things, but just letting yourself enjoy it.Really finding these little moments, and they don't actually have to be Christmas related, right?That's, I'm just using examples that I know work for me.But what is a wonderment that you can let yourself explore, or how can you play?How can you find play that really can help you at this time of year release some energy from the year, but also regenerate some energy for yourself, just right here and now?So, there wasn't a set agenda for this episode.I just wanted to talk to you about this season, because I know that there can be so many mixed feelings.I know that it might not even be mixed feelings, it might be very solidly certain feelings.Uh, and I really want to, I, I really hope, it is my wish that when you listen to this episode, it helps to relieve just a little bit of the pressure, or you, you, you walk away with just one single thing that you could do that could help just relieve some of the pressure in, in some way.Whether it's, like I said, scheduling that day for yourself in the new year, or setting up support for yourself differently for the new year ongoing, and I'm not talking about New Year's resolutions, I mean just support ongoing.Or how can you approach the holiday period itself a little differently if you are feeling a little heavy?It's been a heavy year.It's been a real heavy year for so many people.I cannot over exaggerate the amount of people, like, the the amount of people I have spoken to who have had some big disruptive thing this year, you know, clients and otherwise.It's, it's, it's been a real tough year for a lot of people in a lot of different ways, and I think we need to give ourselves a bit of grace, find ways that support ourselves, which might mean just a little bit of strategy before you finish up for the year.But also find ways that you can, in whatever way you can, step into being more rather than doing.How can you be more, rather than doing, even just a fraction more in this moment than what you have been up until this moment?SoWith that, I- my wish for you, however you celebrate the holidays, however you feel about them in this moment, my wish for you is that you have a really safe holidays and New Year's.That youFind moments, if not more, but at least moments of peace and ease for yourself andGet to enjoy something about it.And get to feel a little bit of hope, a little bit of confidence again in yourself and in your life and in your plans and in your goals and in your dreams and in your visions and all of the things that you want for yourself in the new year.But I hope you also find that rejuvenating kind of rest as well.Thank you so much forGod, such a big year in so many different ways.We've done the podcast revamp, uh, that happened mid-year, and since doing that, I've had so many more listeners.So I just- I really appreciate you being a listener and being here and joining me week after week.It makes so much of a difference and m- one of my wishes is that it- that continues to grow because this is something that is a- a labor of love.I love it.Um, but it is also, you know, something that is an unpaid stream for me at this stage and, and the more people that listen to it, and i- if you listen to it and you share it or you r- review it and, you know, all of, all of those things that you hear everyone say, uh, it really does make a difference because it really puts it in a better position to be something that can then support me more so then I- I- I can continueand be supported by that, because I know I have a busy year ahead already.So it's- it's been a massive year with the podcast in that way and I'm just really grateful to- to s- see that growth.It's really exciting, especially when there's all this time and energy that does go into it.Uh, and it's been a massive year in other ways and there's been a lot to navigate this year too, so I'm justI'm really grateful that we've been able to build, you know, even if it's this community where it's kind ofNot always 2 2way in terms of that communication, but this community of how we connect here and how we, you know, do leadership, do wellbeing, do communication maybe just a little better just by having these conversations.Uh, I am currently working on, uh, filling in the very few client spots that I have for January onwards, so if you are interested, please use the booking link.I have some times open, um, to book a consult call to discuss.Even over the break, you'll see some times, some times available, um, if you want to discuss and grab one of those spots, because that is one of my current goals and actual action plans that I'm working on in this moment.But-In the meantime, yeah.Take that wish for you of a happy, safe, beautiful holiday period.Stay safe.Um, find moments for yourself, stay well, and I will be back in the new year with some brand new episodes, brand new guests that I've already lined up and it's very exciting and I'll see you then.