In this episode of Energy + Hours, Jill Wright shares a grounded, comforting take on winter solstice energy. While the holidays can be festive, they can also feel emotionally and energetically intense… and Jill normalizes that experience through a seasonal lens.

Drawing from Mellissa Seaman’s Wheel of Wisdom, Jill explains why the “underworld” season often begins in the Fall (around October), and why modern life tends to push us into busyness at the exact time our bodies and nervous systems are craving rest, quiet, and reflection. Then she offers a reframe many of us need: even though winter is often associated with darkness, the Winter Solstice (Dec 21) marks the darkest day, and after that, we begin returning to the light.

You’ll also hear Jill weave in ideas around Yule traditions, seasonal rituals, and simple practices to help you mark this shift with intention without turning it into another productivity project. This episode is your reminder that you don’t need clarity yet… you need restoration.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why this season can feel heavy, and why that’s normal

• What the Wheel of Wisdom teaches about the “underworld” season and cyclical time

• The surprising reframe: winter begins at the darkest point, then moves toward light

• How to set a simple, sustainable intention (without strict resolutions)

• Solstice rituals to support deep rest, introspection, and renewal

• Ways to connect with nature and your own inner timing during the holidays

Winter Solstice + Yule Ritual IdeasTry one (or a few) of these gentle practices to honour the season:

• Light & Fire: light candles, sit by a fire, or burn a Yule log to honour the returning sun

• Evergreen décor: decorate with holly, ivy, pine, winter greens, and pinecones

• Feasting: enjoy warm, nourishing meals with the people you love

• Journaling & reflection: review the past year, release what you’re done carrying, set an intention

• Nature connection: go for a solstice walk with the intention to notice a “lesson” or symbol

• • Purification: sage your home, declutter, clear stagnant energy and old patterns
  • Creative expression: music, art, writing, or poetry to reflect on what this year has meant

  Reflection Prompts

• • What changed in me over the last 12 months?

  • What am I ready to release from the last season?

  • What word or simple intention do I want to carry into this new season?

  • Where do I need restoration: in my calendar, my relationships, my body, or my spirit?

  A gentle reminder from JillThis season isn’t about hustle, pressure, or “go go go.”
  It’s a season of renewal, a slow return of light, and a chance to rebuild your relationship with time in a more aligned way.

  Coming next week

  Jill returns on Christmas week with a new episode on Omen Days, a tradition she’s using to tune into the energy of 2026 in an intuitive, grounded way.

  Links

  Follow along on Instagram: @energyandhours

  Work with Jill: jillwright.ca

  Get your Time Magic Seasonal Planner: jillwright.ca/planner

  Learn from Mellissa Seaman: channelyourgenius.com

The holidays can be magical... and overwhelming — especially for parents juggling schedules, expectations, emotions, and endless to-dos. In this episode of Energy + Hours, Jill shares five simple, doable ways to bring more peace, presence, and spaciousness into the season so you can actually enjoy it rather than just survive it.

These are the same tips Jill will be sharing in an upcoming local TV holiday segment, so you’re getting the inside scoop first.

Whether you're navigating school concerts, family visits, sensory overload, or the pressure to “do it all,” this conversation will help you step into the holidays supported, grounded, and intentional.

🧊 1. Set boundaries — with time, money & energy
Create limits that honour your capacity. You don’t have to say yes to everything just because it's December.

💛 2. Practice brutal self-care
Not bubble baths — the hard, necessary kind: sleep, food, saying no, getting help, choosing ease.

📵 3. Cut the comparison
Your holiday doesn’t have to look like Instagram. More joy, less pressure.

📅 4. Don’t overschedule yourself (or the kids)
Leave space between events. Margin = sanity.

🌿 5. Plan in white space + intentional rest
Stillness is not wasted time. Slow down so you can soak up the moments that matter.

Why This MattersYou deserve a holiday season that feels nourishing, not depleting. A season you remember — not one you recover from. These simple shifts can help you create more calm, presence, and connection this year — even if life is full and messy.

Mentions & Links

• Explore the Time Magic Planner — a seasonal system that supports energy + realistic planning

• Join my email list for updates on the 2026 Substack launch + new quiz
• Follow along on Instagram @energyandhours

A Little Holiday Note from Jill 🎄I may be taking a short podcast pause for the holidays — we’ll see!
So if you don’t hear from me again before January…

Have a beautiful, spacious, joy-filled season.
Rest deep. Be present. Take what you need.

Big things are coming in 2026 —
new offers, the Substack, and a brand new quiz you’re going to love.

Thank you for being here. Truly.

The holidays can be magical and they can be overwhelming as hell. Between school theme days, co-parenting logistics, pressure to create memories, social media comparison spirals, and the weight of everyone else’s expectations… it’s a lot.

In today’s re-aired conversation from my Grow Like a Mother days, I’m joined by the incredible Jamie Glowacki, bestselling author and host of the Oh Crap Parenting podcast. Together, we dig into holiday burnout, boundaries, tech overwhelm, and what it really takes to create a calmer, more nourishing holiday season.

Jamie shares powerful insights on how our phones hijack our dopamine (and her genius grayscale tip), why moms fall into comparison and guilt this time of year, and how to set boundaries around scheduling, traditions, gifts, and emotional labour.

If the holidays tend to feel chaotic, draining, or full of pressure, this episode will help you slow down, stay grounded, and choose what actually matters.

We explore:

• How social media fuels holiday comparison & burnout

• Jamie’s “grayscale phone” strategy to break the scroll

• Boundaries around co-parenting, scheduling & kid overload

• Spending limits, gift pressure & trauma-based overshopping

• Slow holiday traditions that support your nervous system

• Saying no without guilt (and practicing boundaries safely)

• Nourishing yourself emotionally, physically & energetically

Connect with Jamie:
🎙️ Oh Crap Parenting wherever you listen to podcastsjamieglowacki.com

@jamie.glowacki on Instagram

Connect with Jill:

jillwright.ca

@energyandhours on Instagram