For Christmas this year I got a new Apple Watch. My old one was basically on its last legs, so it felt like a practical upgrade. Once I had it set up, I decided to download a stress-tracking app. Partly out of curiosity. Partly because I spend so much time teaching about calming the nervous system and reducing stress. And partly because we’ve got Break the Stress Reaction coming up in January. If I’m honest, I expected it to confirm what I felt, that I’m fairly calm these days. Instead, it showed me something different. According to the measurements it uses, my stress levels are still quite high. Now, I know these apps work off averages and baselines, and everyone is different. I’m not taking it as a diagnosis or a hard truth. But it did make me pause. What it highlighted to me is that after years of trauma, chronic stress, and pushing through discomfort, my body has learned to treat a stressed state as “normal.” What I experience as calm is still activated compared to a more regulated baseline. That was actually really useful information. Not in a “something is wrong with me” way. More in a “there’s another layer here” way. It’s given me a new focus for the January challenge. Not just teaching stress regulation, but continuing to deepen it in myself too. And it’s made me curious about what 2026 could look like if my everyday baseline becomes genuinely lower and steadier. Not just coping. Not just functioning. But truly less activated day to day. So now I am considering what would it feel like if my body didn’t have to stay slightly on edge all the time? Could my calm get even calmer? If you would like to join us on this challenge, you can get it in the premium tier of my other group for $7 HERE

It’s Christmas and I hope you are all having a wonderful day. Mine is a bit quiet as my son is with his dad this year so I thought we could have some fun. Type Christmas followed by your name into the gifs and let’s share a Christmassy version of us 🤣

I have been playing around with the new images n ChatGPT and a friend of mine gave me a prompt to try: "Create an ultra-realistic 8K Christmas portrait using a 55mm lens with bright, playful holiday lighting. The woman is in a whimsical candy-cane themed photoshoot, surrounded by pink giant peppermint decorations, snowy ground, festive trees, and oversized ornaments. Use her real facial features exactly as they are — do NOT change or alter her face in any way. Her makeup is festive glam — winged liner, warm eyeshadow, rosy cheeks, and a bold holiday soft pink lips. She wears a sparkly teal & silver long-sleeve pants jumpsuit , fitted and shimmering with sequins. The back of the jumpsuit has a scoop-back cut, adding keeping the holiday sparkle. She is sitting on a white cube block, posing with one leg crossed over the other. Her expression is playful and confident, smiling warmly toward the camera. In her hand, she holds a giant pink-and-white peppermint lollipop prop, resting it over her shoulder in a fun, candy-land pose. Around her is a fully decorated Christmas set: • Snowy ground with fluffy artificial snow • Christmas trees dusted with frost, decorated with pink ornaments and string lights • Oversized and canes framing whimsical beside her • A large shiny red Christmas ornament near her feet Lighting should be bright, clean, and festive, capturing the glimmer of the sequins and the pink candy-themed props. The colors are vibrant reds, whites, and silvers, giving a magical North Pole holiday studio vibe." Use it and attached a selfie to see what you get

I have been planning out loads of things in the classroom in terms of level rewards. If you visit the classroom you will see that your rewards unlock as you go up the levels. Some of the rewards for each level have been moved about or adjusted to make them flow a little easier. You can also see the overview of the rewards on the leaderboard, so not only can you see the points you need to go up but also what you unlock. We will be playing new games and challenge opportunities to win prizes and these unlock at level 3. Check it out, let me know what you think.

Hi, I’m Melissa, Mel for short 🤍 I’m a 48yo single homeschooling mom-prenuer. I have a 17yo son with a chronic illness. I am a former mental health and addictions therapist, spent 13 years in the corporate world and now doing transformation coaching and healing work as the formal system is not designed for true healing. As suggested... 🧘‍♀️ My favorite spiritual practice right now is journaling, working with crystals, and pulling oracle cards for clarity and grounding. 🌿 A tool I love working with is crystal energy and intuitive insight to support emotional healing and self-awareness. ✨ My focus this month is working through a little imposter syndrome as I feel slightly overwhelmed here on Skool and continuing to build and grow with confidence and trust. Grateful to be here and connect with like-minded souls ✨ 💜Mel