Let the Countdown Begin!
While Mariah Carey makes her annual comeback…and to survive the madness…here are ⭐12 High Performance Habits⭐ to keep you sane this holiday season, your health in peak condition and your goals on track so you don’t turn into The Grinch! All the while making your life approximately 100 times easier and your demeanour 150 times pleasanter as you sip on a cocktail of happy hormones ready for the big day. 🎅
Unlock 12 days of science-backed, psychology-based habits that will have you hitting your 2025 goals faster, so much so that you may have to set a few more as you surpass milestone after milestone.
🧠THE NEURAL RESET: YOUR FIRST 21 DAYS OF 2025 MAPPED OUT
Science shows it takes 21 days to form new neural pathways.
January isn’t just about the post-holiday blues – it’s when the brain’s neuroplasticity peaks, making people most receptive to change. So the first 21 days of the year are critical.
We’ll use this window to rewire your brain for success. Learn how to leverage the psychology of fresh starts and the brain’s natural goal-pursuit mechanisms to create unstoppable momentum.
As we dive into the neuroscience of habit formation and learn how to build habits that become as automatic as breathing.
👉Stack the tips daily. Just like the Christmas carol: The Twelve Days of Christmas, or if you’re a gymshark like me: the HIIT Accumulator (IYKYK), to form healthy habits by the time the turkey’s out of the oven!
💪Guaranteed outcomes (if you do all 12 habits daily for 21 days):
• Clear mind
• Regulated emotions
• Balanced life
• Inner peace
Head into 2025 with a winners mindset. Radical self-care isn’t just about wellness. It’s a high-performance tool. Make it your non-negotiable. Your success depends on it and it starts here.
Day 1: Move It!! 🏃♀️
On the first day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
I love “run-rise” the stillness before the world wakes up (and the dog walkers). Frost fresh, 5 am starts, set you up for the day.
Starting tomorrow morning, do 20 minutes of exercise before starting your day. Run, walk, yoga. To get your dopamine dose for the day.
Day 2: Exhale 🧘♀️
On the second day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Breath control is a total game-changer it regulates your central nervous system and your flight, fight or freeze response in stressful situations.
Box breath: favoured by Navy SEALs and yogis alike. If you’re in the kitchen feeling like a pressure cooker, taken hostage by all the planning & prepping.
Do 60 seconds of box breathing. Close your eyes, imagining breathing along the 4 sides of a box:
4 counts in
4 counts hold
4 counts out
4 count hold.
Repeat.
Day 3: Love Note To Self 😍
On the third day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Write a list of the top 5 things you’ve accomplished this year that you’re super proud of, big or small, work or personal.
If you’re feeling undervalued and your self-worth takes a knocking. Did they like the gift I gave them? Do they love/hate me for it? Did I put on a good spread? Go read that list and remind yourself how great you are.
Day 4: You Sweet Thing 😘
On the fourth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Leave a love note in your kids lunch boxes, your partner’s jacket pocket or text a friend. Tell them 3 things you appreciate about them, be it their quirkiness, values, or the little things they do that bring you joy. Be specific.
We can at times take people for granted because they’re always there. There are those of us who have lost loved ones at Xmas. Love your tribe hard because you don’t know how long they’re going to be around.
Day 5: Nature’s Medicine 🌲
On the fifth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Nature is the new corner office. Spend 20 minutes outdoors come rain or shine. Forest bathing isn’t a woo woo fad. Go find some green space. Nature teaches us to live in the now and to be mindful of our moments.
I learnt this valuable lesson when trekking in the Himalayas. You can’t plan more than half a day in advance, as nature’s mood is extremely unpredictable and the environment can be quite challenging. Just like life.
We need to be mega adaptable to changes to the plan and go with what is feasible and appropriate for that particular moment.
Day 6: Get Your OM On 🧘♀️
On the sixth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Future Worrying: Tomorrow’s problems, stealing today’s peace.
Noone will stop loving you if your souffle falls flat, if your pie has a soggy bottom or things don’t go to order on Xmas Day.
Set a timer for 5 minutes and meditate for peace of mind. Sit still, close your eyes and focus on your mind’s eye (the space between the eyes).
Meditation is about observing your thoughts, not clearing them. It can create calm and patience for busy people with busy minds (me). Quiet reflection can improve focus, reduce stress, and boost problem-solving skills.
These moments of solitude are the space where your thoughts get a chance to breathe, your creativity blossoms and clarity bubbles up.
Keep your moments quiet shhh.
Day 7: It’s An Inside Job 🧘♀️
On the seventh day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Explore your inner landscape. How are you feeling this morning?
You got to have your feelings. Let them be there. Only this morning I had to grieve a little bit – as a flood of memories came rushing back, so I cried some.
Your emotions are valid and they need permission to be felt, which will improve your empathy and compassion skills, making you less reactive. So when *that* family member, who rubs you up the wrong way, comes around you’ll be less tempted to b*tch slap them with a drumstick.
Have a conscious conversation with yourself and release those feelings with these journal prompts: write, draw or doodle whatever comes up.
How am I truthfully feeling right now?
What’s the trigger?
Why is that stressful?
And just remember, anytime you feel negative emotion, stop and say:
“Something is important here; otherwise, I wouldn’t be feeling this negative emotion. What is it that I want?” And then simply turn your attention to what you do want.
Learn the language of your body to find inner peace and calm.
Day 8: Rampage of Appreciation 👏
On the eighth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Gratitude is a powerful frequency-shifter with its high vibration. It can help you find new perspectives to bad situations, quickly lift your mood and get you out of a funk in a nanosecond.
No Xmas bonus? Going through a rough patch at home? Work problems? Holiday blues, feeling sad, alone or lonely? Missing loved ones?
Keep a daily gratitude journal and list 20 things you’re grateful for, including your problems. Where there were once obstacles you’ll see solutions and options you didn’t even know existed.
Anytime you want to change the way you feel and, at the same time, accelerate your life by attracting things you love, do a love rampage by picking out and listing all the things you love.
Day 9: Bounce Like Beyonce💃
On the ninth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Shake that booty!!
When you have too much anxious energy crawling through your body. Put on your earbuds and your favourite song and move.
Because anxiety lives in the body, and not in the mind, you can’t discharge it by overanalyzing your thoughts. So shake what your mama gave you.
When you listen to what your body is saying, by learning its unique language, and respond to it with safety, your mind will stop creating false narratives and limiting beliefs that keep you stuck in what feels like painful realities.
Stress is created in the mind that shows up as anxiety in the body. Know the difference and learn how to manage each one to forge a better mind/body connection.
Day 10: H2O 💦
On the tenth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Poor Fuel Choices: What you eat & drink affects how you cope with stress.
Cut back on the coffee, energy drinks and junk carbs, instant gratification = long-term health issues.
Drink 2 litres of water daily. Your brain is made up of 75% water, it uses up 20% of the energy you put into your body even though it is only 2% of your body mass.
Give it what it needs to keep your focus sharp and the headaches at bay.
Day 11: Future Focused 😎
On the eleventh day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Before the world wakes up, sit down and journal for 15 minutes on your top 3 goals for 2025.
1 work
1 personal
1 fun
Underneath each one write ONE action step you’re going to take TODAY.
That’s only 3 action steps per day and you’ll have a better start to 2025 than most.
Day 12: Get Support 🙏
On the twelfth day of Christmas, Koser’s tip to me is…
Talk about it. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. A problem shared is no longer a burden.
If you’re struggling mentally, physically or emotionally. If you’re looking for direction or need to make a life-changing decision. Hire a mentor who can take you out of your negative mindset and “safe” strategies and move you from survival to growth.
You are the best investment you’ll ever make. Know your options and take them with kindness and not with shame or blaming.
Life-changing decisions make your life better even though it might feel scary at the time. In those situations, a simple mindset flip can help: view the fear as excitement. Start to embody a new way of living. Lock in daily habits that match the person you want to be. Real change comes from identity shifts.
Sometimes the simplest things can change your entire world. I hope these Short Life Lessons built for Long-Term Success are your go-to’s every holiday season and beyond.
And finally, your support has been the icing on my Christmas cake this year.
I hope you have a holiday season as fabulous as you are. 🎉🎉🎉
Hello 2025. New Year. New You!! 💋
♻️Save this post and return to it when you need solutions to your problems.
