A Gentle Christmas Reading List
Enjoy these recommended Substacks in your downtime
Hi, I’m Holly - coach, mindfulness facilitator and author of Zestful Zen. I write about self-care, change, personal growth, mindfulness, and purpose. If you like life to be full of zest and energy, complemented by a zen, calm mind, Zestful Zen is the community for you! 💖✨
Happy Holidays! 🎄
Happy holidays friends! And happy almost-Xmas for those who celebrate it! 🌟
🖋️❌ I’m taking a little writing break over the holidays, plus a bit of digital detox. So no essay this weekend.
Although I’m having some time off, I’ve pre-scheduled this post and others, so you’ll still get a taste of Zestful Zen in your mailbox this festive season.
Perhaps you’re busy celebrating with family and friends and taking a little Substack break too? Enjoy the digital detox and don’t forget to practice self-care if the Christmas chaos becomes overwhelming. 🎉
Or maybe you finally have the downtime you’ve been waiting for and you’re looking forward to relaxing on your sofa with some good reads! 📚
If it’s the latter, I’ve got you covered. ✅
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
10 Great Holiday Reads
There are so, so many fabulous Substacks I could recommend. But you only have so many hours in the day!
So I’m limiting myself to 10 that fit with the Zestful Zen ethos of wellbeing, self-care, mindfulness and personal growth.
Mostly smaller publications that might get overlooked in the crowded Substack ecosystem.
Maybe some are already like familiar friends to you, but if you’ve not discovered them before, I hope you’ll enjoy these publications.✨
Grow Healthier + Happier by . Lots of great health, nutrition and wellness advice. I loved this article on making self-care work for you:
A Momentary Happiness by . Anna writes on mindset, manifestation and more. This post has wonderful range of gratitude practices for you to pick and choose from:
Creative Letters by . Robin’s letters always hit the mark, sharing wisdom and insights that I often didn’t realise I needed. This is a great post for prompting self-reflection as we end another year:
A Year of Mental Health by . Chris’s abundant archive (all free!) is full of practical tips and tested techniques for supporting your mental health. In this article, he shares two strategies for saying NO:
Pen & Ink by . Georgie’s beautiful drawings bring a smile to my face, while her Creative Prescriptions boost my mindfulness and imagination. Check out this post on the science-backed wellbeing benefits of creativity:
Humans Leading by . Self-care is Dr Jillian’s mantra, as she delivers her mission to help you lead a less stressed, more satisfying life. Here she shares 5 ways to support your winter wellbeing:
Flourish & Fare by . Aimée writes from her old cottage in the countryside, encouraging us to embrace a slower more seasonal way of life. Check out her suggestions for 75 things you could do in December (not a to-do list!)
The Metamorphosis Map by . Lisa has some great articles on change. Her series on transforming your life or work is a step-by-step guide, illustrated with sketches as visual prompts. Start with this post on values:
Heart Leap by provides uplifting and inspirational advice on change and creativity. In November, she explored “life tanks” of love, money, energy and time, prompting reflection on what “enough” or balance looks like for each:
A Message From The Universe by . Bite-sized and punchy, this daily dose of simple but often profound poetry always makes me pause and reflect. Enjoy this little nugget of encouragement:
From the archive… 🔎
If all that’s not enough to keep you going and you fancy diving into the Zestful Zen archive too, here’s a few suggestions.
On self-care
On creativity
On mindfulness
On personal growth
And there’s more…
For wellbeing resources, check out the Wellbeing Wednesday archive.
For adventure prompts, check out the Monday Matchstick Challenge.
Wishing you a fun and restful holiday ✨
And that’s a wrap! I have a few more pre-scheduled posts for over the festive period, but I’ll sign off today by wishing you a fabulous holiday. I hope you get the downtime you deserve.
Have a sublime Saturday and an excellent Xmas, friends! 🌞
P.S. The terrific trio also send furry best wishes. 😻
Ways to connect or work with me 💬
DM me, jump in the subscriber chat, or connect via my website, LinkedIn or Instagram 😁 I offer coaching sessions and mindfulness courses.
If you enjoyed this post, it would mean the world to me if you’d comment, hit the heart button or share it. Your actions will help me reach more people. 💖 Thanks for your support! ✨
Such a fab list! Thank you for the feature also ❤️ Really looking forward to reading these and getting inspired for the new year!
Saving for later! Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays!