Episode 8 - Tis the season to be Jolly....Or is it?

In this Christmas special of The Unknot Your Future Self Podcast, Emma and Sarah sit down to talk about what Christmas really brings up for people — beyond the matching pyjamas and forced cheer.

For many, Christmas isn’t restful. It’s activating. Family roles resurface. Old patterns creep back in. Expectations collide with reality. Grief, guilt, resentment, and pressure all show up at once — and we’re expected to smile through it.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Christmas is such a powerful trigger for family dynamics
• How unspoken roles, histories, and expectations quietly run the show
• What actually helps when family time feels tense, overwhelming, or disappointing
• Why “just getting through it” keeps the same cycles alive

We then shift into reflection — not in a fluffy, resolution-based way, but in a grounded, honest one.

As the year closes, we invite you to pause and ask:

• What patterns followed me through this year?
• Where did I abandon myself to keep the peace?
• What do I not want to repeat in 2026?

This episode is about stepping out of survival mode and starting to relate to your future self differently — with more intention, boundaries, and self-respect.

✨ Want support to actually change these patterns?
If listening has highlighted repeating dynamics in your relationships, family life, or how you show up under pressure, Emma offers systemic life coaching to help you understand why these patterns exist — and how to shift them in real, sustainable ways.

You can find our details by following Unknot Your Future Self on Instagram or Unknot Coaching & Therapy on Instagram, where we regularly share reflections, tools, and ways to work together.

🎧 Listen in, reflect gently, and take yourself seriously as you head into the new year.