MINDFUL MODERN LIVING PRESENTS
*This years offering is now closed.*
Mindful Holidays 7-Day Challenge for Less Stress
Your Free On-Demand Daily guidance for Holiday Stress Relief. Accessible practices for all levels.
Finally enjoy the holiday season without the burnout. Join our mindfulness offering grounded in science to help you stress less and savor more. Through daily bite-sized practices and real-life coaching support, you’ll build resilience for the holidays. No perfection or “high vibes” required, just authentic stress relief.
Holiday Overwhelm Is Real
Does the “most wonderful time of the year” often leave you exhausted, anxious, or just trying to get through? You’re not the only one. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans feel stressed during the holidays, and 41% say their stress increases at this time of year.
It’s no wonder if you’re feeling:
Burnt out and fatigued: End-of-year work crunch, family obligations, gift shopping, never-ending to-do lists. It all piles up until your energy is drained.
Emotionally overwhelmed: One moment you’re excited, the next you’re guilty or irritable because you’re not feeling the joy everyone expects. Holidays can stir up grief, family tensions, or loneliness that aren’t easy to just “be merry” about.
Pressure to “keep it together”: You might feel you have to fake a smile and maintain high spirits for others, even when you’re internally struggling. The whole performative wellness culture of “good vibes only” can make you feel worse when you’re actually stressed or sad.
Off your self-care routine: Busy days and holiday travel disrupt healthy habits. Exercise, mindfulness, and you time all that gets sidelined, and the lack of consistency leaves you feeling even more off-center.
If you’re nodding along, take a deep breath. The stress, the complex emotions, the “holiday blues” are more common than Instagram would have you think. You don’t need another unrealistic promise to “just be positive.” You need a real, grounded approach to navigate the chaos.
What’s Included (and Why It Works)
We designed the Mindful Holidays Challenge to fit seamlessly into a busy life. Each feature of the program is there for a reason: to make it easier for you to stick with it and get real results. Here’s what you get when you join and how each piece helps you stress less:
- 7 Days of Guided Practices
Every day, you’ll receive a short, guided mindfulness practice (around 10-15 minutes) from sound healing and body scan meditations to gentle yoga stretches or journaling prompts. These bite-sized practices reset your nervous system and build resilience over time.
- Science-Backed Methods
All our practices draw on proven techniques like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and positive psychology. We’re blending ancient wisdom with modern science. Research shows mindfulness programs can significantly lower stress levels (one review found up to a 33% reduction in perceived stress on average).
- Private Online Course Hub
You’ll have access to a user-friendly course platform where all the challenge materials live (videos, audio files, PDFs, etc.). No hunting through your inbox. Log in anytime to replay!
- Daily Email Reminders & Inspiration
Each morning during the challenge, you’ll get a friendly email outlining the practice of the day, with simple instructions and a quick tip or insight. It’s like getting a nudge from a friend who wants you to succeed. The emails keep you accountable and motivated (we know consistency is hard).
- Supportive Community (Facebook Group)
Beyond the live calls, connect 24/7 with fellow participants for encouragement, questions, and celebration. This private, supportive space helps you feel less alone and more motivated throughout the challenge.
- Expert Guidance from a Board-Certified Coach
Led by Jessica Kirschner, National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, trained in evidence-based coaching and behavior change science. You’re getting professional support, not just a self-paced app.
Together, these features create a powerful container for a healthier relationship this season. A genuine shift in how you handle stress day by day. It’s flexible, judgment-free, and tailored for real people with real lives.
A Real-World Solution for Holiday Stress
Imagine not merely surviving the holidays, but actually finding moments of peace and joy within them. It doesn’t mean everything magically becomes calm. It means you become more centered and resilient. That’s what the Mindful Holidays 7-Day Challenge is all about: giving you practical tools to handle holiday stress in real life. No detoxes, no “manifesting miracles,” and no need to be a meditation guru. This challenge meets you where you are: tired, frazzled, skeptical, busy and helps you create a healthier experience this season.
Introducing a week of science-backed mindfulness, self-care, and community support to help you break the cycle of holiday stress. Over 7 days, you’ll practice simple daily exercises that calm your mind and body, so you can approach each day with more clarity, energy, and actual enjoyment. We’ll tackle stress from all angles, mental, emotional, and even physical, using proven techniques from mindfulness, behavioral science, and stress physiology. We’ll do it in a way that validates your experience (yes, stress happens, and feeling it doesn’t mean you’re failing) while empowering you to handle it better.
No empty promises of constant bliss. Instead, by the end of the challenge you can expect to feel a bit more present, more in control, and more connected to what truly matters to you during the holidays. Think of it as building your inner calm muscle , one day at a time, so the holiday rush doesn’t run you over.
Meet Your Coach
Hello! I’m Jessica Kirschner, the creator and facilitator of the Mindful Holidays Challenge, and founder of Mindful Modern Living. I’m a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), a certified yoga instructor, and a certified sound therapy practitioner but most importantly, I’m a human who knows first-hand how exhausting the holidays can get.
Over the past five years, I’ve coached clients in stress management, mindfulness, and healthy lifestyle change. My approach is grounded in both science and heart. I have a background in holistic wellness and stay up-to-date with research on stress, mindfulness, and behavior change. (If you’re curious, I’ve studied techniques like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, psychology coaching, and motivational interviewing.) I also bring my authentic self to the table, the empathetic partner who will tell you “I’ve been there and it’s okay.”
Why I created this challenge: A few years ago, I caught myself dreading the holiday season. I was tired of just “getting through” the holidays, only to end up burned out by New Year’s. It saddened me to realize that a time meant for joy, connection, and reflection had turned into a stress marathon for me and for so many people I talked to. I started weaving together the mindfulness practices I personally practice, the strategies from health psychology, and a big dose of realism about what truly helps when life gets hectic.
My approach: Being human is made up of light and darkness. Birth, death, and rebirth. You won’t hear me tell you to “eliminate all stress” or “think positive vibes only.” Instead, I’ll encourage you to notice your full human experience, the stress, the joy, the grief, the laughter, and learn ways to navigate it with more confidence and self-compassion. I believe mindfulness isn’t about emptying your mind; it’s about paying attention to the present moment in a kind, curious way. When you do that, you break out of autopilot mode and gain the ability to respond to life’s ups and downs more skillfully. And guess what? That’s exactly what the holidays often demand of us!
What Past Participants Are Saying
Ready to Stress Less This Holiday Season?
This is your chance to step off the hamster wheel of holiday stress. Give yourself permission to prioritize your well-being, just for one week, and see what changes. You have nothing to lose (except some stress) and so much to gain…energy, calm, connection, joy!
Ready to join us? Let’s make this holiday season one you can mindfully enjoy rather than merely survive.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend carving out about 15-20 minutes per day. This gives you time to watch the brief coaching video and participate in the guided practice. If you’re short on time, you can do just the practice (10-15 minutes) and catch the coaching video later. The key is consistency, not perfection.
Yes! This challenge welcomes all levels of experience, from complete beginners to advanced practitioners. The guided practices are beginner-friendly with clear, simple instructions. If you’re more experienced, you’ll still benefit from returning to the foundational practices. No matter where you are in your journey, these practices continue to strengthen and deepen your mindfulness skills.
Absolutely! The modules open daily and remain available throughout the challenge, so you can go back to any previous day’s practice whenever you’d like. Life happens, especially during the holidays. This challenge is designed to support you, not add pressure. Go at your own pace and know that even participating in a few days will still benefit you.
Just a device to access the online course platform (computer, tablet, or phone) and a quiet space where you can practice for 10-20 minutes. You might want a yoga mat or comfortable place to sit, but even a chair or your bed works. No special equipment required.
No problem! While we have a private Facebook group for community connection, you can still fully participate in the challenge. You’re welcome to engage with us on Instagram (@mindfulmoldernliving), respond directly to your daily email reminders with questions or reflections, or reach out anytime via email. We’re here to support you in whatever way works best for you.
Skepticism is completely normal and welcome here! Many people come to mindfulness with doubts. This challenge is grounded in science, not magical thinking. All we ask is that you experiment and simply notice what happens. Transformation doesn’t have to be dramatic. Often, it’s the subtle shifts (sleeping a bit better, feeling slightly more patient, catching yourself before reacting) that matter most. Give it a try and see for yourself.
Yes, it’s completely free. No hidden fees,. This offering comes from a genuine place of wanting to support people in having a healthier, more peaceful relationship with the holiday season. It’s about building community and making mindfulness accessible. That’s it.
Absolutely! Doing the challenge with someone else can add extra accountability and give you someone to discuss your experiences with. Just make sure you each register separately so you both receive all the materials and access to the course platform.
After the challenge ends, you’re welcome to continue accessing the modules and practices on your own time. We also have a robust collection of free guided practices on our YouTube channel. If you’re in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area (or visiting), you can join us for in-person events and classes at our studio. We also offer virtual classes, coaching, and pop-up events around the country, so there are many ways to continue the journey with our community, both virtually and in person.
P.S. Your peace of mind matters and so does your privacy. We promise to keep your email safe and spam-free. You’ll only receive challenge-related updates and resources and you can unsubscribe anytime. No tricks, just treats for your well-being!