In partnership with
Consult Dr. Michelle | In HER Era Events
Hello, Gorgeous!
Before You Say Yes to the Holidays
Protect your peace before the calendar fills up.
The invitations are about to start rolling in. The office party. The family dinner. The cookie exchange. The volunteer sign-up. The "can you just help with this one thing?"
And if you are anything like the women I work with, your first instinct is to say yes before you have even checked your calendar, let alone your energy.
Here is the truth: every yes costs time. When we say yes out of guilt or habit, we often say no to the rest, the people, and the priorities that actually matter to us. Then January arrives, and we wonder why we feel so depleted.
The Holiday Yes Filter
Before you answer the next request, pause and ask yourself three questions:
Do I actually want to do this, or do I just feel like I should?
What will this cost me in time, energy, or money?
What would I have to give up to make room for it?
If the answer doesn't feel aligned, you are allowed to say, "Thank you so much for thinking of me. I can't this year." No long explanation required.
Your Challenge This Week
List every holiday commitment already on your calendar or in your head.
Run each one through the Holiday Yes Filter.
Release one thing that doesn't pass, and give that time back to yourself.
Then hit reply and tell me what you're releasing. I read every response, and I want to celebrate that boundary with you.
This is your era. Make the time count.
With gratitude,
Dr. Michelle Fennick
CEO, Consult Dr. Michelle, LLC
Founder & Curator, In HER Era Events
P.S. Cast Your Vision for 2027 is still coming. Want to hear first? Reply with the word "VISION" and you will be the first to know.
You're Invited: Sip, Shop & Socialize
Boss Women Network × CEOess® × Consult Dr. Michelle LLC
Speaking of holiday yeses, here is one I really want you to make room for. Join me for an afternoon of sipping, shopping, and connecting with women who are building and leading in their own era. Get a head start on your holiday shopping, meet women you'll be glad you know, and give yourself an afternoon that's just for you.
Where: Kendra Scott Houston Highland Village, 2701 Drexel Dr. Suite A, Houston, TX 77027
When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 2:30 PM
This is one of my favorite ways to close out the year, and I want to see you there. Bring a friend, a coworker, or your sister. Just be sure to save your spot so I know you're coming.
It takes 30 seconds. Bringing guests? Count them in your RSVP.
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“I teach people to live in right relationship with time.”
Struggling with Burnout
If your organization is struggling with burnout, overload, or constant urgency, the real issue may not be time.
It may be alignment and communication.
If you would like me to speak to your organization about practical time-saving strategies for leaders, contact me at
www.consultdrmichelle.com
Test that business idea this weekend
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Find out if your idea works in days
Keep going, or try the next one
Discount of $5 applies to first month of any paid plan. You need to sign up via this webpage in order to claim the discount. The discount applies to new and returning users without an active paid plan. Terms apply.
“Time is your most valuable currency.
Spend it on what aligns with your purpose.”
The Time Alignment Method: Reclaim Your Time, Redefine Your Priorities, and Realign Your Life
Begin your time realignment journey with my workbook
The Time Alignment Method: Reclaim Your Time, Redefine Your Priorities, and Realign Your Life
https://a.co/d/00r2Sdwj
A fast AI answer isn't always a coordinated one. When AI resolves B2B issues without looping in the teams responsible for them, confidence outpaces alignment. A new Harvard Business Review Analytic Services briefing paper, sponsored by Front, looks at closing that gap.
Follow Dr. Michelle on YouTube
You can also follow along as I share strategies to help leaders reclaim their time and focus on what matters most on my YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF_x2bxnYYn1LMMkLgDrH9g
Support the Work
If this newsletter has encouraged you, challenged your thinking, or helped you reclaim even a small portion of your time, I am grateful.
This work is part of a larger mission to help leaders live with greater clarity, alignment, and stewardship of their time.
If you would like to support the continued research, writing, and resources that I share with this community, you can do so here.
Support the mission
https://www.paypal.me/consultdrmichelle
Your support helps expand this work so more leaders can learn to protect their time, communicate with clarity, and lead with purpose.
Thank you for being part of this community.
In alignment,
Dr. Michelle Fennick
Consult Dr. Michelle
https://consultdrmichelle.com