Your Mindful Advent Calendar: 12 Daily Practices to Support Your Mind & Body This December
- milanwomennetwork
- Dec 14
- 7 min read
This is your advent calendar with a twist. With these 12 daily thoughts & micro-actions, make this December a festive season of ease, calm, and feeling more grounded.
Written by: Ché Maria Milani
Photo by Karola G
December is often a month of contrasts.
Rushing to meet deadlines for work, while feeling that sensation of wanting to slow down.
Rigorously exercising in order to ‘make space’ for all the indulging and lazing about that’s around the corner.
And even focusing on the year ahead, when your head is still spinning from all the highs and lows (and everything in between) of a year we’re still living.
To help us manage this tug of war, here are 12 thoughts & micro-actions you can take to ease the load of this busy month.
Consider them small, daily anchors designed to bring you back to yourself during the lead-up to the festivities.
Traditionally, the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ are between December 25th and January 6th…but these are also perfect for the lead up to, and including Christmas itself.
Each day centres on one theme - simple, digestible, and completely doable.
And there are 2 ways to approach it - either return to this article every day for 12 days (so keep a tab open on your phone), or write each point in your diary so it’s physically visible each day.
Think of it as your mini-advent calendar of mindset, reflection, and intentional pauses.
Let’s begin, shall we?
DAY 1
Begin With Ease
In such a busy month, this is a great opportunity to practice the art of prioritising - and ask yourself if you can demand less of yourself.
As strange as that sounds to us, with all the planning, shopping, cooking, prepping, and working, the need to be Super Woman is just as odd (and unrealistic).
But ease begins when you decide what truly matters…and what can wait till later or next year, or be delegated to someone else, or simply fall away.
Action:
What will you prioritise today for yourself? And what will you prioritise in general for the festive season?
DAY 2
Claim a Small Moment for Yourself
Not all of us have the time or the discipline for long stretches of meditation or quiet time.
But even just 5-10 minutes of stillness can make a difference.
It helps with clarity, creating a sense of calm, and rooting yourself back in the present moment.
On a physical level, this is perfect for lowering cortisol, releasing tension in places that often go unnoticed (the jaw, the shoulders), and reducing heart rate and blood pressure.
And bonus, all these calming effects help with digestion too (quite apt for this season of being merry).
Action:
Think about when would be best for your few moments of calm.
Early in the morning before everyone wakes up? Or right before bed? Or somewhere in between? If it’ll be easier, tie it to an action like drinking your morning coffee somewhere quiet, or turn another daily action into a mini-ritual, like your shower.
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch
DAY 3
Notice the Small Joys
We’re all familiar with this concept. But a reminder couldn’t hurt.
While we’re looking ahead to certain dates on the calendar and always thinking about what’s next, be sure to notice the smaller, more immediate things around you - especially the ones that bring you joy.
That warm cup of something, the chance to take a walk in the sunshine, or observing people laughing together…no matter what it is, notice it and enjoy it.
Action:
Photograph that moment that sparked some joy.(If you feel to, why not share it on Instagram and tag @milan.women.network_ - we’d love to see it!)
DAY 4
Create Boundaries If You Need Them - It’s Perfectly Okay!
This is easily something valid for any time of the year, not just now. But the festive season is when this comes more into relief.
Whether you’re dealing with friends, family or complete strangers, setting a (even soft) boundary will work wonders for stress levels and emotional states.
If this is a time to be jolly, don’t let resentment or irritation shadow it.
Action:
Think of one boundary you might need this week, and practice how you would respond with calm confidence. Here are a few examples:
• If you need to decline an invitation: “Thank you so much for thinking of me - I’m keeping things low-key this week, so I’ll pass this time. Let’s catch up in the new year.”
• If you want to help someone, but with limits: “I’d love to help with (...), but I won’t be able to stay the whole time. I can give you an hour, would that be useful?”
• If someone keeps offering food/drink and you’re already full: “Everything is delicious and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m full for now, but thank you for offering!”
Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina
DAY 5
A Whisper From Future You
Have people already been asking you about your New Year's resolutions?!
If that thought stresses you out a bit, fear not.
Personally, I’m not a huge NY resolutions person as I don’t feel it’s the right season (spring is more conducive to new intentions & beginnings, in my opinion), but if you feel like you need some direction for when January rolls around…
Why not consider connecting with the version of you who will exist 12 months from now?
What will she be doing, feeling, or where will she be? Take a moment to imagine this.
Action:
Then write one thing your future self would thank you for. Let this be your starting point for the new year.
DAY 6
Move How Your Body Wants
As holidays, travelling, and socialising might throw us off our usual routine, take the pressure off yourself with this thought…
Movement doesn’t have to be intense - just intentional.
Even just 10-15 minutes of stretching in the morning is beneficial.
And if you have a bit more time, never underestimate the pros of walking after a meal (improves digestion, stabilises blood sugar, and reduces post-meal fatigue).
Action:
Be realistic - what could you squeeze in, and when? Then, make it happen. Why not share it with us in our exclusive Whatsapp group? You’ll be sharing a win, and inspiring others too!
DAY 7
One Message of Gratitude
We certainly know this one already…but let’s take it a step further.
When we feel gratitude, we create more of the energy that invites more of what we want in our lives.
And when we act on it - even minimally - a ripple goes out into our world.
Action:
Send one sincere message to someone who mattered this year - to say thank you, to show appreciation, or just to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch
DAY 8
Clear One Tiny Corner
This one is a favourite of mine.
A clear physical space equals a clear mental space.
A sense of order creates calm, helping reduce that anxiety that buzzes in the background (and sometimes we don’t even notice it).
And it’s quite symbolic too - clearing away one thing to make space for something new.
Action:
If you don’t have the time or the energy for a full-house clean-out, how about one cupboard, or one room? Your handbag, or your drawer. Or even the desktop on your laptop!
DAY 9
Permission to Rest
In order to do our best and to give our all, we need one very important thing - rest. But often we feel like we need to earn it.
So when you give yourself permission - because you understand and agree with how vital it is - you stop feeling guilty about it.
Without rest, everything else feels - and is - impossible. And I feel this is even more so during winter, which is literally the time to slow down and store energy for the next change of seasons.
Biology doesn’t lie.
Action:
If you feel today needs to be a rest day, give it to yourself. And if you don’t need or want a whole day, how about a couple of hours of sitting on the couch reading your favourite book? Or even a 20 minute power nap. Choose whatever will give you the rest you need. You deserve it.
DAY 10
Celebrate One Imperfect Thing
Not everything this year went according to plan, right?
As much as we don’t want to dwell on the negative, often positive things come out of that too.
Acknowledging that is what makes our experiences richer, and as you guessed, it feeds back into our focus of gratitude.
Action:
Write down one thing that didn’t go as planned and what it taught you.
MWN Wellness Weekend, Archive Dec 2024. Photo by Sydney Duncan
DAY 11
Listen to Your Body
How often do you stop to pay attention to what your body really wants - beyond your schedule, habits and expectations?
Make today the day that you stop to ask.
What do you feel you need? More rest? Movement (and what kind)? A certain kind of food? More hydration?
Action:
Take a moment to think about it…and then consciously decide how you will incorporate it into your day.
DAY 12 Step
Into The New Year With Ease
I know that many people choose a word to take with them throughout the new year.
A single word that will shape their intentions and guide their actions & decisions.
This is a wonderful idea. But if you’re looking for something a bit deeper, choose a feeling that you want to carry with you in 2026.
Action:
Take a moment to think about this, and write it in your 2026 diary, calendar or journal. Or write it on a Post-It and stick it somewhere visible. And if you want to share it in our exclusive Whatsapp group as we inch closer to the new year, we’d love to hear it.
In this month of contrasts, I hope these 12 thoughts & micro-actions help you get the most out of December and the festive season.
If even just one of these daily anchors brings you clarity, calm, or a bit of oomph, consider it a win.
Here’s to stepping into the new year feeling a little lighter and a little more grounded. And wishing you a wonderful rest of this one.
If you enjoyed this article, we have even more to share with you: Celebrate the Festive Season with Ease: 10 Simple Tips to Eat, Drink & Move Mindfully.
Ready to dive in & join MWN? Check out our events
With 2 membership options to choose from (including free), connect with us here
Follow us on Instagram