From Survival Mode to Intentional Living: A Coach’s Wife Holiday Reset
For months, life moves at a sprint.
Friday nights under the lights. Saturdays filled with film, recovery, and preparation. Sundays that never quite feel restful. The calendar runs the house, adrenaline fuels the body, and survival mode becomes second nature.
And then suddenly… it’s over.
The last down is played. The whistles go quiet. The weekends open up—and with them comes a strange mix of relief, exhaustion, gratitude, and emotional whiplash.
If you’re anything like me, the weeks after football season end feel like standing in the quiet after a storm. Your body finally slows down, but your mind is still racing. You don’t realize how much you were carrying until you finally set it down.
This space—right here, between football season and Christmas—is sacred.
It’s an invitation.
A reset.
A gentle nudge from God to move from survival mode to intentional living.
During the season, we do what we have to do. We hold it together. We manage schedules, kids, travel, emotions, expectations, and the unseen weight that comes with supporting someone who carries so much responsibility.
But survival mode isn’t meant to be permanent.
Burnout doesn’t always look like breaking down—it often looks like constantly pushing through without stopping to feel.
This season invites us to exhale.
To stop running on adrenaline.
To stop measuring our worth by productivity.
To stop rushing past the moments God has been quietly placing in front of us all along.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28
Rest isn’t laziness.
Slowing down isn’t quitting.
It’s obedience.
Reconnecting With the Little Moments
Intentional living doesn’t have to be big or elaborate. In fact, it’s often found in the smallest moments we overlook when life is loud.
It looks like:
Slow weekend mornings where no one is rushing out the door
In-bed snuggles that last longer than planned
Pajamas staying on until noon
Family movies piled on the couch or in our case- mommy and daddy’s bed
Friday night dinners out just because you can
Short trips that don’t revolve around a stadium schedule
Saying yes to memories instead of obligations
These moments may feel ordinary—but they’re forming something eternal.
When the pace slows, connection deepens.
And often, it’s in the quiet where God does His most meaningful work.
One of the biggest shifts after football season is realizing that routines can change. The structure that once ruled your life loosens, and for the first time in months, you get to choose what fills your days.
This is the perfect time to ask:
What rhythms bring life to our family right now?
What do we want our kids to remember about this season?
Where is God inviting us to be more present?
Traditions don’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Maybe it’s:
Weekly family dinners at home
A random living room dance party (I highly recommend)
Baking cookies together on a random afternoon
Reading the Christmas story by candlelight
Protecting one night a week as a no-schedule night
Intentional living isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most.
Resetting Before Christmas and the New Year
Before the decorations go up and the calendars fill again, this season offers us something rare: margin.
Margin to reflect.
Margin to reconnect.
Margin to prepare our hearts—not just our homes.
Christmas isn’t about perfection.
It’s about presence.
The birth of Jesus came quietly. Humbly. Without fanfare or urgency. And yet, it changed everything.
As we slow down, we remember:
God is not impressed by our hustle
He is drawn to our stillness
He meets us when we make room
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
— Psalm 46:10
This is your permission to pause before the new year demands resolutions and reinvention. To rest before resetting. To sit with gratitude for what was—and hope for what’s coming.
Life won’t always slow down. Seasons will come again that demand endurance and grit.
But right now?
This moment is sacred.
A chance to choose intentionality.
To embrace the little moments.
To gather your family close.
To reset your heart before Christmas and the year ahead.
You don’t have to rush into the next thing.
God is already here—in the quiet, the cuddles, the laughter, and the slow mornings you didn’t know you needed.
And that’s more than enough.
