If you're married to a physician, the "New Year, new you" pressure can feel extra exhausting, especially when your life is already running on a high-demand schedule. In this episode, Kendra and Katie offer you something better than resolutions: permission to honor your current season and work with your real energy, not an arbitrary calendar date.

• Why January 1 can be a terrible "starting line" (and why nature is resting when we're told to sprint)

• The seasons framework, using a farming metaphor:

  • Winter: planning, rest, reflection

  • Spring: gentle planting, experimentation

  • Summer: consistent growth and maintenance

  • Fall: harvesting wins, celebrating, completing the cycle

• Why your seasons do not have to match the calendar, and how you can be in different seasons in different areas of life

• The simplest way to identify your current season:

  • What is your energy actually like right now?

  • Does starting something new feel exciting or exhausting?

• Real-life examples from Kendra and Katie about where they are right now, and what they're choosing to say yes to, and no to

• A practical way to answer the "What are your New Year's resolutions?" question without over-explaining

• A reflection prompt to help you align this week with what you truly need

What does my season need from me right now?

Next week, we're talking about what the principles of Fair Play can look like in physician families.

Interested in Coaching with Kendra?

Schedule your interview with Kendra at https://itgetsbetternow.com/work-with-me/

• Follow on Instagram: @supportingphysicianspouses

• Have an episode idea? Email us: hello@supportingphysicianspouses.com

• If this episode resonated, please leave a review. It helps more physician spouses find the show.

If you're married to a physician and you've been holding a lot this year, this one is for you. Katie and Kendra share highlights from our first year, read reviews from listeners, and tease what's ahead in 2026, including a Fair Play series and conversations about your family's ecosystem.

As we head into a new year, we're looking back on the first year of the Supporting Physician Spouses podcast, how it began, what resonated most, and what we're building next. If you've been listening quietly, this is your invitation to step closer. Leave a review, send a DM, or email us with what you want next. We're building this community with you.

• How Katie and Kendra first connected through coaching, and why that matters for the medical journey

• Favorite episodes from the year (including Kendra's episode with her husband, and Katie's "marriage contract" conversation)

• Real listener reviews, and what you've shared about feeling seen and less alone

• What's coming in 2026: no traditional New Year's resolutions, family systems, and a three-part Fair Play focus (including episodes with both spouses)

• A question for you: how could this community serve you best next year?

• Email: hello@supportingphysicianspouses.com

• Instagram: @supportingphysicianspouses

If this podcast has helped you feel more grounded, more understood, or simply less alone, please leave a rating and review. It helps other physician spouses find support when they need it most.

Keywords: physician spouse, physician partners, medical marriage, residency spouse, surgeon spouse, end of year reflection, invisible load, Fair Play Eve Rodsky, marriage communication, burnout prevention, support for physician families

The holidays can be joyful—and complicated—when you're married to medicine.
Today we're talking about how we actually celebrate the holiday season—as physician spouses juggling unpredictable schedules, limited time off, and shifting expectations.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why creating "traditional" holiday traditions can feel hard in medical training and early practice

• How simple, flexible traditions often matter more than elaborate plans

• Letting go of comparison—especially online—and doing what works for your family

You'll hear:

• A story about how Christmas Eve pizza became a meaningful tradition during an unpredictable season

• An honest realization that we do have traditions—even if they don't look big or Instagram-worthy

• Encouragement to simplify gifts, food, and expectations during a demanding season of life

This episode is an invitation to release pressure, ignore the online noise, and give yourself permission to celebrate in ways that actually support your family—right where you are.

We're so grateful you're here. Happy holidays.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Brûléed Orange Brioche French Toast (Williams Sonoma recipe)

• The Giving Machines (charitable vending machines)

• Leave a review for Supporting Physician Spouses to help other physician families find the show

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• Email us your topic suggestions at hello@supportingphysicianspouses.com