When the holidays bring everyone back together, it’s like stepping into an emotional time machine. Patterns re-emerge, and the roles you’ve worked so hard to evolve from — the peacekeeper, the fixer, the one who “keeps it together” — slip back on like muscle memory.

Midlife can feel like standing in the eye of a storm. Your hormones are changing. Your kids (or parents) need more from you. Your body feels different. And the world still expects you to smile and manage it all gracefully.

Perfectionism is sneaky. It hides behind good intentions — wanting to do your best, make everyone happy, keep things running. But underneath? It’s often anxiety in disguise.