🎁 The GGG Reset: How to Protect Your Relationship from Holiday Stress

The holiday season can be magical — twinkling lights, shared traditions, cherished memories — but it can also unleash a perfect storm of stress 😬, especially for high-performing couples juggling business pressures, family demands, and emotional expectations. In Make More Love Episode 73, host Ellen Dorian breaks down a powerful framework to help you not just survive the holidays, but thrive together as a couple. 

The secret? Anchoring your relationship in Gratitude, Generosity, and Grace — the GGG Principles — so stress doesn’t pull you apart but brings you closer. Let’s dive into what each principle means and how to apply them this season.

🌟 1. Gratitude: Move Beyond the Expected

It’s one thing to say “I’m grateful,” and another to feel it deeply and express it meaningfully. Ellen challenges couples to shift from obligatory holiday pleasantries to intentional gratitude practices, focusing on what you truly value about your partner.

👉 Try this: each day, identify one thing your partner did — big or small — that genuinely mattered to you. Then, share it with them. Rather than letting stress build, gratitude helps you see what’s working and reinforces connection.

Gratitude isn’t about ignoring stress — it’s about giving attention to what brings you together, not just what demands your attention.

💝 2. Generosity: Give From Surplus, Not Scarcity

Generosity during the holidays can be more than gifts and parties. But there’s a catch: real generosity is not about self-sacrifice or guilt.

Ellen explains that generosity works best when you give from surplus — that is, from reserves of energy, time, or attention you actually have. When you force yourself to give from scarcity, burnout and resentment follow.

Practical examples include:

• Taking on holiday tasks your partner finds draining

• Offering emotional support when your partner feels overwhelmed

• Planning surprise gestures that show appreciation without pressure

Generosity in this spirit becomes a gift that nurtures intimacy, not stress.

🤲 3. Grace: The Antidote to Perfectionism

Perfectionism is a holiday trap. Expectations skyrocket, and your partner — and yourself — can feel judged for what isn’t perfect. The third GGG principle, Grace, is about letting go of rigid expectations and welcoming patience, compassion, and forgiveness into your relationship.

Grace doesn’t mean ignoring problems — it means responding with kindness when expectations fall short. It’s reminding each other: we’re on the same team, even when plans change or plans fall apart.

📌 Applying GGG Principles: Practical Steps

Here are three concrete ways to bring GGG into your holiday season:

1. Create Daily Gratitude Statements: Take one moment each day to share what you genuinely appreciate about your partner.

2. Make a Weekly Generosity Plan: Choose one holiday stress point (like shopping, hosting, scheduling) and decide who has surplus energy to handle it.

3. Practice Grace in Real Time: When frustration arises, slow down. Use a phrase like, “I know we both want this to be good — let’s try this together.”

These aren’t perfect rituals — they’re relational habits that shift stress into connection and presence.

💡 Why This Matters

The holidays shouldn’t be a test of endurance. Too often, stress becomes a cycle that leads to resentment — and couples think January is the time to fix everything, only to realize January is too late.

But when you practice gratitude, generosity, and grace, the season becomes less about pressure and more about presence. You’re no longer cumulatively reacting to demands — you’re intentionally choosing each other through the chaos.

Featured image by Алина Хабарова