December Planner Reset: Making My Personal Rings Work Even When I’m Struggling

December is the month that shows up every year like an over-caffeinated overachiever with the audacity to ask, “So… are you ready?”

No, babe. I am not.
But that’s exactly why I love doing a December planner reset—especially in my personal size ring planner, which is basically the ride-or-die that sticks with me through every season of chaos, reinvention, and “why am I like this?”

This month I need my planner to provide a bit of “soft structure” to help me juggle my personal life, creative goals, content planning, holiday prep, my emotional and mental health, and the 2000 tabs open in my brain all. the. time. IFYKYK.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, behind, scattered, or like December just needs to calm down… welcome, friend. Let’s reset together.

Why I Need a Reset (and Maybe You Do Too)

The holidays are beautiful, but they’re also a lot. And this year? My brain is running both too fast and too slow. Executive dysfunction is very much in the chat.

So my December setup needed to be:

  • simple enough to use on my most exhausted days,

  • structured enough to support my goals,

  • and pretty enough to spark joy (because yes, I am a maximalist and stationery does motivate me).

If you’re also struggling to get your head above water, no worries my friend. You’re human. Let’s build systems that help us.

My December Planner Setup (Inside the Personal Rings)

✨ 1. The Monthly Dashboard

My December dashboard is my grounding page.
I keep it simple:

  • one focus for the month,

  • one intention,

  • and a tiny list of “non-negotiable” tasks that I know I can actually complete.

No aspirational nonsense. Just what’s real.

📝 2. The Monthly Insert

Personal rings can get cramped, so I stuck with:

  • a clean monthly calendar,

  • space for appointments,

  • and a holiday timeline so Christmas doesn’t sneak up on me like it does every single year.

🎁 3. Holiday Planning

This includes a small:

  • gift list,

  • budget tracker,

  • events & hosting notes

🧠 4. ADHD-Friendly Systems

Because my brain refuses to cooperate in December, I kept things extremely functional:

  • Weekly overview to stop me from overcommitting.

  • A “When Your Brain is Tired” list of simple wins.

  • A Notes section because I will forget everything if I don’t write it down.

🎨 5. A Few Pretty Touches

I added some holiday touches because a little whimsy goes a long way in keeping me engaged.

My planner needs to feel like a space I want to come back to not just a continually growing list of tasks and obligations.

What I’m Letting Go Of This Month

  • The idea that I need to be perfectly organized.

  • The myth that December needs a fresh start when sometimes survival is enough.

  • Comparing my planner (or my life) to anyone else’s.

My system doesn’t have to look like yours. And your system doesn’t need to look like mine.
It just has to work.

What I’m Focusing On Instead

✨ small steps
✨ gentle routines
✨ soft structure
✨ daily joy
✨ space to breathe
✨ a soft landing place for my thoughts

If all I do this month is keep my personal rings open and write down what actually matters, that’s a win.

If You’re Struggling Too…

Come sit next to me (with your coffee or your tea).
Let’s make planning a refuge instead of a performance.

Your planner can hold space for chaos, creativity, grief, joy, overwhelm, and ambition — all at the same time.
That’s the beauty of it.

And if all you do today is flip open your planner and take one breath?
That counts.