Pink Divas Dispatch – December: The Season of Giving

December is here—the month where everyone talks about giving, but very few of us talk about the other half of the equation: receiving.

For midlife women, this season can stir up a whole cocktail of emotions. We want to show up for everyone… our kids, our partners, our aging parents, our friends. We want to be grateful and joyful and organized and “fine.” But deep inside, the holidays can make us feel lonely, stretched thin, or like we’re giving from an empty cup. Here’s the truth no one tells us when we hit midlife:

Receiving is not weakness. Receiving is nourishment. Receiving is balance. Receiving is what lets us keep giving without burning out.

💙 A Midlife Holiday Reality Check

For many of us, midlife holidays are different: Our kids are grown or growing, family dynamics have shifted, grief shows up in subtle ways, and the expectations of being everyone’s emotional anchor can feel heavier than ever. We’re told to give. But sometimes what we need most is someone to say, “Sis, let me give to you for a moment.”

That’s the magic of the sisterhood we’re building in Pink Divas Surf Club. It’s new. It’s tender. It’s still unfolding. But it’s a space where we get to practice letting others hold us, too.

🌊 The Ocean Has Been My Greatest Teacher

The ocean gives without trying. It receives without judgment. It reminds us that we are small and infinite at the same time. It teaches us balance. How do I know this?

Well, partly from my personal experiences of surfing, and partly from officially completing my Beach Therapy Coach Certification course! This training has expanded my understanding of how deeply powerful the ocean is as a healing, and giving space. I'm excited to bring this knowledge and the wisdom of the ocean together at our future Diva gatherings.

For now, in December, I want to offer you a small but powerful grounding, perspective-shifting exercise from the beach therapy world…

✨ A Mini Beach Therapy Exercise: Horizon Gazing

Whether you’re standing on the sand, sitting on a jetty, or just visualizing the sea from your home… try this:

1. Find your horizon. That thin line where sky melts into water. Let your eyes rest there gently.

2. Breathe in slowly for 4 counts. Let the air fill your ribs, your back, your chest.

3. Exhale for 6 counts. Imagine stress melting off your shoulders and dissolving into the water.

4. As you continue breathing, say silently to yourself: “My life continues beyond what I can see.”

5. Let the vastness remind you: Your potential doesn't shrink with age. Your dreams never expire. Your story is still unfolding—infinitely.

This is the power of the horizon: It anchors us in the present while expanding our sense of what’s possible. Try this, and let me know how it hits you.

💖 Sisterhood Makes Receiving Easier

One of the biggest gifts of this year has been watching our Pink Divas community grow—not fast, but intentionally… heart-first.

Midlife women often struggle to make new friends. We’re protective. We’ve lived enough life to be careful. But we’re also craving connection in ways we rarely admit.

That’s why this community matters. It gives us a place to practice receiving—support, laughter, encouragement, friendship, and the reminder that you’re not doing midlife alone.

🎁 This December, I Invite You To…

✨ Give generously—but not at the cost of your own peace.✨ Receive openly—love, help, joy, compliments, support.✨ Soften where you usually tighten.✨ Let the ocean recalibrate your spirit.✨ Reach out instead of withdrawing.✨ Say “yes” to new friendships and the unexpected healing they bring.

This is your season to reclaim the balance of giving and receiving. To let yourself be supported. To let the ocean hold the weight you’ve been carrying. And to remember that midlife is not a shrinking—it is an expansion.

Wishing you a beautiful holiday season of giving, and receiving. You deserve it!

With love, waves, and sea spray,

Carol Ann— Founder, Pink Divas Surf Club 🌊💗