The Q4 Spiral: Why Year-End Overthinking Is the New Pumpkin Spice

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing, the pumpkin spice lattes are back, and ambitious women everywhere are lying awake at 2 A.M. replaying the same question on a loop:

“Where did this year go and how the hell am I supposed to finish strong?”

Welcome to the Q4 spiral.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

If you’re ruminating more this time of year, you’re not imagining it. According to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America survey (2023), 62% of adults report a significant spike in stress as the year ends, with women consistently reporting higher stress levels than men (shocker...).

And it’s not just stress. Research from the University of Michigan (2020) found that rumination (repetitive negative thinking) is a key predictor of both anxiety and depression, two things that tend to surge during the holiday season. Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a new mental health meltdown.

So no, you’re not just “bad at balance.” Your brain is about to go into overdrive because the calendar is quickly approaching October.

Why Q4 Feels Like a Pressure Cooker

Here’s the cocktail that creates the perfect storm:

• Unfinished business. All the goals you set in January come knocking.

• Holiday load creep. School parties, office parties, family travel, decorating, cooking, making magic out of thin air.

• Invisible labor. The mental project management of “all the damn things” that no one notices until you don’t do them.

• Comparison season. Everyone’s highlight reels are about to get aggressively festive.

No wonder you’re spiraling. You’re carrying a war zone worth of logistics in your head...on top of your actual job and life.

The Loop vs. The Load

Here’s the part most women miss:

• The load isn’t always the problem. You might even like parts of it (hello, Christmas magic).

• The loop is what kills you. The replay. The overthinking. The “should I / shouldn’t I” that keeps you up at night.

Q4 doesn’t burn you out because of what’s on your plate, it burns you out because of the endless, invisible spinning about it.

The Martini Method™ Takeaway

Therapy helped me understand why I spiraled. But I needed a tactical system to stop it. That’s why I built The Martini Method™, to give ambitious women practical tools for decision clarity when the loop won’t quit.

Heading into Q4, remember this:

Clarity isn’t about doing it all. It’s about knowing what matters and letting the rest go.

Ready to stop spiraling into the holidays? Start the Free 5-Day Reset and break the loop before January sneaks up on you.

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Sources

• American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress in America: Stress and Decision-Making.

• Surrence, A. et al. (2020). Rumination and Its Role in Depression and Anxiety: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study. University of Michigan.