HER Style Podcast, Ep. 302

Title: Gratitude, Great Style, and This Week's Giveaway Winners
Host: Heather Riggs
Date: December 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This special Christmas Day episode steps away from typical wardrobe advice and teaching—even as Heather battles a winter illness—to reflect on gratitude, contentment, and how our closets serve us during different seasons of life. With no pressure to set goals or tackle to-do lists, Heather offers listeners a chance to pause, acknowledge the value in what they already own, and understand the powerful connection between self-acceptance and great style. The episode closes with the announcement of the 300th episode holiday giveaway winners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

A Moment to Pause: No Pressure Today

• Theme: Heather intentionally skips teaching or goal-setting to give listeners a break during the holiday rush.
• Purpose: Encourage reflection and gratitude for the wardrobe and life we have right now, instead of pushing for immediate transformation or improvement.
• Notable Tone: Calm, compassionate, and honest—Heather’s voice is “gravelly sick,” underscoring the episode’s message about letting things be as they are.
  • Quote: “Today, there's no teaching, no fixing, no pressure to set plans or goals. Just a moment for us to breathe and pause together.” (00:13)

Personal Story: Gifts, Disappointment & Expectations

• Heather shares a family dilemma: her son wants both a kid’s computer and a Nintendo Switch for Christmas.
• Parental struggle: Do they make things “easy” and give both, or teach about appreciating what you get?
• Broader Reflection: This narrative becomes a metaphor for unrealistic expectations in other areas of life, especially our closets.
  • Quote: “In this Amazon overnight or same day delivery world that we're living in right now, it is easy to get the things that we want immediately sometimes. But I also see this pattern over and over when it comes to our wardrobes.” (04:09)

Wardrobe Frustrations: The Grass is Always Greener

• We often become frustrated with our closets because they don’t match the dream image in our heads, especially around the new year.
• Many listeners (and Heather herself) feel pressure to overhaul their wardrobes overnight for a ‘fresh start.’
• The reality: Financial, time, and energy constraints (and real life!) mean transformation takes time, not quick fixes.
  • Quote: “Expectation leads to disappointment... when our expectations are way ahead of our current season, even good things can start to feel disappointing.” (06:27)

The Value of Contentment & Gratitude

• Emphasizing that gratitude does not mean settling, ignoring growth potential, or suppressing wants.
• Instead, contentment is about recognizing how your wardrobe has served you through various real-life seasons—comforting you through lows, showing up when your energy was low, offering simplicity when life was complex.
  • Quote: “Your closet usually reflects your life. And most of us have been navigating a lot... They've supported you in ways that might not be flashy or the most fashionable, but they were very real, and that matters.” (08:18)

Awareness Over Action: No Homework Today

• Heather forgoes typical to-do lists, reflection questions, or action steps.
• Encouragement to soften internal pressure, recognize what has supported you, and let ‘enough’ be enough—at least for today.
• Sets the stage for upcoming tools and events in January, with the promise of support and fun style challenges to come.
  • Quote: “There's no to-do list. There's no action steps... Just take this as a day to soften the pressure that you might be feeling and to acknowledge what has gotten you here.” (10:22)

Style Lessons Moving into the New Year

• The big takeaway: Building your dream wardrobe is a journey—one rooted in clarity, self-understanding, and confidence, not impulsive change.
• True style growth comes from self-trust and mindful appreciation, not constant “fixing.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Learning how to value what you do have, even when it's not everything you imagine everything that you want it to be, that's part of growing up.” (03:14)
• “We get excited about a new vision... and suddenly what we own immediately feels frustrating or inadequate. And not because it actually is, but because it doesn't match the picture in our head yet.” (05:00)
• “Contentment doesn't mean you're done evolving. It just means you're not chasing confidence like it's hiding in the next purchase or the next overhaul.” (08:55)
• “The moment women stop trying to fix everything all at once, something relaxes. First of all, it's way less stressful... they can see what they like instead of focusing on what's missing.” (09:40)
• “As you head into the New year, I do have something really fun and free that's coming for you... All of these things are really designed to help you see your style more clearly first, without fixing or forcing anything.” (11:00)
• “Let yourself be exactly where you are without needing to fix a thing. The goals will come. We have plenty of time to work on all of the wardrobe goals that you have in the New year.” (12:45)

Giveaway Winners Announcement (12:00)

Heather wraps the episode by celebrating the podcast community and revealing the winners of the 300th episode holiday giveaway:

• Third Prize: $100 e-gift card — Clara Cowden
• Second Prize: Private 60-minute wardrobe strategy session with Heather — Shelley Lynch
• Grand Prize: Full scholarship to Her Style Collective 90-day program — Shaina Calloway

“Thank you again to everyone who submitted for the chance to win one of these prizes. Again, I have so many more goodies coming your way in January that you will be able to get your hands on no matter what.” (12:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:21: Heather's opening, episode intention, and personal holiday story
• 03:00–05:50: Family story as wardrobe metaphor, gift expectations vs. reality
• 06:20–09:45: Wardrobe frustration, expectation vs. reality, value of contentment
• 10:22–11:51: Letting go of pressure, promoting gratitude, looking ahead to style tools in January
• 12:00–13:00: Giveaway winners announced and gratitude for the community
• 12:45–13:05: Final advice: enjoy where you are, don't rush change

Episode Takeaways

• Embrace where you (and your wardrobe) are today; gratitude is an essential step toward true style confidence.
• Overhauling your wardrobe isn’t always the answer; honest reflection, awareness, and gradual growth can foster deeper contentment and clarity.
• The idea that “enough can be enough” is powerful—especially during the holidays and amid goal-setting pressures.
• Big, supportive style tools and opportunities are coming in the new year, encouraging listeners to continue the journey at their own pace.