Easter skiing group pressure: when it’s the group, not you

Spring skiing at its best - longer days, softer snow, and the joy of the mountains.

Spring skiing promises freedom. But Easter trips often come with unspoken expectations - about pace, terrain, and keeping everyone happy. Especially during midlife, when capacity, energy, and recovery don’t behave the way they used to. You finally get away for a ski trip, ready to enjoy the mountains, only to find yourself skiing runs you don’t even want to do - because everyone else is going and you don’t want to be the one to “hold the group back or miss out”.

You tell yourself it’s fine. You can keep up. You should push yourself. It’s just part of the experience, right?

But there’s that nagging feeling. Maybe it’s in your stomach when you’re hesitating at the top of a steep slope. Maybe it’s in the way your hands tighten around your poles. Maybe it’s just a quiet thought:

• Why am I doing this?

• Do I actually want to ski this run?

• If I say no, will it make things awkward?

Easter skiing group pressure: why it feels harder than expected

Easter skiing group pressure often shows up quietly - in decisions about pace, terrain, and whether it feels acceptable to opt out. Skiing in a group - especially with family or friends - is meant to be fun… but it often comes with an unspoken pressure to just go along with the plan. And if you’re not careful, you can end up spending your whole ski holiday skiing in a way that doesn’t actually feel good to you.

It’s easy to think this is just about choosing a ski run. It rarely is.

All our other baggage turns up with us on the slopes.

The old patterns. The unspoken expectations. The emotional load we’ve carried for years.

Because when we’re stressed, stretched, or feeling disconnected from ourselves, we hit a tipping point.

Little things start to grate. We’re more tearful, more frustrated, more overwhelmed - and often slightly out of sync without being able to name why.

And then suddenly, it’s not just about skiing anymore.

It’s about that creeping feeling of being on autopilot. The quiet resentment of doing things we don’t actually want to do. The realisation that somewhere along the way, we stopped asking ourselves:

What do I actually want?

That’s where the deeper work starts. Because this isn’t just about choosing a ski run - it’s about finding yourself again.

Group Skiing Is a Mirror - For How We Make Decisions in Life

A ski trip isn’t just about skiing - it’s a social experience. And that means we bring all our usual habits, expectations, and fears with us.

For some women, that means choosing who they ski with more deliberately. For others, it’s booking a lesson to ski without being watched, or mixing downhill skiing with cross-country or snowshoeing when things start to feel pressured. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking for a pause, a break, or a different pace - and letting that be enough.

Here’s the truth: group skiing often brings out deeper patterns we don’t even realise we have.

In many ski groups, hesitation carries more social weight than certainty. Questioning a plan can feel harder than managing discomfort - particularly for women who are used to being capable, adaptable, and easy to be around.

I didn’t want to ski that run, but I didn’t know how to say no without feeling like I was being difficult.

Why? Because we don’t want to be the one who "ruins" the day.

Why You Might Be Second-Guessing Yourself

Did you know we make over 35,000 decisions a day? (Source: American Medical Association)

And when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or in a group setting, we default to the easiest option - saying yes instead of no, ignoring the quiet voice inside that says this doesn’t feel right.

Skiing together should feel like fun - not pressure. How does skiing in a group feel for you?

• Decision fatigue means you might just follow the group because it’s easier.

• Fear of missing out (FOMO) or a belief you might be letting others down makes you say yes - even when you want to say no.

• Social heuristics (mental shortcuts) lead women to prioritise safety & connection, often at the expense of their own comfort.

This isn’t just about skiing - it’s about how we make decisions in general.

How to Ski for You (Even in a Group)

So, what can you do to make sure your ski trip actually feels good - for you?

Talk About the Plan - Before You Get on the Lift

One of the biggest reasons people feel stuck in group skiing? No one actually discusses what they’re doing.

• What kind of terrain are people up for today?

• Are there options for different paces?

• What’s Plan B if someone wants to stop early?

Ski safety tip: No one should ski alone. If plans change, make sure everyone has a buddy or a meeting point.

Notice What Your Body is Telling You

Fear doesn’t just exist in your head - it lives in your body.

I used to think fear was just a mindset thing. But once I actually stopped and paid attention, I realised - I wasn’t just scared in my head, I was scared in my whole body.

If you’re hesitating at the top of a run, ask yourself:

• Is this about the terrain (steep, icy, too fast)?

• Is it about the conditions (visibility, slush, fatigue)?

• Or is it about the pressure (I don’t want to be the one to say no)?

Your body gives you signals before your brain does - tune in to them.

Give Yourself Permission to Ski Your Own Way

Not everyone has to ski the same way, all day, in the same group.

Maybe you:

• Choose who you ski with and maybe it's not always the same group or person for a change

• Book a women’s-only ski lesson or just a ski lesson for yourself to ski without feeling judged

• Mix up the ways you enjoy the mountains - cross-country, snowshoeing, get some distance from skiing if it feels pressured

• Ask for what you need - to ski alongside someone, to have a break, to lead the group for a run or two - having your needs acknowledged is powerful stuff

  
  

Once I gave myself permission to ski at my own pace, everything changed. I actually enjoyed skiing again - for the first time in years.

The mountains aren’t just for skiing. Maybe it’s time to rethink what brings you joy. Me - cross country skiing

What If You Don’t Actually Love Skiing Anymore?

I have a friend who skied for years - loads of lessons, plenty of experience. Then, one year, she just stopped. Not because she was afraid. Not because she wasn’t good enough. But because she realised she didn’t actually enjoy it anymore and possibly hadn't for a long time.

Now?

• She still goes on ski trips.

• She snowshoes instead - and loves it.

• She meets her partner for lunch, enjoys the mountains, and never feels guilty about it.

Skiing should be about joy - not obligation.

Easter Skiing: Why This Matters Even More Right Now

Easter skiing has a magic of its own - longer days, softer snow, sun-drenched terraces.

But it also brings something else:

• Family & group trips - which can mean social and familial pressure.

• Busier pistes - which can make confidence waver, especially in unpredictable conditions.

• Uncertain snow - icy in the morning, slushy in the afternoon - demanding more energy.

• Juggling everything before you even get here - work, family, packing, organising - so by the time you arrive, you’re already running on empty.

So instead of feeling relaxed and excited, many women find themselves thinking:

• Will I be fit enough to keep up?

• Will everyone else enjoy it?

• Will the pistes be too crowded?

• What if I have an accident?

• Will I actually get to ski in a way that feels good - for me?

  
  

I’d been looking forward to skiing for months, but when I got there, all I could think about was making sure everyone else was okay. By the end of the trip, I realised - I’d barely thought about what I actually wanted.

Easter skiing shouldn’t feel like another thing to manage. It should feel like a chance to enjoy the mountains - on your terms.

And that’s exactly why now is the perfect time to start making choices that work for you.

About Sarah

Sarah Gilbertson - FlourishWell Coaching, Ski-informed, nervous-system literacy for midlife, skiers and ski professionals

Sarah Gilbertson is a Therapeutic Coach, BASI-qualified ski instructor, and founder of FlourishWell Coaching.

She works with women who love skiing but find it feels different now - helping them rebuild confidence by combining ski-industry insight with nervous system literacy, so they can ski on their own terms rather than pushing through.

With over eight years in the European ski industry, Sarah understands how group dynamics, pressure and fear shape people’s experience on snow. Her work is grounded, body-aware, and focused on bringing more ease, choice and enjoyment back into time spent in the mountains.

Website: flourishwell.coach

I write for skiers about the parts of skiing that rarely get talked about - group pressure, decision fatigue, confidence after injury or midlife change, and how those shifts show up on the mountain.

You can find more of that work, and stay connected, here: https://www.flourishwell.coach/for-skiers