Navigating Emotions During the Holiday Season: A Personal Reflection
It’s the time of year when I discuss making space for other emotions throughout the holiday season aside from happiness.
Personal note: The holiday season is increasingly difficult for me. The magic of Christmas has largely dissipated. Family members don’t see eye-to-eye. And to be honest, I’ve spent so much time questioning my belief systems that I don’t feel an interest in celebrating? Especially when I learn the historical origins of some holidays?
This year, those that DO enjoy holidays may struggle with the absence of tradition, family gatherings, and preserving the connection to their magic.
Setting and upholding boundaries with family members and friends during COVID is hard. It’s hard to admit when we’re being selfish. It might be challenging to spend time alone in a time when we’re craving love, connection, and acceptance.
In contrast, I’m looking forward to alone time without the pressure of showing up for a holiday meal. The colder weather is the time of year when I typically move into my hermit mode. I’m reflecting and writing, a LOT. And I love it. It’s when I feel most authentic, most creative, and most connected to self. But it also requires me to move through discomfort, or emotions that I’ve been putting off. And from that place comes some of my most valuable writing.
This isn’t to shame anyone who enjoys holidays. I share this as a simple reminder that holidays may be marketed as happy, but can often be quite messy for many, including myself. This year’s celebrations may be messier than years’ past or what were used to with the added stress and pressures of the world. I hope that you move into the last few weeks of 2020 with this message in mind.❤️