Oh, the holidays! The lights, the trees, the music, the food…THE FOOD! All the festivities of the season. It’s so great!
Isn’t it?
Anyone else fall into some holiday blues, or is it just me?
December into the end of January is hard for me. It has been ever since my brother died.
His last Christmas was kind of awful. He was really sick, and couldn’t get out of bed. Our family visited him at his house on Christmas and he sat up in bed to open presents…what do you get for a man who is dying? He passed a month later.
Please hear me on this. I LOVE the holidays, and at the same time, they have a different meaning than they used to. I find myself often feeling let down, disappointed that people aren’t more thoughtful. The time together doesn’t seem quite as meaningful, like we are just rushing to check people off our list, but not really BEING together mindfully.
Grief changes you.
And for a lot of people the holidays are tough.
Here is the deal. I do not spend my holidays thinking about my brother and how he is no longer here…but my body remembers. The sadness comes up from inside of me, not from my mind. I’m not “thinking” about it. It happens in me.
I know I am not alone. I hear similar stories from my friends and clients all the time during this season. Sometimes holiday seasons are tough. I read an article recently that said upwards of 60% of people feel sad around the holidays for a variety of reasons. That’s a lot.
I am certainly not telling you to be glum in this season because people around you might be sad. I am simply reminding all of us to be kind. We truly don’t know what someone else is struggling with and honestly, we shouldn’t need a reason to be kind to others.
Let’s just be kind.
Let’s take a little more time to look folks in the eyes when we speak. Slow down.
Connect. Make time to actually BE with those you are spending your time with whether it is work, play, family or community. Be there.
Move. Seriously. Invite folks to join you for a walk, a ski, a workout, a yoga class. Sometimes the encouragement of others is all it takes to move our bodies and shift our energy. Be there person who says, “Hey, lets go do _______.”
Have a joyous holiday season. Eat, drink and be merry! Celebrate the season! Do ALL the things!
And, be thoughtful and kind.
Forever the journey, Anne