Thoughts on the holidays (and encouragement) - Actifit: December 10 2019

If you read my blog then you probably know this: I blog from Actifit daily (and really try to hit 10k steps each day), and I write about everything under the sun in these posts - not just how I got my steps.

Today my topic is the holidays, which may or may not feel like a great time of year to you. That’s what I want to talk about.

Image source: Pixabay

I know this time of year is not easy for everyone. Many people find it hard to enjoy the holidays, and this time of year arrives with a kind of thud. They see other people glowing in the warmth of family and friends, while to them it feels like something is missing… or sad and broken.

I treasure this time of year, but it has not always been that way. I had a period in my life when I dreaded the holidays and felt a depression begin to wash over me as soon as the santas and the tinsel began to appear in the stores. I felt like a bug in a jar, while everyone else around me was pouring eggnog, immersing in family and shopping and fun times. Sometimes Christmas music just made me cry.

What changed? Well, mainly I recovered from a lot of childhood difficulties - parents who were both caring and distant in a way that caused me much pain and confusion. I married a wonderful guy. We started a family. And I began to create my own traditions. I joined a book club that has a special holiday event every year, and I made good friends. It took a long time, but eventually I finally began to see my life through a new lens, and to create a bridge from sadness to joy.

If you have a tough time at the holidays, just know that you’re not alone. Other people struggle with it too. But also, there are things you can do. And there are ways to cope. The things that worked for me may not be the things that work for you. You need to find them for yourself. It might be involvement. It might be seeking out new friendships. It might be creating your own new traditions. Or it might be meditation. The main thing is that if the holidays don’t feel like a happy time to you, be sure to acknowledge that and seek ways to make it better, in a way that is meaningful to you.

One way or another, may your season be merry and bright.

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