Holiday Heaviness

& gratitude practices that go beyond Thanksgiving dinner

It’s not just that you have to see that one aunt who drinks too much and stirs the pot before the gravy is even set. Or that the presence of that one missing person weighs extra heavy as you sit down to give thanks. 

It’s not just one thing. It’s all of it, together. Mixing up inside and settling about as good as that ill-advised second glass of eggnog after a giant helping of grandma’s stuffing. The holidays can feel as heavy as that post-Thanksgiving-meal lethargy. 

Simply admitting this – that every day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day isn’t candy cane bliss – is a start in making the season a little more manageable. Refusing to acknowledge any negative feelings that come up can end up making the holidays even more difficult to navigate, or make you feel more alone. 

The truth is, it’s impossible to feel perfectly aligned with the Hallmark-level holiday cheer 100% of the time. And for most of us, the holiday season is also the start of shorter days and longer nights, which can already be an emotionally challenging time. 

Pile that on top of the pressure to host parties, make social appearances, interact with family, buy the perfect gifts, cook, bake, clean… The list goes on… It’s no wonder feelings of overwhelm rise up. 

Curbing these feelings isn’t the goal, but working through them in a healthy way certainly is. Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to kick off the season, because it brings us into a gratitude practice. Communing with loved ones and sharing what it is we are most grateful for is a wonderful tool for managing holiday blues. 

It doesn’t have to stop on Thanksgiving. Bringing gratitude practices into our daily lives helps us to shift our focus to all the good we already have.  

three Gratitude Practices:

5 Senses Meditation 

As part of your morning routine, take a few minutes to connect with each of your senses. Whether it is as you sit down for breakfast, or start on a morning walk, set 5 aside minutes to tap into each sense. Acknowledge what brings you joy from each. What are you happy to see, smell, taste, feel, hear?

Maybe you spent a slow morning in bed with a cup of coffee. As you breathe in, appreciate the aroma of the fresh blend, the joy brought on by that very first sip, the sight of the sun shining in through your curtains, the feel of your blankets against your skin, the sound of birds singing outside the window. 

Extending Appreciation 

Hopefully our friends and family already know how much we love them, but that’s not the point. Whether we’re thanking them for something specific, or just for being who they are, sending that voice note might just make both of your days. And who knows, maybe they needed a little extra love today and your gratitude left a bigger imprint than you know. 

Nightly Reflection

Grab that journal and jot down everything you can think of that you are grateful for from the day. Or if journaling isn’t your thing, work it into conversation! Tell your partner or friend all the glimmers from your day. It’s a much more positive conversation to have than the regularly scheduled vent-sesh with your bestie… But you might just walk away feeling even better than you would have if you only focused on what’s been going wrong.