Ah, the Holiday Season. For lots of people, there is so much emotion attached to this time of year. Whether you celebrate any of the holidays that fall this time of year or not, you likely have some association with December. It might be the lack of natural light, specific holiday or the perennial visit with family… your association might be very positive, or not so much. If your associations are only positive, then you are probably not reading this blog. But if you have some mixed emotions about this time of year, you might be the person reading this now.
Perhaps it is family conflict or just that feeling that when you are around your family, you fall into (or get shoved into) your old family role that you haven’t fit since adolescence. Or maybe it is the grief of a loss renewed when you encounter the holidays without that loved one who has passed away. Maybe the lack of light (or scant snow so far this year!) makes you feel lethargic and down. Maybe the New Year makes you re-evaluate your life, your relationships, your career and you are discovering that you are not where you want to be. If any of this is you, you are not alone. There is so much hype about how positive this time of year is supposed to be – parties, encouragement of material consumption (which rarely makes anyone feel better), but what I find is that many people’s sense of sadness, anxiety and isolation are heightened right about now.
Perhaps your New Year’s Resolution can be something a little different this year. Maybe, just maybe, you are ready to move toward these difficult emotions and examine them in order to better understand your self, your relationships and your life. If you are looking to move forward and change your life, consider this option rather than just hoping the feelings will go away and waiting for the next time they come up.