The holidays can intensify emotions in ways we don’t always expect. While this season is often centered around celebration and connection, it can also bring grief to the surface. Grief is not limited to death, though the loss of a loved one is one of the deepest and most personal journeys a person can experience, one that continues in different forms throughout life.
Grief can also stem from many other experiences: changes in family dynamics, strained relationships, unmet expectations, health challenges, identity shifts, or the loss of a season of life that once felt familiar. During the holidays, these losses can feel more pronounced as traditions, memories, and social pressures intersect.
Below are intentional ways to support yourself through grief during this time.
1. Name the Type of Grief You’re Experiencing
Grief becomes heavier when it remains undefined. Take time to gently identify what you are grieving, whether it is a person, a relationship, a role, a version of yourself, or a future you imagined. Naming your grief does not make it worse; it helps bring clarity and self-compassion.
Try this:
Ask yourself, “What feels most tender for me right now?”
2. Redefine the Holidays for This Season
Grief often requires flexibility. The way you’ve celebrated in the past may no longer feel supportive, and that’s okay. You are allowed to adjust traditions, scale back plans, or create new rituals that better align with where you are emotionally.
Try this:
Choose one tradition to keep, one to modify, and one to release this year.
3. Release the Pressure to Perform Joy
The expectation to appear happy can be exhausting when you’re grieving. You do not owe anyone a version of yourself that feels inauthentic. Allow yourself to show up honestly, whether that means participating quietly, stepping away when needed, or declining invitations altogether.
Try this:
Practice responding with phrases like, “I’m honoring a slower pace this season.”
4. Create Space for Grief Without Letting It Consume You
Grief deserves space, but it also benefits from boundaries. Allow moments to feel, reflect, and remember, while also grounding yourself in the present through routines, rest, and regulation.
Try this:
Set aside intentional time to journal, reflect, or sit with your emotions, followed by a grounding activity such as walking, stretching, or deep breathing.
5. Seek Support That Matches Your Needs
Grief does not have to be carried alone. Whether through counseling, workshops, trusted conversations, or intentional resources, support can help you process and navigate this season with more steadiness.
Try this:
Notice where you need support, whether it’s emotional, practical, or relational and allow yourself to receive it.
A Gentle Reminder About Grief and Loss
Grieving the death of someone you love is not something you “move on” from, it is a lifelong relationship with loss that changes over time. Some seasons will feel heavier than others. This does not mean you are regressing; it means you are human and deeply connected to what mattered.
Holiday Affirmation
I allow myself to honor my grief without rushing my healing. I move through this season with compassion, patience, and care, one moment, one breath, one peace at a time.