Navigating Grief During the Holidays

A Compassionate Check-In

As the holiday season unfolds, I wanted to take a moment to check in and send you my love and support. For many of us who are grieving, this time of year can feel especially heavy. Whether your loss is recent or from many years ago, the gatherings, rituals, and reflections on the past can bring your grief right to the surface. I know it does for me.

The shorter days and colder weather naturally encourage us to slow down, reflect, and turn inward. This rhythm of the season offers us a sacred pause—a time to be with ourselves and what we are feeling. Yet, this often conflicts with the fast-paced demands of holiday preparations and social engagements. If you feel the pull to go inward, to take space for yourself and your grief, I encourage you to honor that. It’s okay to kindly say no to invitations and instead tend to your heart.

Listening to Your Grief

Your grief is worthy of being felt. You have the right to protect the tenderness of your love and loss and to give yourself permission to grieve. When grief rises to the surface, it’s asking for your attention. Just like a child tugging at your sleeve, grief wants to be noticed. If you turn toward it, listen, and allow yourself to feel it, the intensity will soften, and the emotions will shift.

I often think about how this mirrors my experience with my youngest daughter, Layla. She often needs my attention when I’m busy, like during a phone call. My first reaction is to shush her or step away, but when I pause, listen, and let her be heard, she feels seen and peace returns. Grief is much the same—it wants to be noticed, and when we meet it with presence, it moves and transforms.

A Practice of Honoring Yourself

This holiday season, I invite you to practice listening to yourself and tending to your needs. Allow yourself to feel your emotions fully and give yourself the space to process them. Whether that means journaling, meditating, moving your body, or simply resting, know that your grief deserves care and attention.

If you’re seeking support, I’m here for you. Whether through one-on-one conversations or within a supportive group setting, you don’t have to navigate this alone. I’m offering a 6-Week Mindful Grieving Program this holiday season to provide tools, practices, and a compassionate space for your journey. If this feels like the right support for you, please email me for more information.

You Are Not Alone

Grief is a dance of ebb and flow, and it offers us the opportunity to practice being with what is. Know that wherever you are in your process, it is valid, and you are never alone. Together, we can honor our grief and support one another in finding moments of healing and connection.

With love and support,
Wendy