This is my first Thanksgiving and Christmas as an adult orphan.
The first Thanksgiving and Christmas without my father were unbearable. My family and I mustered through, but just barely. Now, I face another holiday season without my precious mother. The grief feels heavier during the holidays when traditions and memories remind us of those we’ve lost.
If you’re navigating grief this holiday season, I want you to know this: you are not alone. The mix of joy, expectation, and sorrow is overwhelming, but it is possible to honor your grief while protecting your peace.
Practical tips for managing holiday grief.
While grief is deeply personal, these practices can help you release tension and create space for gentleness:
- Permit yourself to say no. Declining invitations or scaling back traditions doesn’t mean you don’t care—it means you’re honoring your energy.
- Create small rituals of remembrance. Light a candle, share a story, or set a place at the table to honor your loved one.
- Practice compassionate pauses. When emotions surge, place a hand on your heart, breathe deeply, and remind yourself: “This moment is enough.”
- Lean on support. Whether it’s a trusted friend, a faith community, or a therapist, connection helps soften the weight of grief.
- Keep expectations simple. Focus on presence, not perfection. Allow this season to look different—it’s an act of self-care.
These tools align with my Rooted for Care methods—small, repeatable practices that regulate the nervous system and bring steadiness when emotions feel overwhelming.
A video series for grieving hearts.
If you are grieving during the holidays, I created a video series just for us. It offers practices, reflections, and encouragement to help you move through this challenging season with gentleness.
Restore calm with a simple daily practice.
Grief doesn’t disappear, but you can learn to carry it with more ease. That’s why I created the free 5-Day Calm Reset. It’s a short program designed to help you release tension and find steadiness in less than 10 minutes a day.
Each day includes:
- Gentle movement or breath cues you can do anywhere—even in your chair.
- Simple journaling and reflection prompts for emotional release.
- Affirmations to support your nervous system when stress builds up.
Start the 5-Day Calm Reset now — it’s free and powerful.
Honoring grief, protecting your peace.
The holidays can magnify loss, but they can also be a time to create gentler traditions, invite quiet moments of remembrance, and prioritize your nervous system’s need for calm. Managing grief isn’t about avoiding it—it’s about allowing space for both sorrow and steadiness.
- Explore more practices at Rooted for Care.
- Support your journey with weekly prompts in Wellness on the Weekly.
- Join the free 5-Day Calm Reset to reclaim calm in the midst of grief.
