Post COVID Holidays

Okay so it's not necessarily post COVID, but it is post pandemic lock down. While this might not apply to some of you, I've been hearing many people express that pre-COVID they had many lovey traditions. Big family get togethers. Extravagant food or games. When we were forced to isolate, there was a sadness in not seeing those we care for but also in not celebrating it our usual ways. Now that we are no longer in isolation, there is this expectation that things will go back to the way they were; however, many of the people we care about either moved away or are so fatigued from the last two years they don't feel the extravagant get togethers are worth the effort. So now that you can get together, but you still are not, there is a sadness surrounding the ending of this chapter in your life. This is a huge loss. So what I'm going to ask you to do is acknowledge the loss. Instead of telling yourself that you "should feel happy" and "things are better", just give yourself that space to feel the disappointment. If you don't, you're minimizing your experience, and the feeling will stay with you. In giving yourself the space, you are telling yourself that your feelings matter. This makes it easier to move forward without letting your feelings blow up unexpectedly. You can also look at creating new traditions to make it feel more like the holidays. Easier said than done, I know. If you are feeling this is too difficult to do on your own, make an appointment with me. I can help you move through it.