11/18/2025
Festive lights look lovely until you’re the one tangled in them.
A lot of people move through December carrying two truths at once.
The brightness… and the strain.
The warmth… and the weight.
The magic… and the messiness.
You can feel grateful and still feel overwhelmed.
You can love your people and still need space.
You can enjoy the season and still find it tiring, loud, or emotionally complicated.
None of this makes you unseasonal or ungrateful.
It makes you human.
This time of year brings crowded schedules, family expectations, sensory overload, disrupted routines, memories you didn’t ask for, and a level of emotional demand the nervous system simply wasn’t built for.
For some, the lights feel like glimmer.
For others, they feel like pressure.
For many, they feel like both.
If you find yourself feeling tangled, slow your pace.
If you feel lost in the noise, choose pockets of quiet.
If your emotions sit close to the surface, treat them with softness, not judgement.
You don’t have to match the brightness around you.
You don’t have to perform cheerfulness.
You don’t have to push through when your body is asking for gentler conditions.
You are allowed to experience this season in a way that feels safe and sustainable for you.
