It's almost Christmas. Again.
I'm struggling a bit this year to get into the holiday spirit.
Maybe it's the lack of snow, or the fact that Christmas decorations have been out in the stores since before Halloween.
Or maybe it's just the fact that sometimes the holidays aren't that happy.
A good friend told me the other night that my blog posts are just too positive. I should throw in some negativity once in awhile. I laughed, but she got me thinking.
I preach that if we change our perspective and be grateful for all of the beauty in life, we'll be happier.
And while that's true, that doesn't mean that life never sucks.
It does. It sucks a lot sometimes.
Especially around the holidays. For many people, it's actually the worst time of year.
Sometimes holidays mean having to see family members who you try to avoid the rest of the year because they bring back bad memories from your childhood.
Sometimes holidays mean having to put up with drama and arguments and pettiness.
Sometimes holidays mean having to celebrate and make new memories without the one person you love the most.
Sometimes holidays mean feeling bad because you can't afford the gifts that other people give their kids.
Sometimes holidays mean setting expectations for how much joy and peace there will be in your home on Christmas morning and it turning out to be nothing at all like you pictured.
Sometimes we'd rather just stay home and curl up under the covers and not celebrate at all.
Let's face it, holidays can be a total shit show.
And it's okay for us to feel bad about it. It's okay to be pissed off and sad and resentful all the way to your family holiday celebration and then put on a happy face when you get there.
No matter what your holiday picture looks like this year, give yourself grace.
Sneak away from the crowd at your holiday party to give yourself a few moments of quiet in the guest bathroom. Say a few choice words under your breath when you get frustrated with the drama around you.
Know that you're not alone.
Find someone to vent with and try to laugh about it if you can. It always helps to share your struggle with another person who is dealing with the same issues.
As Christmas comes in just a few short days, try to embrace the parts that suck this year. Make them part of your holiday celebration. Good and bad, yin and yang, and all that.
You've got this.
Happy Freaking Holidays!!
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