Keep in mind that just as holidays can be challenging, you can also exit the holiday season with an increased sense of emotional resilience and stronger boundaries. You can feel proud of yourself for making it through and even having a fun time with what you do choose to do with your time. The way to create that is by maintaining your self-care practice, paying attention to yourself, and acting in ways that are in integrity with your personal values and long-term goals.

If you want a little more structure, I have some journal prompts below. Going through this process of recovering from your holiday travels and time spent with family, remember that transitions can be challenging and it makes sense you’d need a little time and space to work through whatever happened. You don’t have to “soldier on” or “suck it up.” Be with yourself and give yourself what you need, whatever that may be.

Don’t let art and social media bully you into feeling something that’s not authentic. Remember, this is a time of year for hibernating and going inward. It’s not only the winter solstice itself that brings up the sentiment, it’s also the days leading up to the solstice and the ones after it. We are in the midst of that time. Yes, it’s the holidays, but it’s also winter.