I was googling, "I'm just not feeling the holidays," when the notification of your Substack letter popped up on my phone. I needed this.
It's extra hard this year for so many (so many!) reasons and I feel like I can't do it hardly at all.
My kids are grown but still live at home, and I don't want to let anyone down. But, I know my capacity, and if I literally can not do what I normally do, it's just how it is. Accepting is the hard part (and pushing the guilt away...).
I am so glad that this landed for you. I feel like I say this every year but this year feels even harder than usual (like more pressure, higher expectations, more noise). I hope you can take some stuff off your plate and give yourself some time for you (said to myself too). Sending love
Reading this right on time, Pooja. This part - "If you are a woman, a mom, a parent, a caregiver, an eldest daughter..." (Raising hand high on all of these!) Thanks for the reminder that I have some control here. I want the holidays to feel magical and lovely for my family, and I need to minimize my expectations. It just can't all happen and that's ok. Thank you for the reminder.
I was googling, "I'm just not feeling the holidays," when the notification of your Substack letter popped up on my phone. I needed this.
It's extra hard this year for so many (so many!) reasons and I feel like I can't do it hardly at all.
My kids are grown but still live at home, and I don't want to let anyone down. But, I know my capacity, and if I literally can not do what I normally do, it's just how it is. Accepting is the hard part (and pushing the guilt away...).
Thank you for so much for this.
I am so glad that this landed for you. I feel like I say this every year but this year feels even harder than usual (like more pressure, higher expectations, more noise). I hope you can take some stuff off your plate and give yourself some time for you (said to myself too). Sending love
Reading this right on time, Pooja. This part - "If you are a woman, a mom, a parent, a caregiver, an eldest daughter..." (Raising hand high on all of these!) Thanks for the reminder that I have some control here. I want the holidays to feel magical and lovely for my family, and I need to minimize my expectations. It just can't all happen and that's ok. Thank you for the reminder.
Steph I’m glad this brought you some peace. Hope that your holiday was as smooth as possible.