Finding Peace in the Busy Holiday Season

The holiday season often brings joy-filled moments with family and friends - but it can also stir up stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. Finding peace despite the end-of-year work deadlines, last-minute school events, and the endless to-do lists of shopping, decorating, and hosting, it’s easy to lose sight of calm.

But what if, in the midst of the bustle, you gave yourself permission to pause?

For centuries, people have marked the Winter Solstice - the shortest day and longest night of the year, typically December 21 - as a time of stillness and renewal. The solstice represents a natural pause in the rhythm of the year. As sunlight reaches its minimum, it invites us to rest, reflect, and reset before beginning again.

Taking a cue from nature, we can use this season to slow down and notice what’s working in our lives - and what may need to change. When we intentionally build in quiet moments, our nervous systems recalibrate. Stress hormones decrease, and our brains regain the space for perspective and gratitude.

Try these small but powerful practices to create moments of peace this holiday season:

• Journal. Ask yourself: What can I let go of? What’s truly within my control? (Hint: the only things we can control are our own choices and behaviors.)

• Breathe. Take a few minutes without distraction to inhale slowly, exhale deeply, and ground yourself in the present.

• Connect. Spend time with people who replenish your energy rather than drain it. Quality connection buffers stress and strengthens emotional resilience.

• Rest. Protect your sleep. A rested body and mind make it easier to meet challenges with patience and perspective.

  
  

The holidays don’t have to be about doing more - they can be about noticing more. This year, consider honoring the quieter invitation of the season: to pause, to breathe, and to find peace right where you are.

Lori T. Howard is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in traumatic grief and loss. You can reach her at Lorithoward.com