A Letter to Anyone Feeling Heavy This December

.SS&H Mindful Reads

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​Hello,

If December feels heavy for you, I want you to know this first: you are not broken, and you are not alone.

This time of year can carry a quiet weight. The lights are bright, the expectations are loud, and yet many hearts feel tired, tender, or stretched thin. December brings up memories, emotions, pressures, and expectations that can feel like too much to carry. For some, it often also brings grief, loneliness, financial stress, sensory overload, old memories, or simply exhaustion from holding it all together all year long.

If joy feels hard to reach right now, that doesn’t mean you’re doing life wrong. It means you’re human.

You are allowed to move slowly this month.
You are allowed to feel both gratitude and grief.
You are allowed to rest without earning it.
You are allowed to say, “This is enough for today.”

You do not have to match anyone else’s pace, traditions, or sparkle.

If all you can do today is breathe, drink some water, and make it through the next hour—that is not failure. That is courage. That is survival. That is a strength.

Please be gentle with yourself in the small moments. Let warmth count, even if it’s just a blanket, a cup of tea, a favorite song, or stepping outside to feel the cold air on your face. Small comforts matter more than big performances.

And if no one has told you lately:
You matter. Your presence matters. The world is quieter and poorer without you in it.

December will pass. The light will change. You don’t have to have everything figured out before the year ends. It’s okay to arrive in January, simply still standing.

Even joy can feel complicated when your nervous system is tired, or your heart feels tender. So if you’re overwhelmed, grieving, anxious, exhausted, or simply stretched thin—come sit here with me for a moment. Breathe.
Rest your shoulders.
Let yourself be held by this moment. You don’t have to be cheerful.
You don’t have to be “on.”
You don’t have to carry the whole world.
You only have to be human, and that is enough.

"May you feel held, even in the darkest months. With warmth and serenity."

Here is one simple thing you can do when the heaviness rises:
Place your hand on your heart and whisper, “I am safe right now.”​
Let your breath be slow and soft.
Let your body know it doesn’t have to fight this moment. You deserve gentleness.
You deserve warmth.
You deserve to feel supported—even in the darkest months of the year. May you find pockets of peace in unexpected places.
May you feel held by the quiet.
May you know that you are loved, wanted, and needed exactly as you are.

Goals for the new year

I am reviewing my goals for the year and making new goals for the remainder of the year. The biggest goal I am focusing on right now is health goals and decluttering.

What goals are you working on? What kind of content would you like to see from me? Feel free to shoot me a reply email.

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You've been part of something that's mattered to me this year. Even by just opening my emails, you showed up. So thank you. Really.

Whatever it looks like for you personally, I hope you find some peace this season.

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I’m glad you’re here. Truly.

With warmth and compassion,
​Laurie

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