Blog: December 2025

With every ending is a new beginning!

The end of anything, is typically the beginning of something. Whether it be the end of your turn on a rollercoaster ride creating the beginning of someone else’ s turn, or the end of a calendar year bringing the beginning of a new one. Inherently, some of us whether beginnings and endings differently, especially depending on the “what” is beginning or ending.

Those associated feelings, especially around the holidays can be difficult. There is this unspoken, or in some cases, very outspoken idea that everyone is supposed to be happy, joyful, spirited and thankful around the holiday season at the end of the year. While this is amazing for those that truly feel this way, the truth is there are many people that experience the exact opposite around this time of year.

I challenge those of you that don’t always feel joyful or spirited around the holidays (myself included in this challenge) to do a few things:

1. Accept how you feel and don’t beat yourself up about it.
2. Actually engage in the feelings without shaming yourself.
3. Acknowledge that your experiences aren’t the same as others.
4. Continue to look ahead at what is to come, versus what never came or happened. 

Because I’m an occupational therapist I am concerned with how everyone feels – not only adults or older adults.

• Kids can be overwhelmed by everything that comes with the holidays like increased noise, visual stimulation, staying up/outside of their routines, being around new people or a lot of people – parents, their behaviors are communications of needs!

• Adolescents can feel awkward around the holidays, being in the stage beyond childhood but not quite adults. They may not know how to answer questions from family members. They may be more apt to stay to themselves, or act out. This is a tough life stage for some. There may be external or internal pressures to feel something they don’t, or act in a way they aren’t used to.

• Adults often struggle with trying to be everything all at once. There is not enough time, money, resources, grocery store trips, presents or merriment to satisfy the masses. Some adults literally denounce the holiday season as a coping mechanism to not lose their shit (yes, I curse sometimes). Adults, be gentle with yourselves and each other.

• Older adults sometimes experience extreme sadness around this time of year. Some of them have lost all of their friends and family members and are the last ones. Some older adults become overwhelmed with the same things kids find over stimulating. Physical, emotional and cognitive performance may fluctuate. At times the amount of sugar or sodium in their diets can catapult different experiences like high/low blood sugar, fluid retention in the extremities or cardiovascular system.

You may be thinking – man this lady is only bringing up the negative things. It truly depends on how you connect with what I’m saying. With all of the above being stated – this time of year also lends itself to being able to start fresh and move forward in a different way! That is the beauty about the end of something, it always leads to the beginning of something else.

Be well everyone!

Beth