When the Holidays Hurt: Grief, Love, and Getting Through What Feels Impossible

In this episode of Brave Moves, I talk honestly about grief during the holidays — a time we’re taught to associate with togetherness, celebration, and family. When someone we love has died, the holidays can feel painfully hollow, amplifying loss, loneliness, and longing.

I share why the holidays are often the hardest part of grieving and why pretending everything is “fine” can deepen the pain instead of easing it. This episode is an invitation to stop avoiding grief and instead understand it for what it truly is — love that still exists.

I also make space for personal reflection and offer gentle, practical ways to honor loved ones, cope with overwhelming emotions, and give yourself permission to grieve in your own way.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why holidays intensify grief and emotional pain
• The difference between grief (internal feelings) and mourning (external expression)
• Why grief is not something to fix, but something to honor
• How to incorporate your loved one into holiday traditions
• Creating a Plan A and Plan B to protect your emotional well-being
• Why it’s okay to cancel or change the holidays
• How meaning can slowly return, even when the holidays never feel the same

Gentle Reminders I Share:

• You don’t have to perform joy
• There is no right or wrong way to grieve
• You’re allowed to change traditions, plans, and expectations
• Children grieve too and need support
• Letting yourself feel is not weakness — it’s love

Your Brave Move:

This season, I invite you to be gentle with yourself. Allow the feelings, honor the love you still carry, and choose what truly serves your heart — even if that means doing less, resting more, or stepping away entirely.

Grief doesn’t mean you’re broken.
 It means you loved deeply.