A Gentle December: Permission to Slow Down, Feel Fully, and Let Go of Expectations

December has a way of arriving with a lot of noise.

Lists get longer. Calendars fill quickly. There’s an unspoken pressure to feel a certain way — joyful, grateful, festive — even when our nervous systems might be asking for rest, quiet, or simply space to breathe.

This year, we only just got our Christmas tree. Usually, it’s up on the 1st of December without fail. I know people who put theirs up even earlier, almost as a way of ushering in the festive season and everything it promises. But this year? It took a little longer. And that’s okay.

December doesn’t have to look a certain way to be meaningful.

When December Feels Heavy Instead of Joyful

For many, the lead-up to Christmas can be emotionally complex. It can bring up grief, loneliness, family tension, financial stress, exhaustion, or memories that are hard to carry. And yet, we’re often surrounded by messages telling us this is the happiest time of the year.

If Christmas doesn’t make you feel joyful — there is nothing wrong with you.

It’s okay if you feel flat. It’s okay if you feel overwhelmed. It’s okay if you feel sad, disconnected, or simply tired.

What’s important is allowing yourself to feel whatever is present without guilt or shame.

Your emotions are not a problem to fix — they are signals asking to be witnessed.

The Pressure of Expectations

December expectations can come from everywhere:

• Being present everywhere, for everyone

• Holding family dynamics together

• Keeping traditions alive

• Showing up cheerful and grateful

• Ending the year “on a high”

It can feel like too much.

This is your reminder that you are allowed to opt out of unrealistic expectations — even your own. You are allowed to soften your pace. You are allowed to redefine what this season means to you.

Grounding Practices for a Busy December

When things feel intense or overstimulating, coming back to the body and the present moment can be deeply regulating.

Here are a few gentle practices you can return to throughout December:

1. Pause and Breathe Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Take three slow breaths, letting the exhale be slightly longer than the inhale. This signals safety to your nervous system.

2. Lower the Bar Ask yourself: What is the kindest version of this day? Not the most productive — the kindest.

3. Create Small Anchors Light a candle in the morning. Step outside for fresh air. Drink something warm without distraction. These tiny rituals can ground you more than big, elaborate plans.

4. Name What You’re Feeling Simply saying, “This feels like a lot” or “I feel tender today” can create space around your emotions rather than pushing them away.

5. Release Comparison Your December does not need to look like anyone else’s. There is no right timeline for decorating, celebrating, or feeling festive — or not.

A Gentle December

This is exactly why A Gentle December exists.

It’s an invitation to move through this month with more compassion, softness, and support — meeting yourself where you are rather than where you think you should be.

Available throughout December, this space is designed to support you in slowing down, grounding, and tending to your emotional wellbeing during a season that can feel overwhelming.

Membership Bonuses for December

Within the Rhythms of the Seasons membership this month, there are Bonus additional practices created specifically for this time of year, including:

• Holiday SOS Practices Supportive tools to help you navigate family dynamics, boundaries, and emotionally charged moments with more steadiness and self-trust.

• Early access to the Sacred Rage Room- Need I say more.....

• Live Zoom Call – December 18th A gentle, supportive space to be held — to breathe, reflect, and connect. No fixing, no pressure. Just a place to arrive exactly as you are.

  
  

You don’t have to carry December alone.

A Final Reminder

You don’t need to earn rest. You don’t need to perform joy. You don’t need to rush this season.

Whether your tree goes up early, late, or not at all — whether you feel festive, neutral, or heavy — you are allowed to experience December in a way that feels safe and true for you.

Let this be your permission slip for a gentler December.

As the year begins to soften toward its close, may you give yourself permission to soften too. To release what feels heavy, to hold what feels tender, and to trust that moving gently is not falling behind — it’s listening.

All my Love Pammy xoxo

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