Fellas… holidays hit us too.
We’re supposed to be the rock. The wallet. The fixer.

Here is one of the ways that I cope during the holidays…

Journaling during the holidays isn’t just some feel-good exercise. It’s a lifeline when your mind starts spinning and the world expects you to hold it all together.

This season brings a mix of joy and chaos. Family drama. Old memories. Financial stress.
Trying to make everyone happy while your own peace is slipping through your fingers.

Writing gives you a place to put all of that down. It slows your thoughts. It releases the pressure. It helps you make sense of feelings that come out of nowhere.

Some days you’ll write about laughter around the table. Other days you’ll write about missing someone who should still be here. Or the fear of slipping into old habits when life gets emotional.

There’s no right way to do it. There’s just honesty on a page. And honesty heals.

Journaling becomes your private space to:
• Face what hurts without judgment
• Celebrate the tiny wins no one else sees
• Remember the good moments before they blur together
• Notice when you’re growing even if it feels slow
• Release expectations that are crushing your joy

This practice creates clarity. It builds resilience. And it gives you strength for the days when just waking up is a victory.

When the new year shows up, you’ll have more than a bunch of holiday photos…
You’ll have proof… “I made it through and I kept showing up.”

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is pick up a pen when your heart is tired.

Actionable Steps

• What’s one emotion you’re carrying into this holiday season?
• Do the holidays feel more peaceful or more overwhelming for you right now?
• If you could write a letter to yourself today, what would the first line say?
• What’s one expectation you’re letting go of this year?

Try this tonight
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write on ONE of these:

That’s it.
No perfect sentences. No overthinking. Just you being real with yourself.

Do that for a week, and tell me it doesn’t help you breathe again.