When Joy and Overwhelm Arrive Together

Joy and overwhelm tend to show up hand-in-hand this time of year.
One moment you’re warmed by familiar songs, twinkle lights, or the smell of apple pie in the oven…
and the next, you feel the quiet, creeping dread of how quickly the season fills up.

The holidays have a rhythm of their own — a quickening, a gathering, a momentum that carries everyone forward into the new year.
And yet, your body may be moving at a completely different tempo.

There’s the holiday schedule…
and then there’s your schedule.
And those two don’t always synch up.

The Season You See… and the Season You Feel

When you are recovering from serious illness or navigating life inside a body that requires more care, the holidays can feel like two parallel experiences happening at once.

There’s the visible one — laughter, plans, family, tradition, expectation.

And there’s the invisible one — the internal negotiation:

• How much energy do I actually have?

• Will this push me into a flare?

• Can I eat that without consequences?

• How many social interactions can I realistically handle?

• Will I have to answer questions I don’t want to answer?

• What if I get sick? What if someone hugs me who really shouldn’t?

• How do I say no without letting someone down?

This second story is real, even if no one sees it.

What the Holidays Have Really Felt Like for Me

I’ve always been an introvert. That moment after leaving a gathering always felt like someone turned the volume down on my entire body. I was genuinely happy to be part of the celebrations, but the constant interaction often left me wrung out.

As I got older, my health shifted, and the holidays took on new layers of overwhelm.

Foods I once loved no longer loved me back.
I felt anxious about sitting at a table where I might have to navigate questions, comments, or the lingering glances at my weight loss or food choices. Sometimes it was the concerned “You’re sick again?” that stung the most.

Sometimes I didn’t want to explain myself.
Sometimes I didn’t want to be “the medical update.” Honestly, who wants to hear about Crohn’s at the dinner table?
Sometimes I just wanted to show up without my body being the center of the conversation.

And in a post-COVID world, there was a new thread woven in — the fear of being in close contact with a large group when even a simple cold could hit harder, linger longer, or derail weeks of progress.

These aren’t always things you can say out loud at a holiday party.
But they live in the background of every decision I made.

And I know I’m not alone in that.
Many of you reading this understand those complexities deeply.

When Your Body Has Its Own Agenda

You can love the holidays and still feel overwhelmed by them.
You can love your people and still need space from them.
You can cherish your traditions and still feel grief around the parts you can’t participate in the same way anymore.

Your body is not being difficult — it’s being honest.
It’s moving at the pace it needs, not the pace the calendar demands.

And that mismatch — between the world’s speed and your body’s truth — can stir emotions that are hard to name:

• frustration

• sadness

• nostalgia

• loneliness

• guilt

• longing

• grief

…and the mix of everything in between.

This is the part of the holidays no one talks about.
But it’s real.
And it’s valid.
And it deserves space.

🌤️ A Different Kind of Presence

This season doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.
It doesn’t have to be performative joy or silent struggle.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is simply acknowledge the truth of your experience…
and let that truth guide how you choose to move through the coming weeks.

If nothing else, I hope this reflection helps you feel a little less alone inside the beautiful, complicated swirl of this time of year.

May this season offer you happiness, ease, and joy that unfolds at the pace your body needs.

✨ Are you trying to keep up with life in a body that doesn’t always keep up with you?

You’ve been showing up, adapting, and doing your best to care for yourself,
even when your energy or symptoms make that harder than it should be.

But living in a body that’s healing, unpredictable, or just plain tired takes its toll.

💤 Maybe you’re struggling to maintain healthy routines that fit your needs.
🌥️ Maybe joy feels muted or hard to reach.
🧭 Maybe your body and mind feel out of sync.

This short self-check is your opportunity to reveal where you might need the most support, so you can begin making small, meaningful changes that work with your body, not against it.

No pressure. No judgment. Just space to listen, a little compassion, and clarity about what your body and mind are asking for.

Pop your name and email below, and I’ll send the quiz straight to your inbox.

What’s Your Wellness Weak Spot?

Use this quick self-check to uncover where help you explore where your energy, joy, or balance need more support.