🎁 A Season of Enough: Redefining Gratitude During the Holidays

Every year, the holidays seem to sneak up faster — twinkling lights in store windows, inboxes filling with sales, and social media feeds telling us what “joy” should look like.

But somewhere between the to-do lists and traditions, I find myself asking a quieter question:
What if this year, I let “enough” be the goal?

For those of us who’ve known loss, the holidays can stir a swirl of emotions. The table looks different. The soundtrack of the season can tug at old memories. There’s beauty — yes — but also ache. Gratitude, in this season, asks us to find balance between celebration and self-preservation.

I used to measure the holidays by how much I accomplished — the perfectly wrapped gifts, the meals, the photos, the laughter. But over time, and especially after loss, I realized that what I craved most wasn’t more — it was peace.

True gratitude isn’t about abundance in the material sense. It’s about sufficiency — the deep breath of knowing that what we have, who we are, and how we love… is enough.

When I think back on the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City earlier this month, I remember how full those altars were — yet how simple. A few marigolds, a photograph, a candle. Each offering told a story. It wasn’t excess that made it sacred; it was intention.

What if we approached the holidays the same way?
What if gratitude looked like:

• Saying yes to the gatherings that nourish you — and no to the ones that drain you.

• Lighting a candle for the person you miss, instead of trying to fill their place.

• Letting quiet moments count as much as the loud ones.

This season, I’m practicing gratitude not as a performance, but as a pause.
A pause to breathe.
A pause to notice the warmth of connection, even in its changed form.
A pause to remind myself: I don’t need to do more to be worthy of this season’s light.

If you’re feeling stretched thin or tender this time of year, know this — you’re not alone. There’s no single right way to do the holidays after loss. There’s only the way that feels most honest to your heart.

And sometimes, honesty sounds like: I’m grateful for what I can do, and I’m at peace with what I can’t.

Inside the Inner Circle membership of The Midlife Surprise Society, we’re spending this month exploring exactly that — creating space for grace, simplicity, and emotional steadiness through the holidays. If you’re craving a community that understands, you’re welcome to join us.

Because gratitude isn’t about getting it all right — it’s about recognizing that even in this moment, you are enough, and this is enough. 💛

— Christine