Navigating the Holidays While Grieving

This guide is here to help you navigate the holidays while grieving. It walks you through acknowledging your feelings, setting intentions, leaning on your support system, and creating simple plans and boundaries so you can honor your needs, adjust traditions, and have tools ready if things feel overwhelming.

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

Write down the emotions you feel when thinking about the upcoming holiday.

Describe any physical sensations (e.g., tension, heaviness, or other sensations).

Ask yourself: "What is this feeling trying to tell me as I prepare for the holiday?" Write down any insights.

2. Set Your Intentions

How do you want to feel during the holiday? (e.g., peace, connection, comfort)

3. Create a Simple Plan

List the internal resources you can tap into, such as your resilience, ability to identify and express needs, coping skills, and strengths.

Identify external resources that can support you, like friends, family, support groups, or professional assistance.

Who are the individuals or groups within your support network? List the people you can turn to for emotional support, understanding, and companionship. Think about people who know how to show up for you in difficult times and support you in ways that feel good for you.

4. Reflect on your Traditions & Rituals

What holiday traditions or rituals have you done in the past with your loved one? List them.

Circle the items from the list that you want to keep.
Put a star next to the items that you want to modify.
Cross off the items you want to skip.

Are there any new traditions or rituals you would like to start?

What plans, traditions, and rituals need to be discussed with family and friends?

5. Set Boundaries

Identify one thing that drains your energy during the holiday.

Write a simple boundary you can set (e.g., "I’d prefer not to talk about [topic].").

6. Communicate

What’s one thing from this worksheet you need to communicate with someone? Write it down.

7. Prepare your Emergency Response Toolkit

Sometimes our grief takes unexpected turns. Even though you may have the ideal day planned, IT'S OKAY if you get to that day and realize you need to pivot.

Write down one backup plan if the holiday feels overwhelming (e.g., call a friend, take a walk).

List three activities that help you feel grounded (e.g., journaling, watching a movie, taking a shower).