Emotional Regulation & Holiday Overwhelm

Last week shook me in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

My husband was hospitalized, and suddenly the ground beneath my routine shifted. Everything familiar felt fragile. Every breath felt heavier. Every responsibility felt louder.

There’s something about unexpected health scares that speaks directly to the nervous system —
the tight chest,
the shallow breathing,
the racing thoughts,
the constant sense of “What now?”

And all of this happened during the time of year when we’re supposed to feel joyful and festive.
But the truth is… I didn’t feel joyful. I didn’t feel festive.
I felt overwhelmed.
I felt anxious.
I felt stretched thin between fear and responsibility.

There was no space to emotionally regulate in the “pretty” ways —
no journaling moment,
no quiet morning ritual,
no peaceful walk,
no deep cup of tea.

Instead, my emotional regulation looked like:
saying a prayer in the car,
wiping tears before a meeting,
answering questions from doctors while trying to hold it together,
holding myself steady when all I wanted to do was fall apart.

Sometimes emotional regulation is simply surviving the moment without letting the moment swallow you.

And yet… even inside the overwhelm, there were whispers of grace.
A reminder that I’m human.
A reminder that fear is a normal response.
A reminder that anxiety shows up when love feels threatened.
A reminder that resilience isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s just the quiet decision to keep going.

The holiday season brings pressure —
to be cheerful,
to be present,
to “enjoy the magic.”
But sometimes life is heavier than the season.

If you’re moving through emotional chaos right now…
if you’re carrying fear or exhaustion…
if your body feels dysregulated and your heart feels unsettled…

please hear this:

You are not failing.
You are not behind.
You are not alone.

You are navigating something hard — and you’re doing the best you can with what you have.

This week’s whisper is simple:
✨ “I’m allowed to feel what I feel, even in the middle of the holiday season.”

Your emotions don’t make you less grateful, less faithful, or less strong.
They make you human.

May the days ahead bring steadiness, healing, and soft moments of breath.
May your nervous system find calm again.
May you feel held — by God, by love, by the people who care for you, by the quiet strength inside you.

You are doing beautifully, even in the overwhelm.✨