I won’t be posting a regular newsletter this week because of Thanksgiving, but I thought I’d write something about the holiday. I have written here and there about the fact I lost both my parents at a pretty young age. My mother passed when I was 19, and my father passed when I was 27. Because of this, I know the holidays can be a difficult time for some people.
The times I’ve written about losing my parents and how it’s affected my life, I’ve often received a deluge of responses from people who can relate to my experience because they, too, have lost close members of their family. I say this to highlight that if you’re having a hard time getting through the holiday because there’s someone who’s passed that you don’t get to celebrate it with, there are a lot of people out there who are feeling the same way. There are more of us than you think. That doesn’t fix anything, but sometimes it’s nice to know you’re not alone in what you’re experiencing.
Furthermore, it’s good to talk about these things with others who can relate to what you’re going through, so perhaps consider reaching out to someone who’s lost a family member or your social network and sharing your stories with each other. I’ve been writing about psychology and neuroscience for over a decade, and we know our brains are wired for connection, so we’re worse off when we just isolate ourselves and sulk.
Find someone to connect with if you’re feeling isolated. I’m not trying to become a self-help writer or anything, but I know it’s a hard time for a lot of people, and I know what’s helped when I’ve struggled during the holidays. Have an unexpected conversation. Unload a little. It’ll probably be worthwhile. Just thought I’d share my thoughts. Happy Thanksgiving.