There’s a secret rule a lot of people quietly carry in December:

“I’m supposed to feel a certain way.”

Festive.
Grateful.
Joyful.
Cheerful.
At the very least: “fine.”

But what if you don’t?

What if your inner world feels more like “complicated weather with personality” than a cozy greeting card?

Here’s the truth I wish more people would say out loud:

You don’t have to feel any particular way this season.

Your inner experience doesn’t have to match the playlist, the decorations, or anyone else’s expectations.

Sometimes your soul is in sweatpants while the world is dressed for a gala.
That’s not a failure. It’s honesty.

When Longing Gets Louder

For many people, longing gets sharper this time of year.

Longing for someone who isn’t here.
Longing for a version of life that never arrived.
Longing for ease, clarity, belonging, or just one day that doesn’t feel so heavy.

Longing hurts.
It stretches the heart in ways no amount of peppermint cocoa can fix.

But here’s what I explore in Book One of the Healing The Wanting trilogy:

“Longing is not a flaw. It is the part of you that remembers what matters.”

Longing is painful because it points directly at what’s real and important to you.
You don’t have to silence it.
You can meet it with kindness instead.

A Tiny Practice for Today

Ask yourself:

“What truth is my longing pointing me toward —
and what do I wish someone would say to me about it right now?”

What is true for me right now?

Then offer yourself that exact kindness.

You deserve to hear it — especially from you.

If this season is stirring up ache or wanting that doesn’t fit inside a tidy “holiday spirit” box, the Healing The Wanting Foundation Trilogy was written for exactly this part of the journey.

Not as a quick fix.
Not as forced positivity.
Just as a steady companion for your real, living heart.

Learn more about the trilogy and pre-release bundles here