It’s that blessed time of year again when people are frantically prepping for another holiday season! However, I am happy to say that I am not as daunted by it as I normally am.
Oh, sure, all of the same obstacles are there. They may even be magnified as financial issues seem to be plaguing more and more folks in increasingly crushing ways.
I still have my Seasonal Depression tapping me on the shoulder, reminding me of its unyielding presence.
This year, it’s been easier to keep it at bay with a few more sunny days than normal. Also, I’m just so used to it now. I already know I’m going to be irritable, sad, worried, tired, unmotivated, etc until the end of February, so I guess I’m just biting my lip and running with it.
A large milestone birthday of mine is lurking around the corner, just past the new year. While that absolutely causes the existential dread to come rolling on like fog on the ocean, I have seen many of my nearest and dearest survive this date – so, I am sure I will too. (Plus I can officially welcome being part of the You-Look-Amazing-For-Your-Age club, which is a nice little win.)
Add all that to the fact that the entire world is dealing with one tension or another, and that just makes quite the charming little collection of things that could inspire actual horror stories. Or at the very least, thrillers of some kind.
And maybe that’s exactly why I am handling it better this year.
Writing has been some of the best balm of my entire healing journey.
I started out blogging my way through the sadness.
Then I wrote a novella that would have caused my LH to lose his entire mind.
I wrote a poetry book, and then more books and a few web series too.
In some of these tales, I have been able to draw from my real-life calamities.
And it feels amazing to get it all out there like that!
If someone else can laugh or even shed a tear along with me because of something I wrote, then I no longer feel so alone in my struggles.
Being creative is an amazingly healing thing and is something I regularly suggest when asked about the best ways to work through grief and other issues.
It can be as simple as scrapbooking or curating fun Pinterest boards – it doesn’t have to be a whole book, but it certainly can be! Cooking, painting, re-decorating, makeup, sculpting, and yard work are just a few other ways to coax out creativity.
This time of year is the perfect time to start with all the seasonal decorating, cards, and whatnot.
Even if it’s just journaling privately for yourself, there is something so cathartic about letting your feelings channel through you in that way.
Of course, never start something until you feel totally ready – and if that’s never, that’s okay too. We all deal with things in our own way and what works for one may not work for another.
But if you’ve ever had that writing bug – or that drawing or painting bug – any creative bug, really – I hope you will give it a chance.
Creating something beautiful from the ashes of our grief is not only a gift to ourselves, it is a gift to the memory of our departed loved one.
Image via Bing AI
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Support Widows This Holiday Season!
As we approach the holidays, the Hope for Widows Foundation is seeking sponsors for our annual Bring Hope Holiday Program. This initiative supports widows facing financial challenges, helping them provide gifts and essentials for their children during this special time of year.
Want to make a difference? Become a sponsor and bring hope to a widow’s family this holiday season. Every contribution, big or small, helps spread joy and light. For more details and to sign up, visit: https://linktr.ee/hopeforwidows
Note: If you are a widow in need of support this holiday season, the widow application will be available at the end of October or the first week of November. You can find it at the same link.
Let’s make this season brighter together!
About Layla Beth Munk
Layla Beth Munk is a blogger & author who was thrust into this widowhood journey abruptly and tragically on February 11, 2018. Her husband of 12 years had ended his pain once and for all. She soon made the decision that she would not let his final decision define the rest of her life or their daughter’s life, so with her sense of humor at the helm, she started writing about her newfound station in life. Grief waves still get to her, and probably always will, but with the help of her fellow widows as well as friends and family, she has been able to realize her dream of becoming a published author! Layla is so grateful to Hope For Widows Foundation for providing this level of support to her, and so many others! Layla has two amazing children, one who is grown and one who is almost grown. She lives in eastern Oregon and has a wellness & beauty background. Layla enjoys writing poetry, watching anime, and homeschooling her daughter.
Her blog can be found at laylabethmunk.medium.com and her debut novella, 24 Hours in Vegas, is available on Amazon.