A Journaling Guide for Holiday Overwhelm

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A Journaling Guide for Holiday Overwhelm

I’M OVERWHELMED

If you are an introvert. Or if you are just a person who loves the quiet. The holiday season can feel like a sparkling assault on your nervous system.

The music is louder. The diaries are fuller. The gatherings are non-stop.

We love the people. We love the meaning. But the energy of it all can be so draining.

Surviving vs. Thriving

We can find ourselves just “surviving” the season.

We hide in the bathroom for a moment of silence. We feel guilty. We worry we aren’t being more “on.” We worry we aren’t “festive” enough.

We feel a deep need to withdraw. But the world demands that we show up.

The Jesus Method

What if we could do both?

What if we could learn from Jesus?

He learned to move between the crowd and the quiet. He would be surrounded by thousands. Then He would “withdraw to a quiet place to pray.”

He didn’t see this as selfish. He knew it was essential.

This is your permission slip to do the same.

Your quiet is not a flaw. It is your God-given need.

Your journal is where you can create a practical plan to honor it.

Your “Taking a Moment” Plan

Use these prompts to build a sanctuary inside the celebration.

  • Know Your Cues: “When I am in a loud, crowded room, how does my body tell me it’s overwhelmed? (for example, ‘My shoulders tighten.’ ‘I feel fuzzy.’ ‘I get quiet and irritable.’)”
  • Plan Your Moment: “What is my quiet ‘escape route’ for 5 minutes of silence? (for example, ‘Step outside to check the air.’ ‘Offer to help in the quiet kitchen.’ ‘Go to the car to grab something.’)”
  • Find Your Anchor: “What is my 3-second ‘Breath Prayer’ I can use in the middle of the noise? (for example, Inhale: ‘Prince of Peace.’ Exhale: ‘Calm my heart.’)”
  • A Prayer for Presence: “Lord, help me to be present where I am. Help me not be performative. Give me the courage to honor my needs. Give me the grace to be a loving, quiet presence for others.”

Your Action Point: Write Your “Event Plan”

Don’t go into the party unprepared. Go in with a plan.

  1. Look at your calendar for this week. Find one upcoming event that you know will be draining.
  2. Open your journal. Create a “Taking a Moment Plan” just for that event.
  3. Write down:
    • My Intention: (for example, “To be a warm, quiet presence.”)
    • My Boundary: (for example, “We will only stay for two hours.”)
    • My Quiet Signal: (for example, “When I feel my shoulders tighten…”)
    • My Escape Plan: (“…I will step onto the balcony or go outside. I will take 5 deep breaths.”)

This isn’t rigid. It is a loving act. It is a prepared act of self-stewardship.

You are planning to find your peace.

With care, Debbera