January. The dark, cold, murky time of year where we exit the holiday pandemonium and enter a period often marked by reflection and resolutions. We focus on self-improvement and setting goals and organizing our lives. This year, as we dive into this phase, we need to remember to be exceptionally gentle with ourselves and our loved ones. Regardless of specific circumstances, the past year has been a hard one for everyone. Congratulate yourself for doing the best you could.

It is okay to look forward to the holidays but also be sad about all the things that are missing this year. It is okay to be anxious about the pandemic but also hopeful about the future. It is okay to be angry about all the sacrifices that this year has required while also being grateful for unanticipated silver linings. All of these feelings are valid. And finding ways to hold space for the myriad of things that you may be thinking and feeling allows you to honor all the

Everything is different right now, but the holiday season makes these differences especially pronounced. This time of year is typically marked by traditions and time with loved ones and ideas of magic and unmitigated joy. There is often a gap between our holiday expectations and the reality (How many parents have spent 45 minutes getting their kids dressed for the first snowfall with ideas of a picturesque afternoon building snowmen and sledding only to have kids start crying