Learning to Feel When the World Expects Joy
Plus Season 2 of GlowUp with Shaman Isis kicks of with our popular documentary, A Psychic's Wild and Inspiring Journey to Nirvana
By Shaman Isis
Spiritual Teacher | Consciousness Advocate | Lover of Divine Truth
A new season of GlowUp with Shaman Isis kicks off now! Links below to enjoy current episodes and new season launch episode!
Beautiful souls,
The holiday season has a way of turning the volume up on everything.
Lights shine brighter. Calendars fill faster. Emotions, especially the ones we have not fully learned yet, tend to show up uninvited, like relatives who do not knock before entering the room.
As part of my healing journey, I have had to learn what my emotions and feelings actually are. And I will be honest, it has not been easy.
As a trauma survivor with CPTSD and “high-functioning” autism, I did not grow up with a clear emotional map. For a long time, I could function beautifully while feeling completely lost inside. The holidays amplified that. Expectations, memories, sensory overload, and the pressure to be joyful all at once.
Over time, I have learned that emotional awareness is not about fixing yourself. It is about listening, especially during seasons like this.
Here are a few gentle ways to identify and process emotions in a healthy way during the holidays.
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Start with the body, not the story
Before asking why you feel something, ask where you feel it. Tight chest. Heavy shoulders. Restless legs. Our bodies often recognize emotions long before our minds do. Naming the sensation is the first step.
Use simple emotional language
You do not need poetic precision. Try basic words first. Sad. Tired. Overwhelmed. Lonely. Irritated. Calm. If it helps, think of emotions like holiday lights. You do not need to know the wiring to notice which ones are on.
Separate feeling from judgment
Feeling grief, resentment, or exhaustion during a joyful season does not make you ungrateful or broken. Emotions are not good or bad. They simply exist. Let them be present without interrogating them.
Give emotions a container
Set aside a small, intentional moment. Five minutes with a journal, a walk in the cold air, or quiet time with a candle. Tell yourself this is when I feel. When emotions know they have space, they soften.
Process through expression, not perfection
You do not have to understand an emotion to process it. Write it out. Move your body. Breathe. Cry. Hum. Shake it off. Healing is rarely neat, and that is okay.
Check for emotional overload
Sometimes what feels like sadness is actually exhaustion. What feels like anger is unmet boundaries. The holidays can be overstimulating. Sensory breaks are not selfish. They are necessary.
This season, I am learning that identifying emotions is an act of self-respect. Processing them is an act of self-love.
If the holidays feel complicated for you, you are not alone. Some of us are learning emotional fluency later in life, and that is okay. Every feeling you name is a small light turned on. Every moment of compassion is warmth you give yourself.
May this season offer you gentleness over pressure, honesty over performance, and the quiet gift of knowing that your feelings, whatever they are, are welcome here.
You are doing meaningful work. One feeling at a time.Happy holidays to you and yours!
With love,
Cynthia
Shaman Isis
