If December Feels Harder Than It Should, Read This
By Vikki • December Burnout • Mental Health • Self Compassion
This Time of Year Is Heavier Than People Admit
If December feels harder than it “should”, you’re not imagining it. And you’re not doing anything wrong.
This time of year carries more weight than we like to acknowledge — emotionally, mentally, financially, and physically.
December is not just festive.
It’s cumulative.
Why December Exhausts the Brain
By mid-December, most people are already running on empty.
You’re carrying:
- a full year of stress
- unfinished goals and quiet disappointments
- financial pressure
- family expectations
- social obligations
- shorter days and less energy
On top of that, there’s an unspoken pressure to feel cheerful, grateful, productive, and festive.
Your brain is overloaded.
Not broken.
The Emotional Weight Nobody Prepares You For
December often brings reflection — whether you want it or not.
You notice what didn’t happen. Who isn’t here. What changed. What you survived.
Even good years can feel heavy when everything slows down enough for you to feel it.
Feeling flat, emotional, or tired in December is common.
It’s not a sign you’re ungrateful.
Why Pushing Through Makes It Worse
December is often treated like a final sprint. Push harder. Get through it. Just a bit more.
But when the brain is already exhausted, pushing usually backfires.
It shows up as:
- brain fog
- irritability
- low mood
- overwhelm
- numbness
These are signals. Not failures.
What Actually Helps in December
December isn’t the time for big self-improvement projects.
It’s a time for:
- lower expectations
- fewer decisions
- simpler days
- more rest than usual
- quiet moments without purpose
Think maintenance, not optimisation.
A Kinder Reframe for the Rest of the Month
You don’t need to: fix everything, reflect perfectly, or end the year on a high.
You just need to get through it gently.
December is not a test.
It’s a season.
If You’re Struggling Right Now
If December feels harder than it should, let this be your permission slip.
To slow down.
To do less.
To stop judging yourself.
January will come. Energy will return.
You are not failing.
You are tired — and that makes sense.
Keywords (for labels): december burnout, why december is hard, end of year exhaustion, mental fatigue, seasonal stress, christmas pressure, brain exhaustion, emotional overwhelm, self compassion, Vikki, How to Feel Fucking Amazing
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