131 | Coping with Holiday Changes: Permission to Grieve & Be Angry for Moms in the Sandwich Generation

Struggling with holiday changes now that your parent can't be home or host like they used to? If this is your first holiday with a parent in assisted living or watching traditions disappear because they can no longer cook or plan like before, you're not alone—and your sadness is completely valid.

In this deeply honest episode, you'll discover why the holiday slowdown brings all those suppressed feelings to the surface—and why that's actually necessary. You'll learn why trying to stay positive only delays the grief, and how to release the sadness, anger, and sense of unfairness before you can truly be present for new traditions.

Here's what you'll gain

• Understanding why holiday changes trigger such profound grief—even when your parent is still alive
• Permission to feel the full weight of what you've lost without guilt or shame
• Four powerful release methods to move grief through your body (crying, journaling, movement, screaming)
• A grounding affirmation that helps you hold both grief and love: "Traditions may change, but love remains"

Press play to stop running from your feelings and start honoring them—because you can't welcome new traditions until you've grieved the old ones.

If you’re interested in learning more about the “Crossroads Advantage” perspective, check out the article and more of Valerie’s writing on her blog, ‘Oh, Hello Midlife’. 

And if you sign up for the newsletter, as a thank you, we’ll send you the “10 Min. Calm Kit for Sandwich Generation Moms.” It includes three guided sessions for morning, mid-day, and bedtime, so you can find your calm in the midst of this chaotic season of life.

Learn more on how to release the pressures of Sandwich Generation Stress with episode #121, or through movement in episode #120.

You’re listening to the right show, formerly known as the Mindful Life Changes or Mindful Career Change. We’ve pivoted through the years, but finally landed on the right path: content for moms in the ‘Sandwich Generation’, because midlife disruption doesn't have to break you.

New episodes drop on:

• Sundays: 20-min episodes addressing common midlife challenges with practical strategies plus a mindfulness practice (affirmations, mantras, or meditations)
• Wednesdays: Bite-sized episodes to reinforce Sunday's mindfulness technique & reset your week

More from The Mindful Midlife Mom:

Discover Valerie's articles on ohhellomidlife.com or watch her videos on YouTube @ohhellomidlife

This podcast explores patience, meditation, confidence, presence, and overcoming resentment while cultivating calm, peace, mindfulness, clarity, mantras, and addressing loneliness and burn out; it covers boundaries, caregiving, guilt, affirmations, working moms, self-care, midlife crisis, empty nesters, empowerment, people pleasing, compassion fatigue, family caregiving, stress relief, self-worth, stress management, and how to shift from reactive to centered when feeling short tempered, offering tools for self acceptance, easing mental exhaustion, building emotional resilience, harnessing inner strength, and preventing caregiver fatigue for those in the sandwich generation through expert advice on boundaries setting.