It’s All Just… A Lot Right Now: Finding Breath in Alaska’s Darkest, Busiest Season
The lights are going up around the neighborhood. There’s snow on your windshield and a list in your brain before you’ve even had coffee. You’re juggling field trip slips, holiday invites, grocery runs, and the quiet dread of another short, dark day. Somewhere between "Be merry" and "Don’t forget the fundraiser," your nervous system quietly hits the red zone. You’re not lazy, you’re not failing, it’s just a lot. And you’re not the only one feeling it.
This is one of the hardest stretches of the year. The light is disappearing, your brain is begging for rest, and yet somehow everything speeds up. The holiday season might look cheerful on paper, but for many of us, it comes wrapped in exhaustion, overstimulation, and obligation.
If you're feeling overloaded right now, you're in good company
Let’s name it:
You’re coordinating school pick-ups and parties with five minutes of daylight left
You’re wrapping gifts while making dinner while answering emails while forgetting what you just walked into the room for
You want to be present and grateful but mostly feel like you need to hide in your car for 20 minutes and eat something baked
This isn’t because you’re doing something wrong. It’s because your mental, emotional, and physical load is maxed out. And the darkness doesn’t help.
Why this time of year hits so hard on the Kenai Peninsula
The light leaves, and so does your energy.
You’re not imagining it. Less sunlight messes with your serotonin and melatonin, brain chemicals that regulate mood, sleep, and motivation. Even your appetite shifts. This is biology, not weakness.
The to-do list doubles.
Between school commitments, family expectations, winter prep, and holiday everything, the load increases fast. No one is handing out medals for overfunctioning, but many of us act like they are.
You're living in a season of contradiction.
The world tells you to be joyful, generous, and social. But your nervous system is asking for silence, space, and maybe a nap. That dissonance is draining.
How to lower the volume when life won't slow down
Shrink the "shoulds."
Let go of the idea that it all has to be magical, complete, or even homemade. Bought cookies count. Skipped events do not ruin childhoods. The best memories often come from the simplest plans.
Schedule one real break.
Block off 30 minutes. Not for chores. Not for catching up. For nothing. Sit near a window. Walk on a quiet trail. Breathe. It’s not self-indulgent — it’s nervous system repair.
Say no more often.
No, you don’t have to host. No, you don’t need to attend every gathering. "No" is a complete sentence, and it’s a gift to your future self.
Laugh where you can.
Laugh at the chaos. At the fact that your kid is crying in a Santa costume. At the way you forgot it was your turn to bring snacks and showed up with a bag of frozen peas. If you can’t fix it, at least lighten it.
Reach out sooner than later.
If your mood is low for more than a few days, your sleep is off, or you’re feeling emotionally brittle, reach out. You do not have to wait until you’re in full burnout to ask for mental health support.
You deserve more than survival mode
You are not lazy, ungrateful, or failing. You are a human being with limits. Those limits are not flaws. They’re signs that something needs care, not criticism.
At Kenai Peninsula Mental Health, we sit with people every day who feel the same way you do. Holding it together just enough to get through the week. But therapy isn’t just about crisis. It’s about making space for your needs, your rest, your boundaries, and your deeper self. Especially during the times when life gets loud.
You can move through this season with more calm. Not perfect. Just steadier.
We’re here when you’re ready.
Kenai Peninsula Mental Health, LLC
📍 Soldotna & Homer, AK — Kenai Peninsula
📞 (907) 531-6047
📧 scheduling@kpmhalaska.com
🌐 https://www.kpmhalaska.com