The Winter Solstice: A Time for Caregivers to Pause, Reflect, and Begin Again
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” — Rumi
For unpaid family caregivers, the winter solstice often feels less like a calendar event and more like a mirror. It is the longest night of the year—a season that echoes the exhaustion, isolation, and emotional weight that caregiving can bring. Rather than asking us to push through or “stay positive,” the solstice offers something caregivers rarely receive: permission to pause (especially at this hectic time of year). It invites us to acknowledge the darkness honestly, without judgment, and to honor all we have done to simply keep showing up.
The solstice is also a turning point. Even though winter remains, the light begins to return—slowly, almost imperceptibly at first. For caregivers living with ongoing uncertainty, this matters. It reframes hope not as sudden relief, but as a direction. Looking back on the past year through this lens allows us to recognize unseen resilience: moments of endurance, acts of love, and quiet courage that may never be acknowledged by others. It also creates space to name what has been costly—what drained energy, blurred boundaries, or asked too much.
This season gently invites us to consider what we are ready to release. Guilt. Perfectionism. The belief that rest must be earned. Letting go does not mean giving up—it means choosing sustainability. At the same time, the solstice helps us identify what has sustained us: a person, a small routine, a moment of calm, or a brief spark of joy. These embers matter. They are worth protecting as the days slowly grow longer.
Looking ahead, the invitation is not to overhaul life, but to begin again gently. Start small, but just start—through one small micro-practice, one realistic boundary, or one act of self-care. The solstice reminds us that light returns minute by minute, not all at once—and that meaningful change often starts with the smallest, kindest steps.
Our December Book Club pick, the Mel Robbins podcast episode “How to Make Next Year the Best Year: Ask Yourself These 7 Questions,” offered a wonderful alignment as a Winter Solstice reflection. Key insights from the podcast include:
Reflect backward with awareness.
Honor what we can stop.
Identify what to continue and start.
Learn from lessons & reshape meaning.
Act now (start today).
I encourage you to check out the podcast and see what additional insights it might have for you.
And here are 3 TOOLS FOR FACING THE DARKNESS OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE:
Create a “Name the Darkness” Ritual. Take a quiet moment each day to name what feels heavy—stress, grief, exhaustion, or loneliness. By acknowledging the darkness instead of avoiding it, we reduce emotional pressure and prevent those feelings from building into burnout.
Practice a Light-Finding Habit. Each day, look for one small “light”—a comforting moment, a connection, a bit of ease, or something that went better than expected. This practice doesn’t erase the darkness but helps balance it with moments of hope. Over time, this habit strengthens resilience and helps us stay grounded in possibility rather than overwhelm.
Build a Support Ritual for the Toughest Days. Identify one supportive action to take during the hardest winter days: texting a friend, joining a peer group, stepping outside for fresh air, or asking for help. Having a simple, predetermined ritual prevents us from withdrawing into isolation and reinforces that we don’t have to carry the darkness alone. Connection is a powerful protective factor against emotional exhaustion.
As you move through this season, consider this reflection: Even in this longest night, what do I want to carry forward—and what am I finally ready to set down? The winter solstice reminds us that endurance itself is a form of strength, and that even now, the light is already finding its way back.