As we prepare to enter the holiday season, it is hard not to focus on how different things are going to be this year. Not only are we unable to travel and socialize in our usual ways, but many of us have experienced great loss this year. And yet, the holidays come, marking the passing of time, like they do every year.

What will be different about the holidays this year? What will be the same? We won’t really know the answers to these questions until we get there, but we can prepare ourselves – to find joy, to figure out what matters most to us, to build resilience.

Take a few moments to reflect on the following questions. Or, better yet, find a coworker or friend to connect with and ask each other:

1. What will you miss most about how you did the holiday season before the pandemic?

2. What do you like most about holidays?

3. How can you make sure those things are still present in the holidays this year?

Think about looking beneath the “what” of a tradition to uncover the “why.”

WHY is eating warm cinnamon rolls on the holiday morning so special? WHY is riding the lifts on the first day of ski season so special? WHY is singing carols with your family important? If you can discover why your traditions matter — to YOU as well as to your family — you can find ways to mark these special feelings even if they look a little different this year.

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