Ah… the holidays. Even with many of us having time off work throughout the Christmas season, it often seems that we are still busier than ever. Many people struggle with loneliness and sadness over the holidays, and many people find it can be hard to juggle everything that goes on during this time. We can often find ourselves comparing our lives with others during this season, which can often leave us feeling down and empty when the holidays have so much potential to be a time of gratitude. It is important to make sure that you care for your own happiness, and not just everyone else’s.
Making time to do some dedicated self-care can be a good way to feel more grounded, less stressed, and overall happier.
Here are some of my ideas for 12 Days of Christmas (Self)Care:
- Say “no” to that event you don’t want to go to.
- Make time to eat nutritious, balanced meals.
- Tell people close to you that you love them.
- Spend time doing deep-belly breathing.
- Write a list off the top of your head of things you are grateful for.
- Call an old friend.
- Get moving. Even better, get moving in nature!
- Make sure you stay hydrated all day. I suggest choosing one water bottle to take with you everywhere.
- Go to bed early to get a solid night’s sleep.
- Put aside time to do something for someone else, without expecting anything in return.
- Put aside some time for yourself. Leave the guilt at the door, and enjoy something that you love doing.
- Grab a notepad or journal and reflect on the year, or on how this holiday season has made you feel, or on anything you want!
Really, it does not matter how you practice self-care throughout the Christmas season, the main thing is that you do practice it. It can be easy to lose focus on yourself whilst you are spending all your time focusing on keeping others happy, but, as the old saying goes, “you can’t pour from an empty glass”. To keep others happy, you want to be happy yourself.
If you are feeling a constant sense of stress, feel free to give our stress management page a read and consider seeking some professional help.