Christmas can be hectic. Whilst it is my favourite time of year, there are aspects of it I find hard. Like every other person at Christmas, there is always SO much more to do than the average month. This year I have felt to behind, and I know this is true for a LOT of others too. For those of you that suffer from mental health problems around this time of year too, I know how difficult it can be. I wanted to try and aid some of these worries by writing some snippets of advice to help you over the next few days. In this lead up to Christmas, I hope these tips will prove useful.
Take Some Time To Yourself
For me, the time of day I look forward to is just before I go to bed when I can read my book. I love being around people, but I find the constant busy Christmas vibe a little hard to sustain 24/7. I need some Me Time. I would really recommend finding pockets during the day where you take the odd 5 minutes to do something for you. Whether that is reading a book, flicking through a magazine, watching an Instagram Story, making a delicious calming cup of tea…. the list is endless.
Take Time To Breathe
If you are having moments of panic and worry, try breathing in and out 10 times. You can do this whilst escaping the room for a few minutes. It will bring the thoughts back to the present. Our minds are forced to focus on the breathing, rather than our thoughts.
Write In A Gratitude Book
I plan on writing in my gratitude book each evening before bed this Christmas. It really helps me focus on the highlights of my day. It also stops me comparing myself to other people. I appreciate other people’s successes in life, but I wouldn’t want to live any life different to my own. I am lucky I can say that, and I want to cherish that fact.
Don’t Plan Too Many Events
I have learnt that if I plan more than one long event on the same day, it just doesn’t bode well. I end up tired, flustered and not able to enjoy it. It is not worth trying to cram in too much when it will make our mental health suffer.
Appreciate The Little Things
Rather than get overwhelmed and caught up in the showmanship of Christmas, focus on keeping it simple this year. Time spent with people is far more important than millions of gifts. I enjoy buying gifts for people but sometimes I find presents overwhelming. Focusing on the important things is essential. Friends, Family, Food and Drink.
What tips do you have for achieving self-care this Christmas?
A Note from me…
This year for Blogmas, my motivation is to raise awareness of the incredible charity MIND.
This marvellous charity does so much to support people suffering from mental health. With ongoing pressures from social media and a million other stresses these days, it is more important than ever to look after our health. As an anxiety sufferer myself, charities like these make such a difference to supporting people that need a voice to listen to and supply tools to help them through difficult circumstances. You can take a look at their website to see the amazing things they do and to take a look at the resources available online to help those needing extra help this Christmas. The winter season can be very difficult with people suffering from anxiety and depression. I would absolutely love it if you could donate something (however small) to this charity as a thank you to me for posting Christmas blogs this Blogmas. I really hope we can raise money and awareness for this stunning cause.
