Three Top Tips to Have a Happy Christmas
The Xmas season brings a blast of activities, expectations, and emotions. For many, Christmas is a fun, family occasion, filled with warmth and celebration. But for some, it can also be a period where feelings of overwhelm and stress prevail. Financial pressure, the need to juggle family time tables, preparing for holidays and even pressure to live up to expectations we put on ourselves and others. Or loneliness and regrets may prevail where we don’t feel loved.
As a clinical hypnotherapist, I understand the intricacies of the mind and the challenges the holiday season can pose. Here are my top three tips to manage the overwhelm and find peace amid the holiday hustle and bustle:
1. Breathe!
Sometimes the simplest things can be the most effective. And breathing can! Often, when we’re overwhelmed, our breath becomes shallow, and our minds race with thoughts of everything we have to do. Taking a moment to focus on your breathing can work wonders. It’ll bring you into the here and now so you can simply do what needs to be done.
- Technique: Find a quiet space, just for a moment and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of four, hold for four counts, and exhale through your mouth for a count of four to six. As you breathe, imagine the stress and tension leaving your body. Repeat this for a few minutes. This technique not only helps to calm the nervous system but also redirects the mind away from external stressors and anchors it in the present moment. If you want to even make this better, as you breathe in, picture a place you love to be or a person or animal you love and smile! This releases all the feel good chemicals like oxytocin letting your body know that you are safe and ok :).
2. Set Clear Boundaries
One of the primary reasons for overwhelm during the xmas season is trying to meet everyone’s expectations. Remember, it’s okay to say no when needed.
- Strategy: Sit down and create a list of the events and tasks that need to be done. From there, make a note on which things are most important to you and those you love. If attending every holiday party or cooking a big feast from scratch isn’t feasible or enjoyable for you, it’s perfectly fine to say no. Be clear about your priorities and let some things go. Communicate your decisions with kindness and clarity. Setting boundaries will allow you to enjoy the festivities on your terms and reduce feelings of being stretched too thin.
3. Visualise a Happy Christmas
Our minds have an incredible ability to shape our reality. When you close your eyes and imagine something, your inner mind believes it’s real! (Be careful what you think about right?) How often do we imagine worse case scenarios or worry about things that may not even happen. If you spend a moment imagining Xmas going smoothly and being fun, your mind will access the images you create in your mind when the time comes giving you happy feelings instead of stress!
Visualisation techniques, commonly used in hypnotherapy, can be applied to picture a peaceful, fun and joyous holiday season.
- Method: Find a quiet space and close your eyes. Imagine different xmas events you know are coming up and see yourself calm, relaxed and having fun. If you are preparing xmas dinner, imagine yourself setting the table, everything going smoothly and feeling good. feeling completely at ease. Feel the emotions of joy, peace, and contentment. Imagine it like you are creating memories because in reality you are. Your mind once again doesn’t know the difference when you see, feel and imagine being there. Whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe and then use your powerful imagination to picture everything going as planned.
In conclusion, the xmas season, while filled with joy and celebration, can also bring its fair share of stress and overwhelm. But by using breathing, imagination and setting clear boundaries, you can navigate this period with grace and tranquility.