Do you love or hate Christmas? It is such a strange time of year.
On one hand it is a time of joy, happiness, forgiveness and sharing - along with gift giving and shopping, planning, anticipation and STRESS!!
There is so much pressure on people to be filled with love and joy, with heart felt happiness and family and community spirit that it is often hard to find what this time means to each of us, personally.
And it should be a personal experience.
Finding time for our own sense of peace and fulfilment, to reflect on our challenges and triumphs through the year can be bittersweet. So much depends on how we view our successes, and whether we can find the positive in any seemingly negative experiences.
So, some tips for getting the most out of this season: Try this -
Note down the major experiences in your life over the last year.
- What have you gained from each, what have you learned from each?
- Who are the outstanding people you have met, worked with, loved or shared time with over the year?
- How would your life be different if these experiences had not occurred?
- Is there anything you would dearly love to have different? Is there some way you can safely (and legally) bring some of this into existence for you?
- Is there something you could do to help someone else? It is often the simple things that mean the most.
On a practical note - it is a season of indulgence, for those of us lucky to have the opportunities. Take care not to over-indulge! Some tips to help you through...
- Eat smaller amounts - tasting each item of food means you can enjoy variety in your diet without eating too much.
- Drink alcohol and sweet beverages in moderation - make sure that the only drink you drink a lot of is water.
- Get some regular exercise - even if it is only walking up and down stairs or escalators in shops.
- Take time to smile and appreciate the beautiful things around you - it might be something in nature, it might be a floral arrangement in a shop, the way a Christmas tree is decorated or the way some families arrange their Christmas lights in their homes.
- Get enough rest - if this means having a catnap in the afternoon - then do so. Your mood and ability to cope with stressful situations improves when you are rested and refreshed.
To all my readers, I wish you a joyful, peaceful Christmas and
festive season, and a wonderful, prosperous and healthy 2008.
1 comment:
Those are some great tips for this time of year. I was just contemplating Christmas myself on my own blog. I think part of what makes it so stressful and disappointing for some is that we create an image of Christmas as children that will never again be duplicated as adults, so we're stressed and disappointed every year. Your list focuses only on this year, so that is good. Thanks for the post!
Post a Comment