Finding Calm This Christmas
There are many reasons why you may find yourself feeling stressed over Christmas time.
Perhaps you have other stress inducing life events already going on, or you feel alone because everyone else seems happy when you’re not. You may even have an idea of what Christmas ‘should’ be and it’s just not working out that way this year.
If you find Christmas a difficult time of year, here are some tips to help you through by finding pockets of calm in you day:
Prioritise your wellbeing. Try a new guided meditation for carving out 20 minutes of quiet time each day away from all the noise Christmas can bring into our lives. Check out the Calm app here.
Say no. Christmas can throw up lots of things to organise and people to see. Prioritise what you actually do want to achieve this Christmastime and say no to things if you have too much going on.
Worried out extra costs around Christmas? Set aside 30 minutes in your day to note down planned spending and your budget to give you a bit of clarity.
Take time in nature. Each day try and get outside in nature. Going on walks, especially with a good view to enjoy, can bring calmness and a bit of healthy escapism for you to face the rest of your busy Christmas schedule.
Focus on the now. Train your attention to return to the present moment each time you wander off into thinking about future events or things you are not looking forward to about Christmas. Headspace has a number of tips and guided meditations on how to be more present here.
Implementing some of these strategies into your day should bring you some calm which can be much needed around Christmas.
Further Support Around Christmas
Mind has created a guide to a range of support services. Check it out here: Guides to mental health support and services
Samaritans are available 24/7 365 days a year, whatever you are going through, call 116 123. You can also visit their website here to find out more: Samaritans | Here to listen
Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service for anyone in a crisis. Get free, confidential mental health support anytime, anywhere. Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258. Discover more about Shout here: giveusashout.org
