Monday 18 December 2006
Don’t let the Ghost of Christmas Past terrorise you!
We’re approaching the final stretch. Christmas is just around the corner. The countdown is nearly complete. The cards have been mailed. Plans have been made. And the shopping, for some unfathomable reason, never quite seems to be finished.
So when exactly are we supposed to find the time to kick back, relax and enjoy one of those Currier & Ives Christmases?
Carols, lights and bunting aside, Christmas can ironically be one of the most stressful times of the year. And more of us suffer from the Yuletide blues than we think. Do you? Let’s see, answer the following the questions:
- Do you eat too much over Christmas?
- Do you drink more alcoholic beverages than normal this time of year?
- Will you be returning home to spend Christmas with your parents? Your in-laws?
- Is it more difficult to get out of bed over the holiday period?
- Has Christmas brought about a significant change to your daily routine?
If you’ve answered yes to even one of these questions, then it’s possible you’re experiencing a symptom of seasonal stress. It really shouldn’t be all that surprising.
Repeatedly, we’re told that this is the most important time of the year. This is when we supposedly put all our differences aside and come together in peace and harmony. If only everyone read the manual and followed instructions!
Many of us will have experienced a last-minute push at work to tie up as many loose-ends as possible before the break. Travelling these days, especially with the ever-changing restrictions on carry-on baggage, is far from a breeze. The shops, not to mention the roads, are overcrowded.
Our daily schedule is thrown out the window. Then to top it off, we return (or accompany partners who return) to the bosom of a family who refuses to believe that their child is now a fully-grown and capable adult.
And if that wasn’t enough, it’s also a time of year that seems to insist that we look back and remember. Like it or not, the Ghost of Christmas Past will pay you a visit in the days to come. Sadly, all too often and too easily we find ourselves spending more time dwelling on what didn’t work out than what did.
Cue the extra time on our hands, the food on offer, the drinks that seem to keep coming and you’ve got a recipe for stress overload. But just because it’s been that way in the past doesn’t mean it has to be that way this year, or ever again.
Allow me to share my Top Ten Tips for a stress-free Christmas:
- Grab a book and hunker down. Consider it an erudite escape.
- Spend as much time as possible outdoors. Contact with nature is one of the quickest ways to stabilise one’s energy.
- Make yourself useful. Chop some vegetables or measure out the ingredients for the Christmas lunch or dinner. Or, lend a hand to wash up all those dishes.
- Keep breathing. It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised.
- Volunteer to be the designated driver – even if you’re staying in.
- Say no to second helpings. You know what it tastes like. Savour that memory. You’ll be thankful later.
- Turn the television off and the radio on. Studies have shown that listening to the radio encourages physical as well as mental activity.
- Stop reliving those old times –get out there and create some new times instead.
- Dress up. Looking smart is one of the oldest tricks in the book to make one feel better about oneself.
- And when all else fails, fake it. Smiling and telling yourself that you’re having a good time works more often than you’d think.
Christmas and everything that comes with it will get to most of us at some point. The key is to recognise when it’s all become too much and then to do something about it. We might feel like we don’t have the power to change things, but when we remember that we are always in control of what we think and how we react we suddenly seem a lot more powerful.
I wish each and every one of you a very happy holiday with all the joy this season has to offer! And if, come the New Year, you need a little pick-you-up or a helping hand, then why not treat yourself to one of my readings?
And finally, over at PsychicBridges I examine what I term seasonal sleepwalking and suggest how we can rediscover and reconnect with the Spirit of Christmas. Read my article in full by clicking here.
I always welcome your thoughts and feedback on IntuitiveBridges, so let me hear from you by clicking here.
Until next week,
Kindest regards,
 Back
To Top
|
