The Christmas shopping is done, the halls are decked and the partridge is in the pear tree – so why do I still feel a bit stressed?
You don’t need a reason or ‘excuse’ to feel stressed – in fact, feeling anxious over Christmas is very common even if you usually look forward to it. In uncertain times, even little stresses can feel overwhelming.
'Tis the season of giving, but in thinking about sorting everybody else, we often forget about ourselves. We’ve asked a few well-known faces to give us a bit of inspiration and tell us what self-care gift they're going to give to themselves this winter.
Enjoy that first hour of the morning
British Paralympian gold medallist Ellie Simmonds knows a thing or two about keeping calm under pressure (and underwater!). She’s gifting herself an hour every morning to get in the right headspace for the day and really take time to wake up before she dives in.
'Sometimes when you wake up it’s a bit ‘Go, go, go!’'
A Christmas gift that I’d give to myself is having that hour in the morning just to fully wake up. Sometimes when you wake up it’s a bit ‘Go, go, go!’ You’re rushing, you’re trying to wake up. But having that hour just to yourself, just to unwind and wake up graduallyand make a really nice cup of coffee and have that hour just to sip it and enjoy it and wake up and process the day is something that I would give to myself.
Focus on your own time - not anyone else's
Anxiety expert Joshua Fletcher knows how much self-comparison can be harmful, and this habit can get worse around big events. He reminds us not to compare our holiday and ourselves to others. No looking at Instagram – focus on your own Christmas and take time out for yourself.
'We all do it... and you know what? I’m not going to do it this year.'
My Christmas gift to myself this year is to not compare myself to others. We all do it.We all kind of… On some level compare where we’re at, and you know what? I’m not going to do it this year. I’m not going to compare what gifts I give and receive. I’m just going to take the time out for me and my loved ones and have some lovely downtime for myself. I’m allowed it and you’re allowed it too.
Use your body to help your mind
There’s no one type of magic exercise or meditation practice that fits us all. BBC Radio 1’s Dr Radha Modgil recommends finding some form of physical activity that suits your mood instead. Listen to your emotions this holiday and learn to use your body to help your mind.
'Whatever you need, you can choose what works for you.'
Hiya, I’m Dr. Radha Modgil and my Christmas gift to myself and hopefully one you can use for yourself too is to get out there, get active and do some stuff with your body. You can choose, whatever mood you’re in, you can choose a type of exercise that you want or you need or what might make you feel a bit better. So, if you’re feeling a bit cross, get out there and do some boxing, if you’re feeling like you want to be free, go and do some roller-skating, if you feel like getting away from your mind, go and have a long run. Whatever you need, you can choose what works for you. But above all, make sure you’re using your body, because it will help your mind.
Learn the power of quiet time
Dean McCullough from Radio 1 is making sure to find a moment of peace and quiet this Christmas. Even if you’re not surrounded by people, the flood of information from social media can feel like a bombardment of noise. Try taking five minutes to yourself away from screens and see how listening to the quiet affects your mood.
'It's been quite the year.'
Hello, I’m Dean McCullough from Radio 1 and a Christmas gift that I would give to myself this year would have to be…a moment of calm. A moment of peace and quiet. It’s been quite the year - there has been loads of noise, lots happening in the media, lots happening with our friends and our family and on the socials, and I would just like a moment, even if it was just for five minutes, to sit in peace and quiet where nothing mattered in the world. That would be the greatest gift ever.
Bonus tip: Don’t forget to breathe
Clinical psychologist Dr Anna Colton shares a breathing technique to keep your head if you feel overwhelmed by the festivities. Follow along and learn this technique if you feel yourself getting overstimulated. Remember your outbreath should be longer than your inbreath.
'The way to calm down through breathing is to make sure you breathe out for longer than you breathe in.'
Hi, I’m Dr. Anna Colton and this is my favourite breathing technique to help you calm down. Often, people tell you to take a deep breath or to hold your breath, but actually the way to calm down through breathing is to make sure you breathe out for longer than you breathe in. So if you breathe in for a count of two, you need to breathe out for a count of four. If you breathe in for a count of three, you breathe out for a count of six, and you need to make sure that the count doesn’t change. If it becomes too easy with any particular clicks or counts, move to the next one. You will find that your heart rate slows and you begin to feel calmer and calmer, and whatever stress or anxiety you’re feeling starts to just gently simmer away.
Try and find a moment every day to give yourself a gift of wellbeing at Christmas. This could be going for a walk, spending time on a hobby you like, or catching up with a friend.
With the New Year approaching it can be tempting to fixate on all the things we’re going to do better in 2022. Setting goals can be a great motivator, but Joshua suggests avoiding ‘I should’ phrases, as these can make us feel guilty if we don’t meet them.
And remember: your emotions are normal and deserve attention, especially at this time.
This article was published in December 2021.
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