Are You Feeling the Festive Overwhelm Already?

Can you believe we are approaching the end of November?!

Time really does seem to be accelerating, and as each day passes we move closer towards Christmas. It really is a wonderful time of year, and it seems extra special this year as events and festive services are set to go ahead unlike last year. As joyous as this time is, it can be easy to create habits which don’t serve our health. I write this blog as a gentle reminder to check in with ourselves, and also in the hope that if we catch ourselves sooner, it will help us move into the new year on the right foot.

So what do I mean?

• Nutrition: Festive treats are everywhere, and have been since October which means you can get ahead with buying your Christmas presents. But how many of you have started to buy them for yourself and are incorporating them in your daily diet? Or what I have done in the past, bought boxes of chocolates and eaten them before they even get wrapped up?! It is easy to do, an odd mince pie here and there, or a box of chocolates at the end of a long day. But with 5 more weeks to go, the accumulation of these foods can really start to take its toll on our health and cause stress on our body.

My recommendation would be that if you are buying sweet gifts ahead of time, keep them out of sight or locked away in a cupboard. Forget about them! This will help avoid the temptation. If you are enjoying some festive treats already, keep them as a treat and not a daily occurrence. Set yourself some boundaries and stay strong. One way to help is to prepare your nutritious meals and snacks at least a day ahead so you are not tempted to reach for them when hungry. If this is hard work, I would recommend not buying the food at all to avoid all temptation.

• Stress: For many, Christmas can become quite overwhelming. This can come in many forms such as financial stresses, or simply the stress of finding the ‘perfect gifts’ for loved ones. With ‘Black Friday’ sales fast approaching this week, the intensity can build and is not helped by advertising and media coverage.

My recommendation is to take a moment to step back. Allow yourself 1-2 minutes to sit in silence and really listen to your body and your thoughts. This might sound a bit ‘out there’ but often we get so busy we don’t even realise how our body is doing.  If you are feeling worked up and stressed try these two simple things…

1. Breathe. Focus on your breath for at least a minute. Breathe in for 4 seconds through your nose, hold for 4 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, pause for 4 seconds, then repeat. This will help your body go from stress mode to rest mode.

2. Gratitude. Find 3 things you are grateful for each day and either write it down or say it to yourself. This can really help with anxiety and put things into perspective.

• Connect. Gifts are wonderful but are often temporary. Connection is priceless and can have an impact forever. It can be easy to buy more and more, but what about if you bought a little less and spent more time with the person instead? This will take pressure off and also create great fulfillment all around.

• Give for the sake of giving. There are many people who struggle to buy their daily food, let alone tasty treats and gifts. If you are able to, how about sharing something you have to help your community? This could be donating food to the local food bank, utilising your skills to help others such as knitting items of clothing for a local charity, or simply giving your time. Not only will this help others, but it will also create a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

So there you have it. Take a moment to check in with yourself this week and really see how your body is doing. Now is the perfect time to make those subtle changes that will allow you, and those around you to have a wonderful festive period.

With love,
Sarah