Ten tips to be more present this Christmas.
It's here. Christmas is here. December is here. ALREADY. HOW?! I'm not quite sure where September, October, and November went. I feel like it was August, I blinked, and now here we are. Since Bojo canceled Christmas last year, I know many people will want to make up for lost time and go HARD.
BUT I know that while Christmas is the time for giving, it can also be a frantic mad dash to the 25th December, by which time you want to get hammered and eat some turkey in peace.
So I wanted to share ten tips for you to feel less frazzled and more present this Christmas:
Do something for YOU every day. It's the time of giving and gestures of goodwill, but this shouldn't mean that you fall to the bottom of the pile. Try taking just 1% out of the day for yourself. That's 14 minutes of alone time. It's a chance to grab a coffee from your favourite coffee shop or read a few pages of your new book. Or even start the book you've been meaning to read all year! Get involved with the 1% challenge over on The anti-hustle club Facebook group.
Set your boundaries. By saying yes to everything and not upholding your boundaries is a sure-fire way to ensure you're frazzled by the time it gets to Christmas. They might change around Christmas time, which is fine! But make sure you stick to them and put yourself first.
Get enough sleep. Burning the candle at both ends is often the case when it comes around to party season, but make sure you're clocking up those hours asleep as well as clocking up the hours on the dancefloor. Remember that when you've been drinking, you don't ever sleep as well as you think you are - so plan in some recovery time.
Move your body. It seems like a juxtaposition for many at Christmas - to move further than the living room to the fridge, but I PROMISE you, you'll feel better for it. So step away from the Quality Streets, wrap up warm, and go for a stroll. Get your legs moving and the wind in your face!
Plan your week out with you as a priority. What are your usual non-negotiables for the week? A few gym sessions? A pilates class? Don't let those fall by the wayside just because you got to December. You do those things because they make you FEEL good and get those endorphins pumping through your body. You are still important in this month too!
Think about what you want - and scrap the rest. Similar to number 5 - but don't try and do EVERYTHING. If you over-commit, you'll be overwhelmed before we get to New Year's Eve! Think about what good looks like for you this Christmas. And then plan accordingly.
Know when to switch off. Listen to your body and mind! It's easy to think you need to carry on because it's Christmas. But pushing yourself too far is only going to make you feel worse in the long run - and in need of a holiday by the time you get to January!
Don't be a slave to social media. Yes, it's great to see that Debbie's fella of 14 years has finally decided to put a 'ring on it, and Sarah's girlfriend has bought her the dream Birkin bag, which you are SO jealous of but spend more time focusing on what is outside of your phone than what's in it. Remember, you're only ever seeing someone's highlight reel on social media.
Manage expectations of others. Upset and disappointment often come when our expectations don't meet our reality. So communicate early and communicate well!
Focus on what you can control and spend your energy there. It's easy to get caught up in what others are doing and get frustrated because things aren't going how you want them to. BUT, you need to focus on the stuff you can control, not what you can't. There's some stuff you can't control that forms the circle of concern—for example, the government, COVID-19 impact, or your past choices and behaviour. Then some things fall into the circle of influence that we have indirect influence over - things such as your reputation, your commitments, and other peoples' actions. Finally, the circle of control; the things you have direct control over - such as your thoughts, words, and mindset.
If you're interested in feeling less overwhelmed and more present in your every day, then find out more about the 121 packages I have available for you. The 121 packages are bespoke and personalised to you. They help you get to the crux of what's causing you to feel overwhelmed, frazzled, and feeling like things are a bit out of control and then help you to take action.
