December 2020
For some people Christmas gives a sense of joy, abundance and reconnecting with loved ones, while for others it can be a lonely, stressful, frustrating and a conflicted time. Here are 3 self -care tips that can help you overcome these feelings.
These 3 easy types of validation :
1) Relax – Plan breaks during the day in which you take a few moments to sit in a quiet and distraction free room to be attuned to your body. Relax your muscles, deep breath and refocus. Listen to your body and take care of yourself. Nurturing your physical needs will pull your through a more demanding period.
2) Make time to be social too- Focus on enjoying the company of others and creating lovely memories rather than focus on the props of the holiday. Spend time with people who care about you and reach out to others you trust if you do not have someone to spend the holidays with.
3) Be your own best friend – When things do not go according to plan and do not match your expectations, which cause the inner critic to raise its head, talk to yourself as you would your best friend. Be kind and compassionate and remind yourself that sometimes things do not go to plan, no matter how much you wish they would. Acknowledge that you have positive intentions and did the best you could to create a wonderful experience within your abilities. Additionally acknowledge the things that did go right and the positives that did occur. Remind yourself that there are more influential factors beyond yourself that impacted the outcome. You can also ask yourself how important are the details that bother you right now in the big picture. That should give you another perspective and will alter the impact that the disappointment has on you.
Try to reformulate your sentences using these validation examples and see how it works for you. Analyse the reactions of others and how you feel using this assertive communication. Do you like how you come across? Do you like how it makes you feel? Do you like the benefits? Keep on doing it.