5 Ways To Be Mindful At Christmas
5 Ways To Be Mindful At Christmas
As much as we are excited that we can finally get together at Christmas Time once more, there also comes stress and more pressure to host the perfect day, give the best presents, making sure that everyone is happy, and feeling like you haven’t missed visiting anyone!
So you may be feeling stressed about Christmas, getting frazzled by the sudden full diary of events and what feels like the never ending to do lists. You may be wondering how you can slow down and stop feeling overwhelmed so that you can enjoy this time of year and savour the Christmas spirit…
You may be asking yourself, how can I be mindful at Christmas?
Mindfulness can be the perfect tool to help bring calm to your Christmas. Mindfulness is the pillar of self-care, it allows us to be able to check in with our thoughts, feelings and actions. We can then start to be kinder to ourselves and be nourishing in our actions when we start to feel disconnected and lacking in energy, especially over Christmas.
Not only can Mindfulness help us to de-stress and reconnect, being Mindful can also help us to be aware of what’s going on around us, noticing the moment we are in right now. Giving us acceptance and allowing us to recognise the joyful moments with friends and family, cherishing those memories and laughs. Letting things just be as they are (it doesn’t matter if it’s not the perfect setting, the perfect trimmings on the tree, or something went wrong with the dinner!) Just allow yourself and others to enjoy the time you have right now!
Here are 5 Ways you can be Mindful at Christmas;
1 - TAKE Time Out
Spend some quality time out with yourself to help you recharge when you need it.
You can use this time to reflect and notice how you’re feeling. Why not give yourself the gift of a few moments to be mindful. Maybe try a mindful breathing exercise or enjoy some mindful movement to ease any tension you’ve been holding onto and let that go. Maybe read a book or journal your thoughts. Anything that will help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day.
This can also be a great time to make a list of anything you need to prioritise for that day, this will help you to stop feeling overwhelmed by having too many things to do in one day.
2 - MINDFUL MOVEMENT and DAyLIGHT
Our bodies and minds feel better when we take some time to move. Make this more mindful by taking a walk in nature, allowing yourself to notice your surroundings, listening to the sounds and breathing in the air. Maybe do some yoga or mindful stretching to recharge or relax.
It’s also important during this time of year to get as much daylight as you can, so getting some exercise during the daylight hours can work wonders. If you are not able to do this why not try a special lamp to stimulate exposure to sunlight by way of light therapy. This will help if you suffer with SAD (Seasonal affective disorder) and can also help you to improve the quality of your sleep. Getting out into daylight is known to boost your serotonin levels and also boost your circadian rhythm, guiding your body to a better sleep-wake cycle.
Enjoy noticing how you feel when moving your body mindfully.
3 - MINDFUL NUTRITION
Remember to keep hydrated by drinking enough water (it is recommended that you should aim to have 6-8 glasses, or 1.5 litres of water a day. Source Eatwell Guide). Not keeping hydrated could be the reason you’re feeling tired. It is so easy at this time of year with all the parties and get togethers to have too many foods and drinks that aren’t nurturing our bodies, and we forget to remember to take care of ourselves nutritionally.
It’s okay to enjoy the festive food and drinks (even the novelty Coffee Shop Christmas favourites - raise your hand if you have a Starbucks favourite!!). Just remember that your body and mind needs some nutrition to keep you energised and healthy too, so it’s important to eat and drink well and be mindful of what our body needs when we tune into it.
4 - MINDFUL TOUCH
Give yourself a boost of the feel good hormone oxytocin with some mindful touch. This will help you to feel much calmer and connected to yourself. Why not use body oils or balms to rub into your hands, arms or legs (your body and mind will thank you for these sensations!). Give yourself a much needed hug and tell yourself that You Are Loved and All Is Well. You can even try being mindful in the shower feeling the water on your skin.
Why not try using the essential oils Lavender or Jasmine to boost feeling calm and relaxed, Lemon, Orange or Bergamot to boost feeling more energised.
I recommend trying Neom Organics for the ‘Feel Good’ factor. Their Christmas Wish Essential Oil blend is perfectly blended with Mandarin, Spicy Cinnamon and Tonya Bean to boost your wellbeing at this time of year. Find it here Neom Christmas Wish Essential Oil
5 - MINDFUL ENJOYMENT
HAVE SOME FUN and BRING JOY
Music has the ability to change our mood, just put on your favourite song and you feel much better. Notice when you need a boost and spend some time enjoying yourself. Why not get into the Christmas spirit by enjoying a sing-a-long or a bit of kitchen dancing to your favourite Christmas Song.
Some of the Christmas Music I am loving listening to for a boost of joy are;
George Ezra ‘Come on Home For Christmas’ Come On Home For Christmas on YouTube
Shakin’ Stevens ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ Merry Christmas Everyone on YouTube
Kylie Minogue ‘Santa Baby’ Santa Baby on YouTube
Gabriella Cilmi ‘Warm This Winter’ Warm This Winter on YouTube
The Darkness ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’ Christmas Time on YouTube
Bobby Helms ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ Jingle Bell Rock on YouTube
Some other ways you can have some Mindful Enjoyment could be by getting being creative and making something, there are so many craft ideas especially at Christmas.
You could even try knitting something for a loved one (Tom Daley loves the benefits of being mindful with knitting).
Why not enjoy baking a treat, or colouring in, or doing a puzzle.
Just remember to allow yourself to enjoy the moment and to notice your senses and feelings during this time.
It’s OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY
And last but not least don’t be too hard on yourself, or ever feel ashamed if you are struggling at this time of year.
If you feel like things are getting too much then please reach out for support, some incredible charities like Mind and Samaritans are always there if you need them.
Contact them here:
Mind Mind Charity
Samaritans Samaritans
Inner Calm With Jane is here to bring you a space to create calm and create strength
For more check out the rest of the blog or get in touch hello@innercalmwithjane.com
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