Tis the season to be jolly but, more often than not, we find ourselves stressed out about getting Christmas “right”.
But who is to say what is right for you at Christmas? Well, you are of course, so are you feeling like you’re in control of your Christmas preparations? Or do you feel like you’re just ticking things off the list to fulfil other people’s expectations?
What often happens is we get collectively carried away with everyone else’s hysteria about Christmas – making sure the children get what they want, that we have the best decorated Christmas tree, that we have enough food and drinks in the house (plus extra), that we buy gifts for just about everyone!
But did you ever stop to ask yourself what am I doing? Do I really need to buy that extra box of crisps just in case? Do I really need to buy so much, eat so much and drink so much at Christmas? Why is it so different to any other time of the year? Do I actually believe it is? Or am I going along on autopilot, following someone else’s beliefs without ever asking myself what do I believe? How do I feel about Christmas?
This is where this month’s mindfulness exercise comes in.
Mindfulness exercise – STOP
• S – Stop. • T – Take a breath. Breathing in and I know I’m breathing in. Breathing out and I know I’m breathing out. • O – Observe. What’s happening around me? What’s happening within me? • P – Prepare/plan. What do I do next?This is a fantastic exercise to shine a light on the overindulgence in food, alcohol or expenditure that we might regret the next day. If we decide to mindfully overindulge, at least we’re not a hapless victim in the aftermath – we know we chose to act this way, i.e. “I decided to spend X amount, to eat X amount, to drink X amount, so I’m happy with my actions.”
The STOP does exactly what it says, allowing us to take a pause and really plan what we’d like to do, regaining control of our own life. Our minds can work much faster than I can say or you can read these words, so if you get in the habit of taking a few STOP breaks in your day, you’ll find your awareness increases and you live a little more mindfully.
Why would you want to do that? Because it will ultimately allow you to feel happier.
Physical
exercise of
the month – Warrior One
Be a warrior, not a worrier. I sometimes feel there is a tendency to be more concerned with how other people see us rather than how we see ourselves.
We are often more concerned with ensuring other people’s happiness rather than our own, and I think this is particularly true at Christmas time. It’s not that we shouldn’t care about other people’s happiness, but it’s not a selfish act to be interested in your own happiness just as much. It is an essential act of self-care and if you’re not happy with yourself, I believe it is impossible to be truly happy with anyone else.
Warrior one is a pose of strength and confidence. When I teach this to children, I always sing: “Warrior makes me feel so strong and filled with confidence.” Try it out for yourself.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Take a step back with your right foot, ensuring that your feet remain at least shoulder-width apart. Turn your right foot outwards ever so slightly.
Press down through the outside edge of the right heel and keep the right leg straight as you bend the left knee and raise both of your hands above your head. You can keep your arms parallel or press your palms together.
Press down into the outside edge of the forward part of the left foot also, keeping both of the hips facing forward, square to the top of the mat. Hold for up to one minute.
Release the pose by pressing your weight through the back heel and straightening the front leg, lower your arms. Repeat for the same length of time on the opposite side.
Something to ponder
Did you know that unhappiness is often induced in the body when what we think, say and do are somehow mismatched? This causes inner turmoil as we’re not acting in a way that is true to ourselves.
Sometimes it might feel uncomfortable to go against your perceived idea of what other people think or expect of you but really, in a moment like that, three things should be considered:
1 As harsh as it may sound, other people generally are far more interested in themselves than in you.
2 You might find you’re much happier when you start to be more concerned with how you feel about yourself rather than how other people feel about you.
3 You are enough! There is no one else you need to be except yourself, so don’t make any excuses for being true to yourself.
Wishing you all a truly happy Christmas. CL
Tis the season to be jolly but, more often than not, we find ourselves stressed out about getting Christmas “right”.
But who is to say what is right for you at Christmas? Well, you are of course, so are you feeling like you’re in control of your Christmas preparations? Or do you feel like you’re just ticking things off the list to fulfil other people’s expectations?
What often happens is we get collectively carried away with everyone else’s hysteria about Christmas – making sure the children get what they want, that we have the best decorated Christmas tree, that we have enough food and drinks in the house (plus extra), that we buy gifts for just about everyone!
But did you ever stop to ask yourself what am I doing? Do I really need to buy that extra box of crisps just in case? Do I really need to buy so much, eat so much and drink so much at Christmas? Why is it so different to any other time of the year? Do I actually believe it is? Or am I going along on autopilot, following someone else’s beliefs without ever asking myself what do I believe? How do I feel about Christmas?
This is where this month’s mindfulness exercise comes in.
Mindfulness exercise – STOP
• S – Stop. • T – Take a breath. Breathing in and I know I’m breathing in. Breathing out and I know I’m breathing out. • O – Observe. What’s happening around me? What’s happening within me? • P – Prepare/plan. What do I do next?This is a fantastic exercise to shine a light on the overindulgence in food, alcohol or expenditure that we might regret the next day. If we decide to mindfully overindulge, at least we’re not a hapless victim in the aftermath – we know we chose to act this way, i.e. “I decided to spend X amount, to eat X amount, to drink X amount, so I’m happy with my actions.”
The STOP does exactly what it says, allowing us to take a pause and really plan what we’d like to do, regaining control of our own life. Our minds can work much faster than I can say or you can read these words, so if you get in the habit of taking a few STOP breaks in your day, you’ll find your awareness increases and you live a little more mindfully.
Why would you want to do that? Because it will ultimately allow you to feel happier.
Physical
exercise of
the month – Warrior One
Be a warrior, not a worrier. I sometimes feel there is a tendency to be more concerned with how other people see us rather than how we see ourselves.
We are often more concerned with ensuring other people’s happiness rather than our own, and I think this is particularly true at Christmas time. It’s not that we shouldn’t care about other people’s happiness, but it’s not a selfish act to be interested in your own happiness just as much. It is an essential act of self-care and if you’re not happy with yourself, I believe it is impossible to be truly happy with anyone else.
Warrior one is a pose of strength and confidence. When I teach this to children, I always sing: “Warrior makes me feel so strong and filled with confidence.” Try it out for yourself.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Take a step back with your right foot, ensuring that your feet remain at least shoulder-width apart. Turn your right foot outwards ever so slightly.
Press down through the outside edge of the right heel and keep the right leg straight as you bend the left knee and raise both of your hands above your head. You can keep your arms parallel or press your palms together.
Press down into the outside edge of the forward part of the left foot also, keeping both of the hips facing forward, square to the top of the mat. Hold for up to one minute.
Release the pose by pressing your weight through the back heel and straightening the front leg, lower your arms. Repeat for the same length of time on the opposite side.
Something to ponder
Did you know that unhappiness is often induced in the body when what we think, say and do are somehow mismatched? This causes inner turmoil as we’re not acting in a way that is true to ourselves.
Sometimes it might feel uncomfortable to go against your perceived idea of what other people think or expect of you but really, in a moment like that, three things should be considered:
1 As harsh as it may sound, other people generally are far more interested in themselves than in you.
2 You might find you’re much happier when you start to be more concerned with how you feel about yourself rather than how other people feel about you.
3 You are enough! There is no one else you need to be except yourself, so don’t make any excuses for being true to yourself.
Wishing you all a truly happy Christmas. CL
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