5 Strategies To Help You Stay Centred Over the Holidays
The festive period can be a fun time to connect with loved ones, but it can also come with a ton of demands on the mind. Cheesy Christmas songs repeated in every shop you step into, the pressures of cooking and gifting, perhaps even time spent with people whose views conflict with your own; all of these can take their toll.
For many, the coming week could also bring to fruition feelings of anxiety from social pressures, upset from not being able to spend this time with loved ones, or defeat at the realisation that with the close of the year, one might not have accomplished everything they set out to achieve.
Overindulging on mince pies and letting loose might provide temporary relief, but relying on external factors to ease your mind is as ambitious as expecting Santa Claus to slide down the chimney with the answers to your problems.
If you’re worried the pressures of the holidays run the risk of throwing a healthy state of mind off balance, here are some straightforward techniques to build resilience and silence the noise.
Take a Self-Compassionate Break
When was the last time you stopped and consciously offered yourself words of kindness and understanding? Pause to recognise all that you are going through (even for just a few seconds), acknowledge your internal states, honour your efforts and be gentle with yourself. This act of love depends on you alone.
Breathe Through It
Don’t underestimate the power of breath. With so much to get done and so little time, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed when tackling your to-do list in this period. This breathing exercise can work wonders to calm down the jitters and help bring your attention to the moment.
For three rounds or more, repeat these words in your head as you breathe in and out through your nose:
- Inhale = “I”
- Exhale = “Am”
- Inhale = “Here”
- Exhale = “Now”
Appreciate What You Have
Our situations may not be perfect, but as long as we can breathe and have freedom of choice, nothing is fundamentally wrong with our existence. In this journaling exercise write down the following:
- The physical resources available to you. Notice how abundant your body is and how much it does for you on a daily basis. Take a moment to appreciate all your body is doing for you and say thank you.
- The human resources you have in your life. Family, friends, helpful colleagues at work. Every one of these people is part of your support system – the people who have your back, those you can always call for help, no matter what’s going on. Take a moment to appreciate all the human support you have and say thank you.
Treasure Yourself
In moments of dismay, play an inspirational song, close your eyes, bring your hands to your chest and simply repeat these affirmations:
I AM enough and I HAVE enough
I AM enough and I HAVE enough
I AM enough and I HAVE enough
In this session, give stillness a chance and appreciate simplicity. When you turn the volume down, you start to appreciate the abundance that is already there. See how your perspective changes and your behaviour transforms.
Seek help if you need it
If you think you may be experiencing mental health issues like anxiety or depression, seek licensed help in-person or with a tele-health company that offers online psychiatry evaluation and medication from licensed practitioners.
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Form co-founder Natalia Bojanic is a qualified meditation teacher with wide-ranging training, from Nepalese monasteries to a certification as a Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute Teacher – a programme born at Google and developed by thought leaders in neuroscience, emotional intelligence and mindfulness.
