Now I don't know normally say things that sounds this outrageous. But there are sound reasons why? If you are interested in how - take a look at the video. Let us know what you think.. Gift giving is a big part of Christmas. But what gift would you choose for yourself? As part of the 12 gifts of Christmas series, I asked someone what gift they wanted to give themselves, they said gratitude sounded boring. So what would you give yourself? They didn’t hesitate – self-confidence. So that is today’s gift we give to you. The gift of believing in yourself and allowing yourself to do what is important to you. Christmas can be a huge time of self-doubt and events that seem to conspire to delete our self-confidence. Personally when I see people go out to fun work events, or doing wonderful things with their family I can hear this nagging voice that says “see that, why aren’t you doing that? Why don’t you have the ability to make things that like that happen”. Maybe you are lacking the confidence to have the Christmas you want to have, instead of the one that is expected from you. ![]() At Christmas a lot of old hurts can show up. You may be catching up with people who have hurt you in the past, and whilst you have been able to practice avoiding them throughout the year, all of a sudden that is no longer possible. And then amongst other expectations at Christmas is that you ‘play nice’ on the day. Or you may be faced with reminders of fractured relationships with people who are living, but are no longer in your life. These reminders can stir up feelings of anger, blame or other negative emotions. For example ex-partners, old friends, estranged children, the list can be long. The commonality is dwelling on things that might have been, that shouldn't have been, the unfairness, the hurt. Or let's face it, you might be cross with your children, your siblings, your parents for things that have happened over the years. Hurts are not always huge, little hurts add up. And they can easily detract from creating a calm Christmas. Forgiveness is an ongoing process of letting go of the hurts and the disappointments that come with human imperfection. Are you a perfectionist?
Are thoughts about Christmas decorations hijacking your enjoyment of the Christmas season? Christmas is the season of expectation. And if things need to be 'just right' this can lead to significant stress. How do you feel about your Christmas decorations? Do you suffer from tree envy? Do you judge your decorations as not being coordinated or new? Or perhaps you love the hand made decorations and are proud of them. Do you think maybe you should 'do' Christmas lights, or get new Christmas lights? Maybe your tree needs updating? Is decorating a source of stress or enjoyment? Have a look at the Christmas tree image below. How do you feel? Inspired, deflated, amazed, jealous? |
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Disclaimer* These articles are provided by Kim Ross, Psychologist for general information and education . They are not designed to be used for therapy.. If you are experiencing stress please contact your GP or mental health professional.
AuthorKim Ross is an Online Psychologist and Founder of Positive Young Minds and Private Practice Sustainability. Archives
October 2023
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