Merry Christmas! And an exciting 2020 …
As we enter December and the Festive Season our thoughts turn to what we have achieved during 2019. It’s healthy to look back and see what we have achieved during the past twelve months, but please don’t dwell on the ‘should haves’. I should have written more, I should have caught up with family more often, I should have connected with my friends more often.
All these should haves are wasted energy. The important thing to note is what prevented you from doing these should haves. Were you studying a new course to better yourself this year? Were you suffering from ill health? Were you asked to work longer than normal hours because your boss is launching a new product? Were you caring for ageing parents? You may have had more immediate issues to direct your energy towards in your close family. These are all legitimate reasons for not being as connected as you would have liked to be.
Don’t beat yourself up! Be patient with and loving to yourself. Sometimes we can spread ourselves too thinly across our responsibilities and leave ourselves suffering from burnout. If you are feeling the effects of burnout, take some time this festive season to pamper yourself. Really take time to say ‘no’, I’m needing time to rest. Take the time to rest with no guilt. We all need to replenish our energy and our creativity so that we can bring the best of ourselves to our loved ones. Being a martyr doesn’t help anyone when you are tired and miserable. It’s so hard to give when our energy reserves are depleted. We can’t fire up when there’s no fuel to burn.
So as 2020 quickly approaches, here are five things to get you ready:
Pace yourself. Everyone is busy trying to get things done before they finish for the festive season. Rest when you are tired.
Stay hydrated. December is the beginning of our summer, and in our busyness we can sometimes forget to stay hydrated. Have a drink bottle with you and sip as often as possible. Ensure it is plain water which is the best.
Take it easy at the work party. Sometimes we are so glad to wind down from work we go all out eating and drinking at the work Christmas party. Don’t indulge too much, especially if you are still getting ready for the family Christmas. It’s great to celebrate with colleagues, but over-indulgence will sap your energy when you need it most.
Enlist the help of family members. Everyone can lend a helping hand. It’s what life is about, helping each other. Even the youngest members of our family can help in some small way. You’ll be surprised how much can get done when everyone pitches in.
Perfection isn’t necessary. What is perfect anyway? Don’t put that pressure on yourself. The placement of the baubles on the tree isn’t going to make or break Christmas, nor is having the house absolutely spotless. If you want to clean inside and outside, do it in the middle of the year. Too late in December. Focus on the relationships and memories that are going to be made this Christmas. Just have the phone/camera ready to snap those special moments.
So dear reader, have the best fun this Christmas, create memories, relax and be ready to hit those goals in 2020. Love and blessings to you all this Festive Season.