Opinion: How Does Christmas Affect Your Mental Health?
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What does Christmas do to you? You may wonder what type of a question this is. So take time to think about it. I know Christmas does amazing things to me. I slow down, I enjoy the season, I relax my attitude, I reflect and find many positives, I plan for the coming year, and then I become victim to some of the Christmas rituals (but not too many). How Does Christmas Affect Your Mental Health?
We blame Christmas for our stress, but how about you decide once and for all what you will enjoy.
Have you ever researched the meaning of Christmas? Have you compared it to your culture, your society, your workplace, your values? Are you becoming a victim of the Christmas “cult”? The cult that dictates you must buy presents, you must cook this, you must go here, you must wear that…. Well if this raises your eyebrows, how about you re-think what you would like this festive season to do to you.
How Does Christmas Affect Your Mental Health?
does Christmas:
- make you rush?
- surprise you with moments of panic?
- force you to spend time with those you prefer not to?
- make you spend unnecessary money on gifts?
or does Christmas:
- make you slow down,
- give you permission to take things less seriously,
- make time for friends and family,
- give you an opportunity to offer gifts of kindness?
Challenge Yourself
You oversee how you round up your year.
I will leave you with the power to make your own Christmas to be as best as it can. We know we can’t escape some of the rituals, and the “must do’s” but you can escape what it does to your mind. If you have a commitment that you are not too keen on, let me suggest you accept it as fast as you can. And then move forward from it. If you have somewhere to go for 2 hours, why would you spend 2 days worrying about it or even complaining about it?
You may not have total control over how you spend your time, but you do have some control over how you think about things. What is it that you can change about yourself this season?
Don’t forget there are some individuals who have a very sad Christmas for many reasons e.g. they may be homeless, suffered loss of income, spending Christmas in hospital, have no family, are grieving the loss of a loved one, and many more reasons. Christmas is a time for caring, may you all be safe and aware of your surrounding friends, neighbours and family.
Contributed by: Positive Thinking Clinic
Amanda has worked in the early childhood field for over 20 years.
She is a successful and award winning owner /operator of 4 early learning centres in the St George area.
