Janine Langdon-Lee
  • Home
  • Work With Me
  • Books
  • Blog
  • Connect

Self-Care Over The Festive Season

/ Self Care

I am a Christmas person and love it. I see it as a time to relax and enjoy some downtime. Its summer and the weather usually is pretty good and daylight savings there is so much to love about Christmas and the summer break. However, not everyone feels that way for some people this time of year can be stressful and can bring up several issues.

What can you let go of?

Seven years ago I wanted to forget about Christmas altogether as it was the first Christmas without dad and only two months since he had passed away.  To get through that Christmas, I practised some self-care and made some decisions about what I wanted Christmas to be that year. For the first time in years, I didn’t put up a tree, and we didn’t send out Christmas cards. Just taking those two things off my list helped me deal with the expectations of Christmas. The lead up to the day was made a lot less stressful by making these decisions.

We still had a lovely Christmas meal and carried on with our traditions of lunch out and a stay in a hotel. I can now that after a few years the Christmas joy has returned. Sometimes you will find some years are harder than others and some years easier.

Christmas tree made of leaves and berries

Xmas Stress

Over the years I have had numerous chats with colleagues and family and friends leading up to Xmas and asked what one stressor they had was? The top three common themes were 1. Relationships, who was coming for Xmas, who to invite and not to invite, who was traveling to who this year. 2. Budget, how many are coming for lunch? Can I afford to buy presents this year? 3. Invitations, to end of year events and prize giving shared meals, which all require money and some classes are now doing Secret Santa’s. Then there are the invitations for the numerous work functions for your partner and yourself.

If you are feeling exhausted just reading this, then I don’t blame you I was too, and I am not a mum. However, as a woman, I can relate to a lot of the issues I have described and experienced them in some shape and form over the last ten years.

How to Practice Self-Care over Xmas

Where the heck you can find the time for self-care when you are too busy working out how to make time for these end of year events? You may even think I am delusional for even suggesting that you find some time for self-care!  What I know for sure is that if you don’t see time now, then you are going to be stressed out or even burn out and unhappy by the time December 25 rolls around. However there is a solution to enjoy the build-up to the Xmas and summer break, and it doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom.

Remember what is important

Sometimes we get carried away by the festive build up and find ourselves competing for the perfect Christmas.  At the end of the day remember what is essential, not all the details of how perfect things have to be.

It’s hard feeling like you have to be in a number of places on Christmas day. Have a discussion with the family about what you will be doing leading up to and during the festive season. Keep it simple – let go of what you think the festive season should be about and enjoy it for what it is. Remember less is more.

Present or gift decorated rose flowers. Holiday concept. Flat lay.

Reschedule – it doesn’t all have to be done before Christmas

Look realistically at what you can achieve between now and the end of the year. Don’t buy into the messages that you have to get everything tidied up before Christmas! We can burn out or end up sick if we try and get everything done before the Christmas break. Reschedule pre-Christmas catch up with friends and family to January when everyone has more time and is relaxed.

Commit to less – do less

The fewer commitments you make, the simpler and more enjoyable the holidays will be. Overextending yourself leads to more stress for you and those around you when you take your frustration out on them.

Identify what you want to do less of over the festive season. Maybe it’s only attending one end of year function, or perhaps you decide instead of sending 10 Christmas cards instead of the regular 50. Or buying a dish to take to an end of year gathering rather than spending a few hours slaving away in the kitchen. Save your energy for the things that are important to you.

Take time out for yourself

While rushing around during the holidays, we often put ourselves last and end up feeling either resentful or like we need a holiday. This year, when you find yourself feeling any of these emotions stop and be kind to yourself. Even if you stop for 15 minutes, this break will help you ground yourself and focus on what is essential.

You need to conserve some energy for the things that bring you joy, and if you are making regular time for yourself, you have more energy and time to do things for others without resentment.

haute-chocolate-styled-stock-photography-holiday-wrapping-baking-party-4-final

Budget

Juggling expectations and budgets over the festive season can make or break even the hardiest of souls. Whether it’s how you are going to shop and cook for 18 people on Christmas day or what to buy for your extended family members. The festive season shouldn’t be about getting into debt for the sake of keeping up appearances.

You can prepare for cooking for 18 people by assigning families a portion of the meal to cook and to bring along on the day. Or maybe each family puts $5 to $10 away a week from Feb to November. Or around October start adding a few extra items into your weekly shop that will last and pop away in a safe place until you need them.

If you are expected to buy presents for extended family members, and you find your budget a bit tight then have a chat with other family members. Maybe this year instead of buying from every niece and nephew, you buy a family present or donate money to a charity on their behalf. Perhaps the cousins choose one child to buy for rather than buying a gift for everyone.  Re-read tip one if you are feeling uncomfortable talking to family members about expectations this year.

Continue healthy habits

The festive season brings tempting treats, and we soon find ourselves negotiating with our inner voice that because it’s Xmas, we can eat what we want.  Don’t throw away all your hard work during the year.

Before holiday parties have a healthy snack; don’t arrive on an empty stomach. Try to select small portions, choose wisely and eat slowly. Continue to get plenty of sleep and don’t forget to exercise.

Do you have a tip for keeping your sanity over the festive season?

haute-chocolate-styled-stock-photography-holiday-wrapping-baking-party-10-final

Filed Under: Self Care

Pin Share Share

Whether last year was the ultimate stressful situa Whether last year was the ultimate stressful situation or you have painful memories of past Christmas seasons, this exercise will help put this years Christmas into perspective. ⁠
⁠
Take some time to think about the top 5 outcomes you want for this years Christmas season. They could be things like: more family time, less running around and more relaxation, see Christmas lights, don't do neighbours gifts, have people bring a plate to share for your Christmas Day meal, etc etc.⁠
⁠
Now that you have time to think and process your top 5 outcomes take some time to write your list down. When you write down what you want they are more likely to happen. ⁠
⁠
Check out the comments for one of my outcomes....I would love to read what one of yours is?⁠
⁠
#makingalist #magicofchristmas #magicaltimeofyear #present⁠
#holidays #festiveseason #lessstress #coach #wellingtonnz⁠
#mindfulliving #metime #calm #takecareofyourself #quietthemind #reducestresslevels #quietyourmind
🌳There are seasons in your life in the same way 🌳There are seasons in your life in the same way as there are seasons in nature. ⁠
⁠
There are times to cultivate and create, when you nurture your world and give birth to new ideas and ventures. ⁠
⁠
There are times of flourishing and abundance, when life feels in full bloom, energized and expanding. ⁠
⁠
And there are times of fruition, when things come to an end. They have reached their climax and must be harvested before they begin to fade. ⁠
⁠
And finally, of course, there are times that are cold and cutting and empty, times when the spring of new beginnings seems like a distant dream. ⁠
⁠
Those rhythms in life are natural events. They weave into one another as day follows night, bringing, not messages of hope and fear, but messages of how things are.⁠
⁠
― Chögyam Trungpa⁠
⁠
I do love how like nature we can ebb and flow in our own rhythms & sometimes our seasons of life don't quite match the physical season. ⁠
⁠
I am in the cultivating and creation stage and looking forward to sharing new ideas and ventures with you.⁠
⁠
❇️What season are you in?⁠👇
THE BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT. ⁠ ⁠ Thanks to @dan THE BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT. ⁠
⁠
Thanks to @dan.thehuman, a few years ago he shared some top advice – that completely changed my life. ⁠The advice?⁠
⁠
Movement is Medicine!⁠
⁠
When I first began to exercise with my mindset at that time was crap, I had limited mobility and was morbidly obese.  I saw exercise as a quick fix, for me to do until I felt better. ⁠
⁠
His advice helped me transform from a couch potato who saw exercise as punishment to a woman who loves to move her body 5 to 6 days a week – one step at a time! No quick fixes.⁠
⁠
🤸‍♀️Movement boosts your mindset and energy levels and more importantly allows you to feel connected to your body and can help you determine where your energy and time should be spent. ⁠
⁠
💕When you choose movement that:⁠
• supports your body and is sustainable you’re investing in your future health and self. ⁠
• you love rather than endure you make time for it in your life and this creates consistency.⁠
⁠
🐢Remember,⁠
⁠
•Movement is not a short-term fix; it’s a lifelong habit!⁠
•It’s your journey – don’t compare your progress to anyone else’s and take your time⁠
•Small steps applied consistently over time yields results⁠.⁠
⁠
⁠
Who's someone in your life who gives great advice? Tag them in a comment below!
🌻Everyone grows & develops at a different rate. 🌻Everyone grows & develops at a different rate. 

Give yourself permission to grow. 

Give yourself permission to grow beyond people around you. 
You may outgrow some people all together or in a certain capacity.

Don't allow people that refuse to grow hold you back. 

Save this post as a reminder.
.

.

.

.

.

#raiseyourfrequency #surrendertotheflow #mindsetmentor #quotesofthedays #liveauthentically #instagramquotes #instaquotedaily #thegoodquotes #womenover40 #femaleslifecoaching #inspiringquotesandsayings #Friday #quoteofinstagram #wholeheartedliving #quotestolivebyforever #mindsetwork #quotesforwomen
Do you believe that reaching out to someone, e.g. Do you believe that reaching out to someone, e.g. a coach somehow indicates that you aren’t enough? That it somehow means you’re incapable and not smart enough, strong enough or good enough? ⁠
⁠
-Well let me assure you, the people who come to coaching are all of those things, extremely capable, smart, strong and a whole lot more.⁠
⁠
-They choose coaching because they are ready to accelerate their personal or professional lives and working with a coach helps them to achieve their goals faster, easier and with better results than they could on their own. ⁠
⁠
-If  coaching doesn't feel like the right time, for you there are 3 (free) ways you can learn from me: ⁠👇⁠
⁠
1. Sign up for my newsletter.⁠
2. Join my Facebook community.⁠
3. Check out my blog posts. ⁠
⁠.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#consciouslifecoaching #changinglives #trainyourbrain #femaleslifecoaching #reframe #selfbeliefcoaching #empowermentquotes #reset #simplethingsinlife #lifecoachingnz #onelifeliveit #confidencequotes #observe #womenover40 #standupforyourself
🤸‍♀️Act Your Age! How often do we hear th 🤸‍♀️Act Your Age! How often do we hear this phrase – facetiously or not? 

When someone says this to me and (trust me I have heard this a few times in my life) as an adult!

🤸‍♀️I remind myself that:
-Each of us experience aging in a different way.
-Age isn’t something to be acted, but experienced. 
-Expressing our inner joy is fulfilling!
-Having a little fun in life doesn’t mean we let go of our responsibilities of being an adult. 

What are your thoughts on this phrase?

.

.

.

.

.

#divineplay #laughwithafriend #allabouttheplay #remembering #playfulattitude #playinspirations #introspective #connectedness #powerofplay #playislearning #pretendplay #playingislearning #detachment #abundanceandjoy #playfulmindset
Connect on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

© 2019 Janine Langdon-Lee | Website by Form & Flourish

×