Have you ever stopped to consider why many of us call such an auspicious time of year the ‘Silly Season’? Ask Steffen Messerschmidt from UniMed Brisbane and he will offer you a list as long as your arm illustrating the craziness of what we put ourselves through in the name of ‘celebrating’ this time of year.
From the stress and strain of:
To the:
The end result is all too commonly… exhausted, emotionally wrecked, stressed, over-eaten, hung-over… all in the name of celebration and festivity.
From the stress and strain of:
- Shopping amongst the hoards
- Days of planning and preparation of food that is consumed in a few short hours
- Christmas parties, end of year wind-ups – which usually means more alcohol and less sleep
- Finding the perfect gift for loved ones
- Finding ourselves alone and lonely when ‘everyone else has someone’
- Feeling obliged to spend time with family members we otherwise avoid
- Managing finances during this often expensive time
To the:
- Over indulgence in unhealthy foods we otherwise avoid
- Over consumption of alcohol
- Emotional upheavals and alcohol-fuelled eruptions
- Unmet expectations we and others hold for the day
- Exhaustion of making sure all runs smoothly and is ‘perfect’
The end result is all too commonly… exhausted, emotionally wrecked, stressed, over-eaten, hung-over… all in the name of celebration and festivity.
So does it need to be like this?
What does it take for Christmas to be something meaningful, celebratory and at the same time invigorating, inspiring, unifying and uplifting? Isn’t this what we all want to make Christmas for ourselves and our loved ones?
Is it even possible to make a day feel this way without our bodies, our wallets and our emotional well-being taking a battering in the process?
The answer is YES and to have some hope of making it so, we have taken our cue from Behavioural Specialist Tanya Curtis.
As a starting point it goes something like this…
There is nothing a fancy gift, a helping of plum pudding or a perfectly prepared home can camouflage if we have not put the effort into ensuring the quality of relationships we have with those around us throughout the year.
These simple shifts take an enormous pressure off Christmas day delivering ANYTHING, because we have already done what is required in the loving commitment to those relationships all year long.
Christmas day simply CELEBRATES the fact.
What does it take for Christmas to be something meaningful, celebratory and at the same time invigorating, inspiring, unifying and uplifting? Isn’t this what we all want to make Christmas for ourselves and our loved ones?
Is it even possible to make a day feel this way without our bodies, our wallets and our emotional well-being taking a battering in the process?
The answer is YES and to have some hope of making it so, we have taken our cue from Behavioural Specialist Tanya Curtis.
As a starting point it goes something like this…
- Let go of the expectations of those around us and the pictures we hold for what the day ought to deliver
- Embrace each moment as a learning opportunity
- Restore ourselves with the true meaning of Christmas: being with people, with family, celebrating those we love
- Use the day to appreciate the love and quality of relationship we have already enjoyed with our loved ones all year
There is nothing a fancy gift, a helping of plum pudding or a perfectly prepared home can camouflage if we have not put the effort into ensuring the quality of relationships we have with those around us throughout the year.
These simple shifts take an enormous pressure off Christmas day delivering ANYTHING, because we have already done what is required in the loving commitment to those relationships all year long.
Christmas day simply CELEBRATES the fact.
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