With a few weeks left until Christmas, you may start to feel a tad stressed. Presents to buy, food to organise, house to decorate and maybe a whole host of friends and family to entertain!

You may be missing a loved one; perhaps someone close to you is living or working far from home or abroad even. You could in the midst of coping with a loss or bereavement and wondering how on earth you will make it through this, supposedly happy, holiday season. The festive period can make many emotions intensify and whilst you’rein the throes of it all, you may begin to feel you are sinking further and further into oblivion...

First of all, let me tell you, that it is OKAY and that you CAN get through this and remember YOUR mental health is important! You can allow yourself to feel sad, to feelstressed and to feel anxious; because if you suppress these feelings, they may sneak up on you when you least expect it. Validate your feelings; accept them, because these feelings are impermanent, as all feelings and situation are; you can acknowledge them and they will pass.  For example, you can say to yourself  “I realise I’m feeling anxious about seeing the family; but it’s okay, if it gets too much for me, I can have some time out”.

If you feel that the upcoming festive period is really is becoming overwhelming and too much for you, tell someone; talk to your friends, family and loved ones, or your boss and your colleagues if you feel able to. It will lighten the load having support around you and it will also help others to understand what you are going through.

Finally, be careful not take on too many responsibilities, or make promises to others that could overload you completely; such as making 4 kinds of potatoes to suit son, hubby, gran and niece! Take a step back, take a deep breath; if you start to feel overwhelmed, take a break in the garden, and let the fresh, crisp air bounce off your face.

Most importantly, think about this… you are ONE person, you can’t do everything. You will function well by looking after yourself and taking care of your health; your mental health as well as your physical health. 

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