How to slow down for the Christmas
Have you ever found yourself at the end of December, trying to piece together the flurry that was Christmas, wondering how it’s possible for a month to pass by in such a haste and haze?
You’re not alone. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hurried pace, chaos and overwhelm. We find ourselves with a million and one things to do; racing to meet work deadlines before going offline, frantically shopping for gifts in a crowd of people who have also found themselves swept up in the last minute rush, or lost in a calendar bursting with work parties, family engagements and other social commitments.
It can feel nearly impossible to come up for air. Everywhere you go there seems to be an intense energy lingering in the air, or pressure from expectations and endless lists. It can often mean that Christmas passes us by before we even pause to breathe and actually allow ourselves to enjoy it.
So this year, I’m dreaming of a slow Christmas.
Here are my 3 tips on how to be fully present in the moment:
- Create pockets of self care
We often have a tendency to overcommit at Christmas and forget (or push aside) our own desires in the process. We have endless relatives to visit, countless Christmas parties to attend and we feel obliged to say ‘yes’ to every single invitation. Next minute, our social calendar is overflowing and we have something in the diary for every day of December.
So before you find yourself in the same position this year, I just wanted to remind you that in the midst of the seasonal chaos, it’s ok to take a moment for yourself. Giving yourself space is just as important as spending time with others. So, with that said, take this as your invitation to carve out space in your calendar for some much needed time out.
A great way to honour self care, and one of my personal favourites, is Yin. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Yin is a slow-paced style of yoga, incorporating principles of traditional Chinese medicine, with asanas that are held for longer periods of time than in other styles. Emotionally, Yin allows us the time to be still. Deadlines, commitments and to-do lists fade to the background, leaving space for rest and renewal. Yin teaches us how to be gentle, patient, and nonreactive, qualities that we all perhaps need help enhancing during the festive season.
- Recommendation: 40 Mins – Fill Up My Cup + Yin Yoga
- The golden word: no
Christmas is a beautiful time for connection, but doesn’t there sometimes feel like there’s an endless list of people you need to see? Which is why it’s so important to set boundaries around your time. Remember, you have a limited amount of it to go around, so be mindful about the commitments you make. A lot of times we shy away from awkward conversations in fear of offending or letting people down, however this is the golden word to learn – ‘no’. It’s ok to say no, it’s ok to leave early and it’s ok to prioritise your self care over social invitations. Give yourself a free pass and spend this time doing whatever your body needs.
If you find it difficult to say no, this could mean that your throat chakra is off balanced or blocked. Meditation is a powerful tool to help you heal your chakras and allow you to speak your truth, by creating new pathways for clarity, expression and authenticity.
- Recommendation: 15 Min – Throat Chakra Meditation
- Reflecting
This time of year is a perfect time to pause and reflect. It’s these moments that will allow you to be mindful and intentional this Christmas. What are you grateful for? Perhaps it’s your health, love, people in your life or even the present moment. Cultivating gratitude is a circuit breaker and this is something that can be done through meditation.
The beauty of meditation is that it can be practised with just a few minutes to spare in your day, yet the benefits will continue to play out long after. It changes our state of mind which in turn can relieve stress and deepen happiness. One of my favourite meditations within The Self Care Space is focused on cultivating gratitude for the simplest of things in life. During this ritual I guide you to release expectations, tune into your breath, and scan your body sink further into your heart chakra.
- Recommendation: 17 Min – Aura of Gratitude Meditation
I wish you all a merry, and slow, Christmas.
X Phoebe
The Self Care Space is your online wellness hub for you to come and top up your self care. With 300+ on demand videos including yoga flows, pilates classes, yin yoga therapy classes, guided meditations, sound healing, breath work, self care rituals and more, any time you can come to the library, select your choice of self care and pad out some time in your day to look after yourself.
Whether you enjoy a 10 minute grounding mediation in the morning or a full yin class in the evening, the library is your access to your daily emotional wellbeing.
Sign up here to start your self care healing journey today.
