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Finding Calm Amid the Christmas Chaos
Christmas often feels more stressful than we anticipate.
The endless to-do lists—shopping, attending events, organising gatherings, and preparing meals—can quickly become overwhelming. Amid all this activity, it’s easy to feel like there’s never enough time to pause and catch your breath.
The pressure to make everything perfect, from finding the right gifts to creating memorable moments, can take its toll. Add in the hustle and bustle of crowded stores, packed schedules, and the expectation to stay cheerful throughout, and the season can start to feel more like a burden than a celebration.
Self-hypnosis can be a powerful tool to help you unwind. By tapping into your subconscious mind, you can imagine yourself lying on a warm tropical beach, allowing you to escape the cold—even if just for a moment.
Practicing self-hypnosis can be surprisingly simple. Start by relaxing all the muscles in your face. Focus first on your forehead and the area between your eyes. Once these muscles are relaxed, move on to the muscles around your nose, mouth, and cheeks. Gradually, let your face become completely expressionless. Then, take a deep breath and feel the relaxation flow through your entire body. With practice, this process can become second nature.
Amid the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, take just five minutes for yourself to do this exercise. You’ll be amazed at how refreshed you’ll feel. And if you can visualise that tropical beach while you’re at it, consider it a bonus!
Above all, I hope everyone finds joy this Christmas and stays healthy, avoiding the colds and flu that are circulating. Turn on the radio and sing along to those classic Christmas tunes—no matter how cheesy they may seem.
When we look back on past Christmases, it’s not the price of the gifts under the tree that we cherish but the love and memories shared with those around us.
Treat yourself this Christmas
Christmas this year seems to be suffering with a greater burden of stress than ever before. Not only are we juggling the usual round of shopping, carol services, nativity plays etc there is the added strain of rising prices and fuel costs.
The news and social media are full of doom and gloom, the cost of heating our homes is rising and the weather is colder than it has been for a long time.
This year self care is more important than ever before. Self hypnosis can help you relax and perhaps if you can use your subconscious mind to imagine your lying on a tropical beach you can forget the cold for a short time.
Self hypnosis can be as easy as relaxing all the muscles in your face, starting with muscles in your forehead and between your eyes. Relaxing the muscles in your face helps your body to relax quickly and easily, after the forehead try relaxing the muscles around your nose and mouth, then your cheeks. Once you have relaxed your face so completely that it is expressionless, take a deep breath and allow the relaxation to flow through your body. With practice it can be as easy as that.
In between all the rush and clammer of Christmas take five minutes to do this and you will be amazed at how refreshed you feel. If when you are relaxed you can conjure up that tropical beach in your mind that is a bonus.
I hope everyone is able to enjoy a good Christmas and avoid the flu and colds that are going around. Turn on the radio and belt out those Christmas songs however old fashioned and corny they are. When we think of Christmas past it’s not the value of the presents under the tree but the love that comes from the people who share Christmas with us.
I have worked as a hypnotherapist in Leatherhead and London and I also teach hypnotherapy and train new hypnotherapists. I offer a full range of services including anxiety coping mechanisms, stress relief, weight loss, stop smoking and treatment for phobias online. Please get in touch to find out more.
Making Christmas Memories
Everyone is fearful of another lockdown at Christmas, another year in which we can’t see family and friends. There may be some empty seats at the dinner table this year and more than the usual number of toasts to absent friends.
It is more important than ever before that we take time to sit back and relax this year and to enjoy being reunited with our family. Many people spent last Christmas alone, only speaking to loved ones on the phone or via zoom.
In 2021 it is important that we don’t get overwhelmed by the desire to make a perfect Christmas. Christmas isn’t about the perfectly wrapped present or the beautiful table centre. Christmas is about making memories and having fun.
Whoever is doing the cooking you make sure they don’t miss out by being in the kitchen all morning. If the pigs in blankets are from the supermarket and not home-made does it really matter? (And if someone says these are the best you have ever made, smile and keep your secret).
If you are feeling overwhelmed don’t mutter to yourself in the kitchen, ask for help. Plan your day in advance thinking who will be present and allocate tasks like laying the table or peeling the potatoes. Don’t ask or wait for them to offer, explain what needs to be done. They might not realise you’re overwhelmed.
Christmas is for having fun not being a martyr. So what if the custard is lumpy – it can become part of Christmas folklore. The best Christmas memories are made up of conversations that go “remember the Christmas when…”.
If you need a break – five minutes alone away from the noise and the chatter -then take it even if it means locking yourself in the bathroom for a while.
Christmas is all about friends, family and the festivities, but self care is still important. This doesn’t have to mean another glass of sherry or too much wine, it can mean a much needed cup of tea and peace and quiet. If the weather permits, five minutes outside in the fresh air can restore tattered nerves.
We don’t have to try even harder to make up for last year. Enjoying this year is what is important.
Whatever your plans are for Christmas I hope this year they go ahead for all of us and that you have a Very Merry Christmas!
I have worked as a hypnotherapist in Leatherhead and London and I also teach hypnotherapy and train new hypnotherapists. I offer a full range of services including anxiety coping mechanisms, stress relief, weight loss, stop smoking and treatment for phobias online via Zoom. Please get in touch to find out more.