Christmas can be a busy time of year for many of us. We may find ourselves putting our own needs last. When January hits and the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year is over we need to make sure we are getting plenty of fulfilment and self-care in to avoid those ‘January blues’ creeping in, creating a dip in our energy levels. Even as a trained solution focussed hypnotherapist I still need to put in place some measures to ensure that I am kind to myself.
If you put some work in now, and start building in some ways to be kind to yourself, then you can look upon January as a time for self-care and love with more ease.
Here are 5 ways to be kind to yourself as you head into 2022.
Be your own friend
When you feel yourself starting to tip over the edge, feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed think about what you would tell a friend to do in that situation. It’s always a great reality check for me.
We are kind to our friends.
When they are down or need a shoulder, we are there for them. We tell them that they don’t have to do ALL the things.
We help lighten the load by reassuring them that it’s okay to take time out for themselves. Next time you feel yourself getting to that point – remember to be your own friend.
Make time for yourself
We know it, we get told it over and over again, but we still find it hard! So let this one sink in.
You need to make time for yourself.
And we’re talking about those little moments here. I get it. I’ve got kids, family, work and a life. Finding time is hard. But it’s the little moments that add up.
A 30 minute bath or long shower. Half an hour earlier to bed to read a book in peace. A 30 minute walk listening to an audio book. Or a run in nature.
Carving out those small bits of time here and there instead of racing through life, will give your brain time to stop, relax, and process. Your cortisol levels will start to drop and give you those little rest breaks you need.
Acknowledge the good
Something I ask all of my hypnotherapy clients. What’s been good?
I guarantee there are three things that you can say have been good about every single day.
The best time of day to do this is at the end of the day before you go to bed. You start to put your brain into a more positive place. You can make it a daily habit. Just keep a little journal next to your bed, and before you turn the lights off write down three things from that day that have been good. It could be that you enjoyed reading a book with your child, you went for a swim, or you had a lovely call with a friend.
Celebrate the wins
Closely related to number three but this is more about what you’ve accomplished. We often go through life accomplishing things and then 12 months later we feel we’ve not made a lot of progress – when actually we’ve made loads!
So any time you have a win you need to celebrate it. You might treat yourself. You might openly share the news with someone. Just make sure it gets acknowledged. Wins could be; you managed to go to bed on time or you got a new client at work. Maybe your child went to school with a smile on their face. The smallest of wins for one person can be a huge wins for someone else.
Celebrate those wins.
Perfect doesn’t exist
Ohhh it really doesn’t. Yet we can quite literally make ourselves ill trying to achieve perfectionism.
Want to make the perfect sausage rolls for Christmas but running out of time? Buy them or don’t worry about them.
Run out of wrapping paper and no time to go to the shops? Use magazine pages/newspaper/tissue paper or even clothes!
Being imperfect is what makes us human. Being imperfect is fun and liberating. Instead of being perfect, choose to be resourceful. Do what you can, with what you’ve got. The fact that you are trying and that you care is far more important than anything else.
I hope these have given you some great tools to help you over the festive period and perhaps some habits that you can continue to grow in the new year.
If you would like to talk, or find out more about solution focussed hypnotherapy then please do feel free to book a consultation with me. Initial consultations for solution focussed hypnotherapy are free and we can do them over zoom so you can do them from the comfort of your own home. My hypnotherapy practice is located in Bourne, Lincolnshire, so covid allowing you can also see me face to face. Just email me info@hummingbirdhypnotherapy.co.uk
In the meantime treat yourself to my free guided relaxation to use anytime here:
www.hummingbirdhypnotherapy.co.uk/guidedrelaxation