Five Ways to Wellbeing during the holiday season
Are you expecting this Christmas to be stressful – either for you or someone you know?
Christmas is supposed to be an uplifting time of year spent with whānau and enjoying good weather. However Christmas can be really challenging for a lot of us.
There is no shame in not enjoying the festive season, whatever your reason might be. If you’re feeling worried about how you might cope with Christmas this year, there are things you can do to support yourself. Help is available should you need it.
More than a quarter of all New Zealanders feel added financial and social stresses during the festive season. The pressure is on some of us to create a magical day for our tamariki and whānau. The Kirihimete period can increase loneliness and hardship for others, with limited access to kai, transport and other services.
Christmas can be stressful – but it doesn’t have to be
Here are some ways to deal with stress for you, whānau and others around you…
- Think about what you’d like your experience of the Christmas season to be – a time to relax? A time for tradition? A time to connect with people?
- Try to plan things that you know will help uplift your wellbeing. You might find some local walks you want to complete, a community meal you want to go along to, or start your own festive tradition.
- Remember that family can be what you choose, especially if you’re disconnected from the family you grew up with. You might prioritise spending time with friends, neighbours, or people in your community who you feel connected with over Christmas.
- Try to let yourself feel your feelings. You can recognise and experience your feelings without being totally absorbed by them. It might help to keep a mood diary so that you can understand what helped or what was hard during the Christmas season. Remember that Christmas will end, and so will these feelings.
- Share how you’re feeling with someone you trust. It can help you to feel less alone if you tell someone what’s been going on for you. This could be a friend, family member, or mental health professional.
- Plan things to look forward to after the Christmas season is over. It can feel uplifting to celebrate the hard work you have put in to look after yourself during a challenging time.
- Keep up a good wellbeing routine.
Call or text 1737 if you ever feel Christmas pressure is affecting your or someone else’s mental health. You don’t need to keep it to yourself – their trained counsellors are always on hand to help.
- Get more advice from the Mental Health Foundation on looking after yourself during the festive season, such as if you are feeling lonely, or facing grief or money stress.
- Watch a video from Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink on doing the simple things to bring you joy over the holidays (Facebook).
Five Ways to Wellbeing: Simple things we can do to feel great
Connect (me whakawhanaunga)
Spend time really connecting with your whanāu each day. If you haven’t seen them in a while, stop and ask them how their year has been, how they’ve handled things etc.
- Make some time in your day to connect with nature – stretch your legs outside or bring the outside in.
- Go barefoot and feel the grass or sand between your toes.
- Go for a swim in the sun.
- Find a photo of the natural world and make it your screen saver, or adopt a potted plant.
- Reach out to people you know – Skype them, call or Facebook them, or meet face to face.
- Take some time to read the local newspaper or newsletter to see what’s going on in your area, such as an organised group outing, musical or cultural performance or community Christmas event.
- Take friends or whānau to look at Christmas lights.
- Spend quality time with whānau doing things you all enjoy.
- Head along to listen to Christmas carols.
Give (tukua)
Giving is huge at Christmas time but it’s also expensive. One way to shake off the financial stress is by getting creative with the holiday spirit. You could also focus on giving kindness, your time, or your presence – it’s a present in itself!
- Give a smile to a stranger or a compliment to someone.
- Give the gift of time by offering to help with someone’s garden or babysit.
- Do some Christmas arts and crafts. Make a gift from natural materials. Bake seasonal treats to give away as presents, create decorations or reduce your card costs! Crafts are a great way to get tamariki involved in the festive spirit.
- Donate some old toys, books or clothes to someone who might need some kindness.
- Visit people or whānau in your community who may be a little lonely over the festive season. Rest homes and animal shelters value companionship and Christmas cheer. Random acts of kindness also do the trick!
Take notice (me aro tonu)
Every day seems to get busier and the spirit of the season can get lost in the hassle and bustle of each day. Pay attention to the special moments throughout your break or nice interactions at work. Practise mindfulness and savour the good moments.
Another good antidote is to take some time to learn more about what your body is telling you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted – pause, breathe in, breathe out. You could also:
- Take notice of the pohutukawa flowers changing, or the night sky.
- Go somewhere you’ve always been meaning to visit in your local area.
- Find out other ways to be mindful (Mental Health Foundation).
Keep learning (me ako tonu)
Seek out new experiences or try something new this festive season – as learning is good for the brain!
- Read up on what fruit and veggies are in season, or learn about what natural resources you have in your backyard.
- Download this handy backyard treasure hunt chart and see what you can find.
- You really can learn something new each day – share or learn stories with your family, go on a bush walk, learn about the natural environment from your tablet or local library, or take a trip to a zoo or the botanical gardens.
- Make a new year’s resolution to learn a new language.
Be active (me kori tonu)
Getting outside and exercising is good for your overall health and wellbeing, It is especially important while we’re indulging in so much delicious food!
- Have a lunch break outside.
- Design a treasure hunt for your friends and family.
- Get the whanāu out and play some games at the beach or on the lawn.
- Go for a run or walk – on your own, with a friend or your whānau.
- Take the dog for a walk.
There are ways to bring activity into all you do – by using the stairs instead of the elevator, getting off the bus one stop earlier, or catching up with a friend for a walk instead of a coffee.
Adapted from: Mental Health Foundation website.
Published on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021, under Uncategorised