For many people, at the best of times, the festive season is a challenging period.
Societal expectations of family get-togethers, celebrations, joy, and happiness may conflict with the reality of what many of us are going through.
Shared parenting, family dysfunction, being without loved ones due to death or illness, our current physical or emotional health problems all add to the pressure many people silently experience at Christmas time.
So if you are feeling flat, sad, anxious, stressed, angry, ungrounded, or anything other than centered and at ease right now, I offer a warm embrace of acceptance and validation.
I think these Christmas cracks are to be expected!
Remember, we always hurt more when our beliefs about how we should be feeling juxtapose with how we are actually feeling. By judging ourselves and making ourselves wrong for the inner experiences we have, we double the suffering.
Instead, at these times, what we really need is deep self-care.
So I have devised a special Christmas Cracks Deep Self care recipe for nourishing your heart and soul this Festive Season.
Here are the ingredients you will need
- 10 minutes per day dedicated to connecting with yourself.
- 1 x Universal cup full of self-compassion.
- 1x Universal cup full of gentleness.
- 1 x Universal cup full of validating your experience regardless of how you might think you need to be.
- 1 x Universal cup full of inner listening.
- 1 x Universal cup full of settling your attention into the body.
- 1 x Universal cup full of remembering you are not alone.
- 1 x Universal cup full of remembering it is ok to buy less, do less, and be with yourself gently like this.
Method
Add all of the above ingredients into the bowl of your body, heart, and mind. Mix gently for ten minutes with the flow of your breath.
Pour this experience into your whole day and bake in presence until you feel more at ease with yourself as you are.
Sprinkle with any of the following to add some extra flavour and delight.
The sound of birds singing,
Your favourite music
The smell of the ocean.
Your favourite flowers.
Connection with someone who can listen
While cooking, you may find tears arising or other feelings and emotions show up. This is all to be expected and welcomed, just add in some more of the ingredients above and reach out for loving support if you need it
Photo byOlesia BuyaronUnsplash