Have a stress free break and Just Say No

At some point this Christmas holiday it is likely that you will feel one of the following – Relaxed, stressed, happy, sad, loved, unloved, anxious or joyous.

Christmas can be a rollercoaster of emotion. The combination of long periods of time with the extended family, prolonged drinking, and high expectations around meals and gifts can be lethal.

So, according to Eleri Monteviro, a psychologist at Santa Monica University, the secret to having a stress free Christmas is:

‘Just Say No’

She says we overload ourselves with inherited traditions that we feel obliged to do, but no longer fit into our busy lives or match our values.

The spirit of Christmas is gratitude and giving, and its very satisfying to give to those we love and care about. However, Monteviro says ‘the conflict arises when we continually agree to things that please everyone but ourselves or when we commit to tasks we have no time or desire.”

And if you say ‘yes’, to every invitation and request that comes your way, you may end up exhausted and probably broke!

So to conclude here are my 5 top tips for A Chillaxing Christmas:

1. Prioritise what is most important

2. Ask for help and share tasks

3. Be generous but wise with your time and money

4. Smile, its contagious

5. Love and be loved

Thank you to all those who I have worked with and coached this year – it has been a huge pleasure. Please keep in touch.

Have a Relaxing, Happy, Loving, and Joyous Christmas Break and Happy New Year

Emma

And finally something from Aung San Suu Kyi – to send us into 2017