Christmas looks a little different this year.
With social distancing, fear of family members getting COVID-19, and a departure from our normal lives, it feels like nothing is the same.
Christmas is traditionally a time to come together, to show appreciation for each other, and infuse a little magic into our everyday lives. It all feels so different this year, but we can still make sure to appreciate these important parts of the holidays.
Whether you’re skipping the travel and Zooming in to watch the nieces and nephews open presents this year or safely getting together, Christmas is still a time for immense celebration - even if there’s a little more uncertainty and anxiety than normal.
Even under normal circumstances, the holidays can still be a stressful time.
Planning gifts, family feuds, travel plans, and hosting dinner parties can tip us over the edge at the best of times.
You’re doing the best you can, and you’re killing it - but it’s okay if you need a little extra help this year to get through it all.
Practicing mindfulness can help you get a handle on stress and reduce Christmas anxiety.
It’s so easy to get swept up in it all. You can make the choice to stop - just for a second - and remember where you are.
Another year is almost behind us, and while we know 2020 hasn’t been the best year, try to reflect on how you’ve gotten through it. Think of everything you now know you’re capable of!
Set an intention.
A tried-and-true mindfulness technique is setting an intention. We often do this at the beginning of the new year, but you can take it day-by-day.
Something as simple as writing down your day’s intention will help you get just a second of calm while you try to focus on something good. From one busy, high-anxiety person to another - trust me, it helps.
I usually choose something like “peace,” “focus,” or “acceptance,” but the wonderful thing about setting an intention is that it’s perfectly tailored to you.
Try to help someone else.
As cliche as it might sound, taking time out of every day to uplift others makes you a happier, calmer person in the same way taking time for yourself does.
This technique works in the same way that techniques like meditating or physical exercise do. It takes you outside of your own head for a moment, broadening your perspective. This helps you think critically and not get overwhelmed by all those swirling thoughts, plans and emotions that accompany the holidays.
Set the screen down.
I know, I know - our whole lives are in our phones and laptops. Our planners, our tracking numbers for gifts, our work emails, our plane tickets! Everything.
That’s exactly why it’s so important to look away for a little while each day.
Mindfulness is about being present. Present in your own life, with the people around you.
Take in the joy of a sharp snap in temperature and the change of leaves. It’s hard to think about all the ways you love your families and friends or appreciate the quiet comfort of your home when we’re so, so busy and distracted.
Physical reminders of your choice to practice tranquility can help, too.
Some people have trouble setting intentions for themselves or remembering to look up and breathe. Gemstones with powerful, intertwined intentions and energies can help guide your choice.
Daria Day’s gemstone necklaces, like our This Too Will Pass Calcite Pendant, serve as tangible reminders of our intentions. Like its name implies, this pendant’s Calcite holds energies of new beginnings, perfect for the close of a difficult year.
Being able to look down and see or grasp the powerful stone is that nudge some people need to remember their commitment to mindfulness and inner tranquility.
Whatever you do, we’re in this together.
No matter your chosen technique, reducing anxiety can help us start this upcoming year off right. Our new year’s resolutions might involve less travel or adventure than last year’s, but we can set out to work on our inner selves this year as we prepare for the rest of our lives.
Those anxieties that come from the present circumstances are out of our control, but how we react to them is all up to us.
At Daria Day, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Subscribe to our newsletter to navigate this journey together.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/mindfulness-tricks-to-reduce-anxiety#9.-Leave-your-phone-behind
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