When did we become so busy we forgot to
enjoy Christmas?
Everybody is busy. Especially the working
parents of the world. I think most of us are only just managing to stay afloat.
Am I right?
Take a moment to breathe and practice gratitude |
2017 has been one of those years where all
we have heard is how busy everyone is. It’s one of the most overused words and
it almost becomes a bit of a competition to see who is the busiest.
The year has absolutely flown by and I feel
like I really haven’t had a chance to stop and enjoy the precious moments,
despite making a conscious effort to do so.
However, over the last few weeks, I have
really noticed the stress and overwhelm in people’s faces.
And I can relate.
This is the time of year when we have
school finishing, break up parties (please bring a plate of savory/sweet/healthy/enough
for two kids), swimming carnivals, choir performances, band performances, talent
shows, ballet concerts, music concerts, awards nights, report cards, gym
parties (#sorrynotsorry), work parties, family gatherings, visitors arriving,
tired kids, the daunting arrival of school holidays and what to do with the
kids, heat kicking in, financial pressure due to the expense of Christmas, the
list is endless, I could go on all night.
When you pull off a costume at the last minute! |
I really can relate to this. I have had so
many moments where I can feel my heart rate increasing and the feeling of panic
when you realise they need a costume for a Christmas concert and you have ten
minutes to spare and the kid is already at school (this actually happened), or
you realise you literally have not left a spare hour for Christmas Shopping, or
that you don’t have a single day off (including Sundays), before Christmas.
All based on actual events.
Oh and then you remember you have taken on
an extra massive project that has a deadline.
But what if the dialogue you keep telling
yourself at this time of year is actually making it worse than it needs to be.
Here are two facts I need you to wrap your
head around.
1.
We all have exactly the same
amount of time available to us
2.
You are not the only human who
is overwhelmed right now
There are a few dialogues I am hearing on
repeat at the moment, (and I’m talking EVERY person I speak to) that I don’t
believe are serving us currently.
1. ‘I just need this week to be
over’ – PLEASE don’t wish for time to move by any faster than it already is.
Every single hour and day that is available to you is so incredibly precious.
Be grateful for the time you have, the extra days you get with your family, the
beautiful weather, the gorgeous long summer days and the smell of Christmas in
the air. When you feel yourself wishing for time to pass or the week to be
over, try this: Stop. Breathe and practice gratitude for the time you have been
gifted.
2.
‘I have too many
parties/events/functions to train properly, take care of myself or eat well’ –
Every single person can manage three x 30-45 minute sessions per week, even
when you are at your busiest. Not only can you manage it, but it is ESSENTIAL.
Exercise is the best stress relief medication. Take care of yourself, book it
in like an appointment and get your butt there. Try it for one week, I can
guarantee your heart rate will slow down a little, your breathing will calm
down and you will sleep better. Yes, you can.
3.
‘I hate this time of year’ –
seriously? This is the time when we come together with family and celebrate
another beautiful year together. It’s that time of year when we are meant to
inject some magic into our children’s lives. How do you think they feel when
they hear us saying this about their most magical time of year? You may not
openly say it in front of them, but I can guarantee they are painfully aware of
how you are feeling. Bring back the joy and magic and I can guarantee you will
feel more joyful. Try it, joy is contagious!
4.
I’m just going to drink my way
through December, it’s the only way I will survive it’ – OR you could exercise
your way through this season and reserve the alcohol for special days. Again –
what message are we sending our children if they see us ‘drinking our way
through the festive season’? We take the magic of Christmas away fro m them and
all they will remember are stressed, drunk parents.
5.
And finally….my absolute
favourite, ‘You have no idea what it feels like to have this much on’. I’m not
going to compete with you, because I’m not going to allow that dialogue to
enter my being and affect my experience of Christmas this year, but I can
promise you this, I am practicing mindfulness daily, I am thinking about the
things I am grateful for at every opportunity and I am considering my
children’s experience of Christmas every time I feel the heart rate increase or
the feeling of overwhelm start to wash over me.
Treasure the special moments They pass by so quickly |
So this takes me back to my original
question, when did we become so busy we forgot to enjoy Christmas?
Take a moment to sit back and enjoy this
festive season.
Let’s support each other as working
parents, rather than compete with each other and allow the stress to take over.
Let’s be grateful for the fact that we live
in a time where we can celebrate Christmas so freely and comfortably and
finally, catch yourself out when you feel yourself slipping into the dialogue
that is not allowing you to enjoy your final few weeks of 2017. Take a breath
and remind yourself how truly lucky you are.
Time is fleeting - treasure it, hold your children close,
teach them healthy habits and traditions around Christmas and have a happy and
safe Christmas together.
Gardening focus on supplying a superior quality assistance to have a reasonably priced price. We have received many landscaping honors in accordance with the good quality of work we continuously provide to our buyers. When you make use of Yellow sand & Stone Countryside, you happen to be using one of several leaders in the landscape designs industry
ReplyDeleteWe enjoy the fact we're not alone through such voids of darkness. Indeed, we're encouraged more and more to converse with God, and the more we do that the more content God makes us in our inner beings.koktale
ReplyDeleteI really can relate to this. I've had several times where I can feel my heart rate increase and feeling of panic when you find out they need a skirt for a Christmas concert and have ten minutes to spare and the little one is home book. We have to talk about christmas gift ideas site now. (This actually happened), or you know for sure that you literally didn't leave an hour for the Christmas Market, or that you didn't have a day off (including Sundays), before Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWhile some of the students like to write essay because this is the subject where they get to learn about their culture, tradition and past events, some students also hate it. Hire top online essay writer in Australia now. You choose a topic and convey us the essay requirements through the order form by asking do my essay for me and our essay experts do the rest for you.
ReplyDeleteIn the tertiary level, the students are required to write history essays on different topics as a part of their curriculum. essay writing help on history is never easy to express, argue or explain a historical event in an essay.
Christmas Offer
ReplyDeleteWe are ready to assist you, which is why we encourage you to seek out a help me with essay writing cheap whenever you have a lot of work on your plate. We're here to help you finish all of your assignments, projects, and papers so you can better understand and trust us. Our writers have a wealth of knowledge that will enable them to do the job you provide in a matter of minutes, allowing you to focus on other things rather than your schoolwork and difficult assignments. Take a chance with us since we're here to assist you get out of this problem.
I think the Covid-19 has left this impact of disturbing everything in our daily & social life as well as the celebrations of Christmas, I used to provide both online & onsite MBA Dissertation proposal writing service but since the start of Covid-19, the only service left is online services.
ReplyDeleteWell, I just loved your post. I can understand your feelings, and every working parent can relate to this. But yeah, Christmas is the best time to forget all your worries and enjoy some precious moments with your family, kids and loved ones. These days everyone is busy and life becomes so fast but we cannot ignore some beautiful events of our life. So, yes, plan something different for this Christmas and go out shopping to make this event more beautiful and cherish these moments.
ReplyDeleteCoursework Writing Services
Very reliable service. A good selection if you are looking for products, boux avenue student discount Also very well priced and an easy-to-use website.
ReplyDelete