Could an advent of self-love fend off festive exhaustion?
No doubt you've heard it said - you can't love anyone else until you love yourself. Really is that true?
And what's advent got to do with it?
One thing I've noticed over my many years of practice, is that many of my clients (particularly the driven female ones) are often completely and utterly frazzled by Christmas. So 3 years ago I thought it apt to commence a movement of self-care for smart women, during this super busy period.
It's not so easy to enjoy a time of celebration when we're well and truly exhausted. To top it all, as the year draws to the end we can focus on feeling inadequate with all the things that we haven't achieved this year and our mood can quickly start to lower as the hours of sunlight fade. No wonder we get ill or over indulge! It can be enough to tip the most unlikely emotional eater to well, guess what ... emotionally eat!
I know as I’m sure you do, it’s deeper than self-care, because it's not just about having sitting down with a cuppa or taking a bath. You can take a rather lovely bath with a really destructive mindset.
It’s about being mindful about how you operate. Knowing who you really are so you can move through the month with the wisdom required to stay both healthy and happy. I simply share bite-sized strategies to fit into your busy month. No extra ‘challenges’, none of us need that when we’re maxed out! That way you can hopefully feel fulfilled, fit and fabulous by Christmas and enjoy the special season without falling ill or disgruntled before, during or shortly after.
One of my more indulgent self-love strategies is a December mini retreat, a night away solo, in my favourite chic spa hotel in the mountains. I catch up with my coach and wrap up the years' accomplishments. I start to set clear intentions for the year ahead. I don't like to hit Jan 1st without a clue where I'm heading! What would be your ideal way to wrap up your year? It can feel somewhat chaotic when there's simply too many loose ends in the air.
So is it true you can't love someone else until you love yourself? Only you can answer that. However, I do believe that life flows with much greater ease when you have the awareness to know and love yourself deeply. You look and relate to others differently. You feel fulfilled. And you usually discover you really are rather amazing.