Don’t worry about things beyond your control. So your uncle and your dad get into an argument at every Christmas dinner and it makes you miserable. Remember your limits: you can’t control them, but you can control your own reaction to the situation. Family members involved in after-lunch activities (such as cricket on the back…
Make new family traditions. People often feel compelled to keep family Christmas traditions alive long past the point that anyone’s actually enjoying them. Don’t keep them going for their own sake. Start a new tradition instead. Create one that’s more meaningful to you personally.
Don’t assume the worst Don’t start the Christmas season anticipating disaster. If you try to take the festivities as they come and limit your expectations – both good and bad – you may enjoy them more.
Ask for help – but be specific See if your spouse will dig out the decorations. Ask your sister to help you cook – or host the Christmas dinner itself. Invite a friend along on shopping trips. People may be more willing to help out than you expect; they just need some guidance from you…
Make a list of the things that you need to do to prepare for Christmas. Review it and cross out anything that isn’t essential, then decide which item is the most important. Do that one thing and ignore everything else on the list for the time being. Then prioritise the next thing and so on.…
At Christmas we often put ourselves under a huge amount of emotional and financial pressure in our quest for perfect festivities – but try not to expect too much of yourself. Imagine how unimportant the stress of Christmas preparations will seem in a couple of months’ time – or even in a couple or weeks’…
Alcohol is a feature of many a Christmas celebration, and it’s also easy to turn to a drink if feeling lonely. There is much evidence about the harmful effect of alcohol, especially when dealing with mental health issues. Read the ABC’s guide to drinking responsibly during the silly season, and if you’re struggling, reach out to…
Reach out for help. It’s hard and sometimes you don’t see how much people really want to help if only they knew. Very few people would turn someone down if reaching out for help. Try it – you might be surprised to learn just how much people want to help and how much they care.…
It seems so simple and we often talk ourselves out of it – they’re probably too busy, it’s been too long since we’ve seen each other, I wouldn’t know what to talk about – but who doesn’t love catching up with a friend? Reach out today – you’ll feel better and your friend probably will…
It’s not just those who want to be a millionaire who can benefit from phoning a friend. Nothing can make you forget about loneliness better than calling a friend, whether it’s a long lost friend you haven’t spokes to for years or someone you speak with daily. The wonderful thing is, it may do wonders…