Tis the season to slow down and let your hair down.

The year 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone around the world – we have witnessed some heartbreaking scenes of people dying from COVID-19 and some shocking natural disasters worldwide. While the pandemic raged and natural disasters happened, life continued in whatever form it took with all of us having to adapt and make changes to our lives with little or no time to prepare. Mental health issues have increased, loneliness is more prevalent with people not being able to see their loved ones for some time now – and for some people, this had become a bit too much and have either fallen ill or lost their lives to suicide. As the year draws to a close, I have noticed that I am very busy with work and have not set anytime aside to do the things that I enjoy apart from writing – and this could happen to any of us. We get so busy in our routines that we forget to make time for ourselves and rest from the busyness of life.

The Christmas season is when most of us are running around at work, home, finding the right presents and planning meals for gatherings over the holiday period. People look forward to all the festivities when families meet up to enjoy their times with loved ones – however, this is not going to happen where I live as we are in lockdown due to COVID-19. Loneliness has always been an issue around this time of year but with people being in isolation, it is a concern that people will fall into depression and hopelessness as they spend their Christmas alone. So I put together a few things to ponder this season to help us all get through this time a bit easily;

• Be kind to yourself – I remember a friend telling me that she had wasted a day because she had sat on her sofa doing nothing and napping in between. I asked her how she felt after spending that day on the sofa, she explained that she felt drained all week and felt much better after the sofa day. It was this constant guilt of doing nothing all day that was getting her down. The mental to-do list we have in our minds will always be there even after we have completed all the tasks, new ones will take their place. It’s ok to buy something nice for yourself, eat that comfort food without worrying about your waist line, spend an afternoon catching up on that TV show you love or a duvet day just doing nothing. Be kind to yourself and allow yourself to take some time off without being too critical of yourself – life will still be waiting for you whether you take time off or not so do what makes you happy by pausing and letting your hair down every now and then.

• Make connections – Check on your loved ones and connect with the people in your life. You may not be able to see everyone but make time to see the ones you can and set some FaceTime/Zoom sessions aside to catch-up with your loved ones. I may be spending Christmas on my own but I will be calling my family via video and may be indulging in some games with my nephew and niece – we have a family tradition of playing board games on Christmas Eve and this year, we will find a way to continue this virtually where we can. These are exceptional times and as I already mentioned, loneliness is more pronounced during this season – as you take care of your well being, include connecting with other people virtually or in person if you are able to. Let’s be each other’s keepers in these challenging times and also ensure that we reach out and ask for help when we are not feeling a hundred percent.

• Have some fun – It is time to unwind and slow down and it may mean saying no to some people if you do not have the capacity to do what is being asked of you. It’s also okay to have fun in whatever way is best for you as long as you are not hurting anyone in the process. It is easy to feel guilty to have a good time when so many people are ill and dying worldwide – but we are in a global pandemic and you have life and no one knows for how long. Don’t waste it passively sitting by and watching life pass by, we have one life, make the most of it. I have a Christmas ritual my 12 year old niece finds childish – I watch a marathon of all animation movies I love over the Christmas break. They make me happy, make laugh and helps me unwind from all the work and busyness of my life. I just pacify my inner child by watching all these animated movies I love and also allows me to remember people and places in happier times. A favourite is the original Disney Cinderella – I watch this because it was my mum’s favourite and I used to watch this with her when I was a little girl. She is no longer with us and this is one of the ways I remember the good times we had without feeling too sad. I am sure everyone has a way of having fun that is refreshing for their souls and I encourage you to indulge and find some refreshment for your soul.

I truly hope you make time this season to let your hair down and slow down from the race of life as the year draws to a close. For those who are going through challenging times, I pray you find the strength to go through whatever it is you are dealing with and hope some relief comes your way soon. Reach out and ask for help if you are struggling in any area of your life and this includes me – reach out via the contact us page. I wish you a merry Christmas and the very best this holiday season. Let’s effect the positive change we need by sharing our experiences.