It’s not just about the kids this Christmas…
Yes I went there. I said it. Oh blimey. Here I am the girl that’s obsessed with children, talking to you who is equally obsessed with children telling you that Christmas is not all about them.
Well it’s not.
Actually it’s about you too. And of course your family, friends, your faith and Jesus if you believe and a heap more besides.
The thing is when we work with or are raising children we sometimes don’t even realise we are isolating ourselves because we are so busy with our tiny humans. Sometimes it’s only when you get a message from a pal asking how you are, what you’ve been up to or if you can come to the pub that you realise your day / week / life is revolving around someone very small, very incredible but in all likelihood also very demanding and it’s then that you remember (well can’t remember) the last time you ever did anything for you.
As we get closer to Christmas this gets worse. You want to paint your nails - you don’t. You want to order yourself a new outfit - you don’t. You want to have a lie in - you don’t. You want a bath - you don’t. Your life is filled with last minute shopping, dashing to watch school performances, running errands, organising gifts, writing lists and then writing another one.
Your life resembles nothing to do with you and everything to do with everyone else. The thing is you are singularly the most important person in your universe. Yep. Without you in it, there is no universe for you to experience.
Seriously. This isn’t a joke.
I want to remind you that Christmas is about you too. You matter and doing things for you is important. It’s one thing me saying it, a whole other thing you doing it and so here are some ideas of simple ways to do things for you.
Get some headspace: go out for a walk in the dark. Don’t roll your eyes at me, the dark is amazing and it’s never as dark outside as it seems when you’re on the inside. Put on your coat, grab your woolly hat, get someone else to take the kids for a bit and go outside. Head into your town and gaze at the lights, walk around your village or if you (like me) love the fields then stomp around them in the dark.
Get creative: creativity releases positive chemicals in our brain - quite frankly it’s good for us. A couple of simple ways to do this are baking and colouring (yes you can be older than 5 years and like colouring). This colouring book for adults is fab and this is a fave Christmas baking recipe…
Practice Gratitude: the art of practicing gratitude will change your life. Yes, yes it will. And no, I’m not being melodramatic or over the top. True gratitude is seeing the tiny minute moments in life that normally pass us by. It’s seeing them, noticing them and saying thank you for them. It is in essence the act of putting on rose tinted glasses every day. It doesn’t change the world but it enhances it. It doesn’t take away pain, hurt or anger but it shows you things to be grateful for amongst it all. Write down 5 small things you're grateful for in the past 24hours each day. Start now. In this moment, right here.
Whether you’re a nanny or a parent or neither of these things I have no doubt that you care about other people so much that you want the best for them. But you cannot care for them if you don’t care for yourself. Promise me you’ll make yourself a priority this Christmas?! You matter.