Festive Anxiety

The Happya Life

Welcome back to another episode of the happy life podcast, this week I want to talk about the feelings of anxiety, stress and overwhelm especially at this time of year.

I have been working with clients this week and catching up with my peers in business and am already seeing the impact this is having on people’s wellbeing.

The demands of everyday life, with the worries of all that is going on in the world on top of the demands and expectations of the season are a lot to bear.

In this episode of the Happya Life I am going to be talking to you about festive anxiety, why it happens, what it looks like and how you can support yourself, so you don’t arrive at Christmas day feeling drained.
So, for those times when the anxiety is becoming too much here are 3 ways in which you attempt to reduce its impact on you.

The first is a breathing technique, yes I want you to breathe and you will be surprised at how bad we are at something we do all day everyday!

So. Get comfortable. Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Breathe in through your nose for the count of 4, deeply enough that the hand on your stomach rises. Hold the breath for a count of 4, and then exhale slowly through your mouth for the count of 6 as though you are breathing through a straw. Do this practice for a few minutes and you should feel the symptoms reduce.

An alternative is to use muscle relaxation. Take yourself through process of tensing and releasing your muscles throughout the body. This is a technique I use in hypnotherapy. Using this technique will enable you to recognise feelings of anxiety by noticing where in your body your muscles feel really tense. Understanding your body’s signals means you can respond to them earlier and mastering these techniques will enable you to release the tension that much quicker.

A third technique is to Challenge the irrational thinking

This is a technique used in therapy when you have a triggering thought you explore that thought against your rationale logic. Ask yourself is my thinking based on fact or feeling? How likely is it that my fear will happen? What is most likely to happen? If my fear did come true, how would I handle it? By using a rational thought process, it can assist in gaining perspective and a sense of control.

Hopefully these will help you in managing those symptoms and enable you to find some release.

Top tips

1. When these feelings arise – acknowledge them, understand what they are telling you so you can provide the reassurance you need.

2. Increase your self-care at this time of year, we all need a little more love and attention.

3. Decide what is important to you this festive season and establish your boundaries accordingly.

4. Be prepared for situations where you are aware you may be triggered.

5. Prioritise your schedule so you avoid overwhelm and burnout.

6. Reach out for support, delegate, and importantly accept help!

7. Give yourself permission to say NO!
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