Change

How often do you find yourself fixating on the things that didn’t go well, rather than looking at the positive things from your day?

I’m all for learning from mistakes, and reviewing things to see how to make them better in the future. But focussing on the negatives (even if your aim is to correct them) can wear you down.

How often to you take time to out to review what you have done well, reviewed your strengths or your wins?

I expect that the answer is not very often, leaving you mulling over the things that could have gone better.

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

Try taking five minutes at the end of each day to write down three things that you did well, or went well. This will help you identify your strengths and wins. It will also give you something to look back on when you are in need of a lift.

Don’t worry if you can’t think of three things every day. Even one thing will help redress the balance of focussing on the things that could have gone better.. Hopefully this will give your confidence a small boost.

You could also do the same at the end of each month.What went well? What did you learn from? What do you need to change ot meet your goals? Just remember

You are capable.

You do have many strengths and talents.

You just need to remind yourself.

Christmas can be a strange time of year.

The weeks before are a whirl of shopping, working hard to get ahead for the days off, and attending various seasonal functions – parties with work, networking groups friends and family.

In previous years I have always been incredibly busy at this time or year. On top of all of the above I was in a choir and it was our busiest time of the year. So by Christmas Day I was normally worn out and coming down with a cold. But I still loved Christmas. Getting together with family who I don’t get to see that often. Having a few days off. Watching endless hours of TV. Occasionally venturing out into the fresh air.

But since my parents died, and I split up with my husband, Christmas has been different for me. It doesn’t seem to have the energy and fun it used to have.

My new partner does not have much family and has never really been into Christmas celebrations. He sees it as a good break from work, but is not into visiting family. It has given me an appreciation of Christmas from the perspective of someone who has never really celebrated it since childhood.

So for me it is about creating our own traditions for this time of year.

For the past two years we have been to our local for a lunchtime drink, and then home for a relax in front of the telly, and then our Christmas meal in the evening.

This is a lovely way to spend the day – fresh air and exercise from the walk to the pub and back, plus meeting friends. Then a very un-stressful day making dinner for the just the two of us.

This year we have had a good break, doing very little, with one family get together with my family. This is always a great occasion as we just love catching up with all the news. The day is about food, drink, relaxation and having fun. No stress. Everyone gets on really well. Food wise it was relly good as three of my nieces and nephews have turned veggie over the last yer, so I was no longer the only veggie at the table!

After a few days or relaxation and long lie ins I confess that at one point I had no idea what day it was!

Now we are coming to the end of the brek I do sit back and think I haven’t achieved enough. But then I worked hard in 2018 and didn’t have more than a week off at a time, and often worked seven day weeks. So I have given myself permission not to get worked up by the length of my to do list. I will just re work it nd catch up over the coming week.

So whatever your take on Christmas I hope you had a good break, doing what you love the most and having a rest where possible.

ravenousveggie

Thoughts on veggie food, work, play and life in general

Category

Focus on the Positive

Christmas