Contents
What you have to do so as not to be disappointed with this particular Christmas
Coaching
Creativity and avoiding extreme planning are keys to not being overwhelmed and enjoying the holidays
Certainly within this atypical year (to use a polite understatement), Christmas they will not come out unscathed: a date arrives that some enjoy more than anything in the world, and others endure in the best possible way. The Christmas festivities involve the reunion of the whole family, yes, but also burdens for gifts, for dinners and even for that family that is supposed to be so eager we have to see.
In a year in which adaptation is the key to everything, now it’s time for one more effort: mold Christmas to this situation. Gonzalo J. Sánchez, director of the emotional intelligence and positive psychology center emotium, comments that possibly the most difficult thing to manage during these «parties» is the impulses that arise in us: «For example, preparing a dinner we can think: What does it matter? if we are one more than what is allowed? But we have to control ourselves and do everything with a head, even if it is complicated.
On the other hand, he points out that one of the most important things is the attitude with which we face this time of year. “We are” infoxified “: we surround ourselves with terrible information and, if we already start in a low mood from the beginning of the festivities, things are not going to go well,” he says and adds that “The Christmas spirit has to be within us”.
Three things to work on at Christmas
One of the first consequences we are going to face this year is the change of traditions that, for as long as we can remember, “they have always been like this.” From the TherapyChat platform they point out the three factors that can most affect:
– First, our brain hopes to be able to do at Christmas what we are accustomed to. By not being able to do it normally this year, we will most likely feel a sense of out of place, emptiness and confusion.
– We may feel nostalgia, especially if we usually enjoy Christmas a lot. «You want to wrap yourself up with your loved ones in difficult moments and toast to the best moments that are expected to come. But a large part of this duel, in the sense that we are losing something beautiful, will have to be carried out without so much support, and without kisses and hugs, “they explain.
– Also, the reduction of diners at lunch and dinner can produce what is called cognitive dissonance. “This means that we will have to make decisions that will cause us discomfort because we will find ourselves with the dilemma of how to divide our family and it will cause us great internal discomfort,” they point out.
Creativity, the key
For Gonzalo J. Sánchez, the key to this Christmas is resilience, something we have been practicing for months and, especially, creativity. «This year we have to throw imagination. It’s like watching a football match right now: there is a virtual audience, they include the sounds … and they achieve a certain normality ”, he says. Therefore, encourage everyone, especially those with children, to use crafts, mobile applications, and everything we have at hand to make things more special. «On days like the parade of kings, or New Year’s Eve, we can do very fun things. In Spain we are creative people with a sense of humor, we have to take advantage of it “, says the professional.
Three keys to enjoy this Christmas
To finish, Ixi Ávila, emotional intelligence coach, leaves three key tips to face the Christmas holidays in the best possible way, and make them a success, even in a year like this.
1. Live in the present. “This year, do not plan everything in detail without having enough information. This 2020 has shown us that everything can change overnight, “says the coach. Therefore, it encourages us to make decisions day by day, in the short term, and to be as present as possible in the current moment, without focusing on what is still uncertain.
2. Manage expectations. The more expectations we have than it is supposed to be, the more we suffer when reality does not fulfill what we expected. «» What do I expect from these parties? » Adjust your expectations to the reality we are experiencing so as not to be disappointed if you cannot dine at the same table with 15 people, ”he explains.
3. Practice patience and be more flexible. Ixi Ávila proposes planning a beautiful Christmas with the basics and complying with social distance. «If finally the measures are less restricted than you thought, you can alter and improve the plans. Meanwhile, you can do breathing exercises and meditation to increase your patience, and live these holidays more calmly, “he explains.