Have you ever found yourself making plans for the future but finding it hard to stay motivated? Have you tried different methods to keep yourself motivated, but nothing has worked for you? You are not alone. Setting goals is a challenge for many people.
Anxiety can take many shapes and forms, but on one thing, we can all agree – it is not a pleasant experience. Many techniques could help in dealing with anxiety, but it is important to understand that every journey towards calmer daily life is unique. Reach for help at House of Courage and talk to a counsellor who can guide your way to find the causes of anxiety and soften its influence on your life.
House of Courage started as a place filled with hope and healing for those who wanted to seek treatment from addiction, anxiety, depression and toxic behaviours in their life.
The holidays are upon us, some of us dread it, and some can't get enough of it. We often feel like we don't have enough time to prep for the holidays, and then we don't have enough time to enjoy the holidays.
It is normal and okay to feel overwhelmed with self-doubt during this beautiful time of year. However, there is self-compassion, which is so important during these times. People tend to think self-compassion means self-indulgence or self-pity, but that's not true at all! Self-compassion has been proven critical in coping with stress and mental illness such as anxiety and depression. It also helps an individual have self-confidence, self-esteem, self-acceptance and self-motivation.
What Is Self-Compassion?
Self-Compassion is an essential and helpful emotion that can lead to better emotional health, less stress. First, it realizes you're struggling with something, then being sensitive towards your needs--and caring for yourself in those moments gives us the courage needed when things get tricky! Practicing self-compassion often will help because it helps remind us who is human.
If you feel stressed during this holiday season, there are simple things you can do to feel rested and less overwhelmed. Here is a list of self-care tips that will help you manage stress at home.
Practice Self-kindness
Compassion toward others is an expected virtue at this time of year, but what about self-compassion?
It's easy for people who are feeling down in their spirits due to illness or other unfortunate events that have taken place over the past couple of years to spend most days dwelling upon these things.
When you find yourself comparing your accomplishments to those of others, attend to the self-critical voice. Meet that critical inner monologue with kindness and comfort by making an effort to change how we treat ourselves throughout this time of year.
I'm sure everyone has felt a little down about their achievements at some point but don't give in to negative thoughts! You may be surprised what good things can happen when they're not constantly being compared against other people - take care of YOU first before anything else comes around naturally.
Take time for yourself by getting one hour alone every day. This could be before the kids wake up or after they go to bed, or even in between - whatever works best for you! (Please note that it is important to understand your boundaries with taking care of yourself versus neglecting others around you.)
Self-Care, Don't Overindulge
I love the holidays, and all that entails, but it can be easy to overindulge in food and drinks. We tend to use the holidays as an excuse to have fun and drink during this time of year! We all find ourselves doing this, and I'm not saying you shouldn't treat yourself, but do it in moderation. Know your limits, don't over drinks. Balance your food intake with exercise; self-care also means calling it early when you need it.
Try doing something you love - this could be reading, writing or listening to music. Make sure it is relaxing and not too stimulating to help you calm down instead of revving yourself up. Create self-care goals for yourself! Self-compassion involves giving yourself kind words for where you are in the process of changing. For example, if one of your self-care goals was to go to yoga more often than usual and you went five times during the month but only three times last month, then give yourself credit for that self-care goal. Don't beat yourself up!
Once you give self-compassion a shot, you'll find it much easier to implement into your self-care routine during the holidays and other busy times of the year. The self-compassionate path is not about being selfish but giving love to oneself as a way of self-empowerment.
If you feel down about the holidays, self-compassion can help relieve that stress because it accepts us without judgement.
Let Go Of Expectations
Having high expectations for self-improvement is excellent, but without self-compassion, it can be tough to sustain. So instead, let yourself find self-acceptance by making self-care a priority during the holidays.
One of the most important aspects of mindfulness is remaining open-minded and nonjudgmental with every experience. For example, staying curious about your surroundings can help you respond rather than react in social or environmental situations that might trigger old memories (family members, hometown).
The best way for me personally has been learning how not to let past experiences cloud my present-day life by staying detached from them while still recognizing their importance throughout periods where certain events occurred.
Take Breaks
The holidays can be a time of great stress and discomfort for many people. You may feel your anxiety or anger bubbling up to the surface, but there are things you can do to reduce this suffering! Take some self-compassionate breaks by practicing mindful meditation, where we try our best to only think positively about ourselves. Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath. Every time your mind starts to wander, redirect your attention back to your breath.
Stress may be inevitable, but that doesn't mean you can never enjoy the holidays. With a bit of planning, self-care during this hectic time will allow your body and mind to get enough rest, so they are fresh for all the things waiting ahead!
The best way to beat stress is by taking care of yourself and those around us, such as loved ones or friends who might need some extra attention from their companions while trying their hardest to be kinder than before. In addition, mindfulness allows one to examine what exactly brings them joy - whether seeing a smile on someone else's face when we give them something new, feeling accomplished after buying gifts tailored to our partners' interests.
If you ever feel too overwhelmed, House of Courage is here to listen and support you on your journey to self-care. You deserve to find happiness, find your reality and get yourself back to your life! Contact us today and we'd love to be a part of your journey to self-care and self-compassion.
It is finally Autumn, and with this season comes the excitement of all the upcoming holidays, beautiful colour changes and nearing the end of the year. This pandemic has been challenging, and we're nearing two years. However, with the holidays coming up, it gives us an excellent excuse for family gatherings and celebrations with friends; for those who are active in their addiction, which can be a challenging time because it also gives us reasons for drinking.
As everyone is getting back into their regular routines, it's an excellent time for you to start one too. However, you can begin your recovery at any time during the year. But if you haven't yet, here is why now is the best time.