As you know, Christmas can bring on all kinds of stress and worry.

The stress of money – making sure that you can actually afford all of the things you need to buy.
The worry of loneliness – many of us feel sad at this time, because we’re thinking about the people who we cannot be with.
And of course, the dreaded worry of pleasing people – making sure everybody is happy, comfortable and included.

During this wonderful, yet ‘stressful’ time, how are you taking care of you? How are you making sure that you are being nurtured, as you deserve to enjoy this festive holiday, also? What gifts are you bringing to the table for you?

It’s so easy to forget about ourselves whilst trying to create excellent experiences and memories for everybody else, but, one of the easiest and most beautiful gifts you can give to yourself is surrounding yourself with kind and loving people, as much as possible. 

In our daily lives, we are surrounded by so many different people. Some of these people we share our space with are a delight to be around, often bringing their loving presence, making us feel nurtured and uplifted. Others however, have the opposite effect, draining us of our energy, making us feel tired and weary. Our well-being can be easily affected by those around us, but if we can keep this in mind, we will have a greater understanding of the quality of our social interactions, and the effect they have on us.

So, take a moment to think deeply about the people you interact with, and reflect on how these people make you feel. Analysing the people we spend the most time with allows us to see if there is an equal exchange of energy, i.e. are your conversations one-sided, or is there mutual interest, care and love coming your way, too? It can often seem like we don’t have control over who we are with, but really, we do. The power to step back from toxicity lies within us. If you feel that a friend or relative is absorbing your strength, you can either tell them how you feel, or simply spend less time with them. You will find that the moment you are honest with yourself about your own feelings, the more honest we can be with others, about how they make us feel.

While the decision to live your own truth will bring about some huge changes to your life, it will also bring you a personal transformation that will make you feel empowered and in control of your own happiness. Not only that, when we infuse our lives with positive and caring people, it reduces the ability to see or feel the negativity that exists around us, creating more room for even more positive experiences. It is a fact that ‘what we focus on, becomes our reality’, so prepare yourself for a more nurturing energy exchange that will enrich your life, and welcoming much greater love for ourselves and for those who we care about.