There is a lot of pressure put on the holidays of what they should be and feel like – they must be joyous and magical and a time for family. But the thing is, we can’t force happiness, and many people don’t have a traditional family setup. This year more than any other year the majority of people have had to adjust to a new way of doing the holidays, and that’s not easy. And for many people with mental health issues this is even harder, on top of the holidays often being a challenging time – for example with food relationships. So here’s a very short reminder that it doesn’t have to be a Merry Christmas, and a few affirmations to, hopefully, brighten up your day if you are struggling:
- You deserve space if that’s what you need; your needs are worthy and important, even at Christmas
- You are not alone, even if you feel it
- Comparison can bring a lot of negative feelings to us, so remember that you don’t need to do it
- You deserve to eat. Your body is an incredible thing, but you are so much more than it
- It’s ok not to be ok
- Your feelings are valid
- This won’t last forever
- You are so strong
- You are so brave
- You are magical
- There is always good in the bad
I hope that all of you have the best time you can. Sending you all love and support this Christmas xx
Our Happy Notes 