Stressed at Christmas? Join the millions. You know the drill, financial pressure, time pressure and family dynamics all colliding to make the holiday period stressful. The end of the year brings a compression of social activities and obligations on a large scale. Hypnotherapy is a welcome antidote to the mental pressures of the season. Anxiety and worry are processes we choose to run. Sometimes it feels as if the choice to run anxiety or even be anxious is out of our control. This is true to some extent as worry and anxious thinking are habits. After a while, our habits become second nature and continue operating below the level of our everyday awareness. Being stressed at Christmas seems to be the normal way of things.
Stress and Christmas
We start to label ourselves as being ‘highly strung’ or stressed out with the holiday season. We accept that stress, anxiety and overwhelm is part of the deal of Christmas holidays. Like anything, the way we feel about something is all about the way we perceive it. Having negative thoughts and feelings about Christmas and the holiday season affects our interactions and relationships. Looming credit card debt, the pressure of entertaining and having to face family dynamics are all contributing factors. Add to this crowded shopping centers and pressure to please everyone and it’s easy to see why most of us often dread this time of year.
Negative Expectations
It’s interesting to note that our expectations are often the causes of our greatest stress. We all have expectations of people, situations and events, which can set the bar by which we judge our happiness or success. If we have a negative expectation of Christmas based on the past, it can make us feel overly sensitive or defensive. This might lead to us creating negative experiences with family members or friends.
Positive Expectations
Sometimes we can have an overly positive expectation of Christmas, which can be unrealistic. This means if our experience of Christmas falls short we can end up disappointed and depressed. Feeling stressed at Christmas almost seems normal.
Why hypnotherapy works
Hypnotherapy is the perfect antidote to high stress levels and general anxiety. Canberra Hypnotherapy Clinic is a safe, confidential space to address emotional blocks and sources of stress.
Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation, which creates the perfect opportunity for the mind to rearrange its processes. All of us get stuck around particular problems or feel blocked in some way. Hypnosis creates a space, which allows your mind to find a way through things.
Hypnosis is based on the idea that the only person we can change is ourselves. Our expectations and perceptions can be addressed in hypnosis to allow a more grounded perspective to prevail. Instead of feeling stressed at Christmas, we can move to a place of greater acceptance with how things are rather than being hung up on unrealistic expectations.
Of course, hypnosis is not only helpful during the holiday season but at other times when we feel stuck or stressed out. Why not consider treating yourself or a family member to the relaxing effects of a hypnosis session, custom made!
