The Local Buzz December 2020 - January 2021

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WELL BEING

Positive

thoughts & actions The festivities are nearly here and, with all the concerns over COVID, we may find ourselves feeling less festive than usual. Help is at hand!

We asked three experts to give us their views on how we can make the most of this time, even though we may be missing family and friends, coping alone, and/or feeling sad or depressed.

Change of plan? Katie Gardner is a fully-qualified CBT Counsellor This has been a year that most of us want to forget. It has caused, and is continuing to cause, a lot of loneliness, stress and worry.

The essence of hope Claire Laborde is a practicing psychotherapist and personal coach As we approach the festive season many of us may feel daunted at having to cope alone or already feel isolated. Useful recommendations are to check–in regularly with friends and loved ones, join an online community, share your feelings, learn something new or do

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Normally by now most of us would be looking forward to the Christmas holidays, getting together with family from near and far, and all the preparations and travel arrangements that go with that. It hasn’t helped that, until now, retail therapy has been difficult except for online. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t particularly “do” Christmas, perhaps because you are on your own or you’re out of touch with your family, this time of year and restrictions just highlight the feeling of isolation. So, you have a decision to make: do you cancel Christmas completely or do you just delay it, deciding on a potential date for a get together in the New Year? If you decide on the former it would

make sense to avoid as much Christmas TV as possible, choosing instead to bingewatch streaming TV and films, learning something new (how to play backgammon online for instance) or downloading books you know and have loved onto your Kindle. Make yourself cozy, settle in and indulge yourself. (If you don’t have a streaming app or Kindle now would be the time to get both. They’re good company in my experience.) For the latter, just do as much prep as you are able and meet up online on the day (FaceTime/Zoom are easy to set up and are free), then set a date in the New Year. Whatever you decide, please do bear in mind that this too shall pass. www.kgcounselling.com

more of what you enjoy. However, these activities need desire and energy, which are often lacking when we feel alone. Adopting a hopeful attitude will help us to stay enthusiastic. Hope is the positive expectation or belief that fulfilment is possible, that something good will result and events and circumstances will turn out well. Hope emerges more strongly when there is despairing, as it opens up to new and creative options. Hope gives coping a sense of liveliness, filled with the expectation and belief that we can attain our goals.

It may seem unrealistic to plan farahead, but short-term fulfilment can be beneficial. Tackle the present challenges by making provisions. Make plans and be creative in making them happen. Short-term goals are sources of hope. So plan small delights that bring comfort such as preparing a fire for later or an indulgent (usually forbidden) pudding, take time to read a book, and be mindful of looking after yourself and others. We can also project our future-self and ask “What can I do now, that will allow me to look back with pleasure and pride as to how I braved the situation?” www.clairestokeslaborde.com

www.thelocalbuzzmag.com


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