It can be hard to put yourself first sometimes, especially at Christmas. Tazmin talks about how she prioritises self-care, and deals with the pressures of gift-giving.
1. What do you enjoy most about the winter holiday period?
I love that it gives you a chance to connect with the people in your life, friends and family alike, who you may not have seen in a while. I always find that it’s the perfect time to catch up with old friends from school and college, and make new memories with your family. It’s also an opportunity to slow down from the busy world, which can get busier during the winter holidays, and connect with yourself – relax inside, cosy up with a good book or movie and have some time with you. It’s a very cosy period of time and there’s nothing better than a warm snuggle with yourself.
2. What do you find most difficult during the holidays?
I find the pressure of the festivities slightly overwhelming in terms of finances and expectations. I struggled with money all through university and even though I’ve just graduated this is still no exception. Being surrounded by advertisements, Christmas markets, even daily emails surging into my inbox, I can feel a great deal of pressure to buy gifts for the people I love. I also feel like I’m a bad person if I don’t – but for someone who is in a difficult financial situation and trying to get out of it, this added stress must be ignored and put to one side. I try to remind myself that there’s more to this festive period than gifts and if the people in my life fail to understand that, it speaks more of them and nothing of me. This holiday is about spending time with people you love, playing in the snow like children again, laughing and enjoying the company of yourself. Spend time to reflect on the year and all you have achieved, rather than thinking you’ve come up short.
3. Taking some time out from all the festivities to look after yourself can be really helpful. What do you do to help your mental health during the holidays?
The world is a busy place, especially during university, and there are always so many deadlines fast approaching or just flying straight past. Friends to see and catch up with, and family engagements to participate in. But sometimes it’s nice – and necessary – to have some time out: sit back, get cosy, and enjoy being you for a little bit. It can be truly uplifting for your well-being to be surrounded by people who you care for and love, but I’ve often found that once you’re on your own again the contrast can bring you down. Make time to bond with yourself in the ways that make you happy; like I’ve said before, I make friends with myself by getting cosy after a good day and spending the evening along with a great movie that I love, usually The Muppets Christmas Carol!
4. What present would you give yourself over the holidays?
I think the gift I would give to myself over the holidays is a meditative retreat somewhere beautiful in the world such as Spirit Rock in California; a chance to spend some time with myself, heal, and go on an adventure to see another part of this wonderful world.
6. What are your New Year’s Resolutions?
I understand the concept of New Year’s resolutions, that they can motivate people to change their lives or lifestyle for the better in the next year ahead. However, I make new resolutions whenever I feel the need for them to be made. I think waiting for the New Year to make a resolution prevents it from really coming true. If there’s something in your life you want to change, never wait – just do it. For example, if you are a smoker and say you’re going to quit smoking in the New Year, don’t carry the bad habit on until then, just start quitting now. Waste no time waiting. Do what needs to be done to ensure you’re happy now and for the future.
If you would like to get involved in our Christmas blogging series, you can find all of the details here.
Hey everyone, I’m Taz. My journey suffering with depression and anxiety has been and can continue to be a difficult one; but I would not be who I am today had I not accepted my illness and work hard to get better. I have recently graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a First in Film and Media Production. I’ve been writing my blog Awareness for over two years and it has been truly rewarding for me. I write about the things many people fear talking about – our wonderfully complex minds. I wish to encourage anyone suffering through university and offer them a helping hand. Happy reading.
a lonely christmas
a perfect christmas
a perfect christmas 2016
after 5 tops
alone at christmas anxiety
another way to say take care
anxiety and christmas
anxiety at christmas time
anxiety over christmas
at christmas
attend charity
avoiding stress during the holidays
bank holidays over christmas
beyond blue
beyond blue adelaide
beyond blue australia
beyond blue day 2016
beyond blue helpline
beyond blue hotline
beyond blue mental health
beyond blue services
beyondblue helpline number
beyondblue mental health
bipolar and holidays
bout of depression
british royal christmas
british royals
british royals christmas 2016
can loneliness cause mental illness
can loneliness lead to mental illness
caring at christmas
charity christmas party
chmas
christmas and health
christmas and mental health
christmas anxiety
christmas articles
christmas at at
christmas cards supporting mental health
christmas countdown begins
christmas depression
christmas depression statistics
christmas family conflict
christmas family stress
christmas for the royals
christmas games for adults at work
christmas games for work
christmas gifts for mentally challenged
christmas group therapy
christmas group therapy activities
christmas health articles
christmas health facts
christmas health issues
christmas health tips
christmas help
christmas help 2016
christmas holiday health tips
christmas illnesses
christmas is a
christmas is a time for
christmas is time for
christmas it
christmas js
christmas more
christmas problems
christmas problems family
christmas rates
christmas stress statistics
christmas stress tips
christmas tips for service people
christmas wellbeing
christmas with the british royals
cmha calgary
cope behavioral health
coping activities for adults
coping skills for mental illness worksheets
coping skills worksheets for adults with mental illness
coping with christmas
coping with christmas stress
coping with holiday stress
coping with the holidays
coping with the holidays worksheet
countdown begins
couples holidays 2016
crazy holiday teen
daily mail mental health
dealing with family at christmas
dealing with holiday stress
depressed at christmas time
depression after christmas holidays
depression among millennials
depression and anxiety at christmas
depression and christmas
depression around christmas
depression at christmas statistics
depression during christmas
depression during christmas season
depression during holidays statistics
depression over christmas
depression over the holidays
east london mental health trust
enjoying the holidays with family
family conflict at christmas
family stress at xmas
feeling lonely at christmas
feeling lonely at christmas time
feeling lonely at xmas
feeling lonely christmas
feeling lonely on christmas
feeling low after christmas
fundamental
funny holiday challenges
funny holiday survival guide
funny tips for surviving the holidays
generations mental health
getting through christmas
getting through the holidays
handling holiday stress
hard to be
heads together
heads together charity
heads together mental health
health and christmas
health and wellbeing tips
health constraints
health deficit
health tips for christmas season
healthy christmas
healthy christmas gifts
healthy christmas quotes
help for mental health problems
help for the holidays
help very
helpful holidays
helping those with mental illness
holiday challenges list
holiday depression statistics
holiday family stress
holiday health issues
holiday hints and tips
holiday loneliness depression
holiday stress
holiday stress management
holiday stress statistics 2015
holiday stress worksheets
holidays and mental health
holidays for mental health patients
holidays for people with mental health problems
holidays make me feel lonely
holidays stress me out
holidays with help
how to avoid stress during the holidays
how to cope with christmas
how to cope with holiday stress
how to deal with family conflict during the holidays
how to deal with holiday stress
how to get in the holiday mood
how to get over holiday blues
how to get over the holiday blues
how to get through christmas
how to get through the holidays
how to handle holiday stress
how to help those with mental illness
how to look after mental health
how to look after your mental health
how to manage stress during the holiday season
how to manage stress during the holidays
how to reduce stress during the holidays
how to solve mental illness
how to solve mental problems
how to stay mentally healthy
how to survive the holidays alone
how to take care of your mental health
international mental health charity
is loneliness a mental illness
isolate the problem
isolated people
isolating network problems
isolation and mental illness
isolation from people
isolation mental health
isolation mental illness
keep hol
less stress during the holidays
loneliness and mental health
loneliness and mental illness
loneliness anxiety depression
loneliness at christmas
loneliness at christmas time
loneliness causes mental illness
loneliness during the holidays
loneliness mental disorder
loneliness mental health
loneliness mental illness
lonely anxiety
lonely at christmas time
lonely at xmas
lonely christmas
lonely depressed
lonely during holidays
lonely holidays
lonely mental illness
lonely over christmas
lonely people at christmas
lonely this christmas
lonely xmas
longford leader
looking after mental health
looking after your mental health
making christmas cards with the mentally ill
managing stress during the holidays
menal resort
mental gifts
mental health and millennials
mental health at christmas
mental health at christmas statistics
mental health at christmas time
mental health awareness at christmas
mental health calgary
mental health challenges
mental health charities
mental health christmas activities
mental health christmas cards
mental health during christmas
mental health during the holidays
mental health gifts
mental health holidays
mental health issues
mental health jokes
mental health over 50
mental health over 55
mental health over 60
mental health over 65
mental health over christmas
mental health over the years
mental health party
mental health problems
mental health symptoms
mental health tips for christmas
mental holiday
mental illness and the holidays
mental illness holidays
mental isolation
mental loneliness
mental party
mental problems
millenials and depression
millennial anxiety
millennial depression statistics
millennials and anxiety
millennials and mental health
millennials and mental illness
millennials anxiety statistics
millennials depression
millennials mental health
millennium health
mind your head
mind your mental health
not feeling the holiday spirit
nurse birthday
office christmas party parents guide
old millennials
pay it forward gold coast
people problems
people with health problems
people with mental health issues
perfect mental health
period health tips
prince harry mental health charity
problem people
reduce holiday stress
reducing stress during the holidays
royal christmas
sane charity
simple christmas
skills holidays
skills holidays 2016
stress and the holidays
stress around the holidays
stress at christmas statistics
stress during the holidays
stress nhs
stress sanity and survival
surviving christmas
surviving the christmas season
take care of health
taking care of christmas
taking care of your mental health
the help
time problems
time problems year 4
time questions year 4
tips to avoid holiday stress
together mental health charity
top mental health blogs
very helpful
very simple 2016
very way
ways to help mental illness
ways to reduce stress during the holidays
we are simple
wellbeing tips
what is beyond blue
who can help with mental health problems
why am i so sad at christmas time
why are holidays stressful
why are the holidays so stressful
your christmas countdown
10 ways to look after your mental health
- Tazmin
1. What do you enjoy most about the winter holiday period?
I love that it gives you a chance to connect with the people in your life, friends and family alike, who you may not have seen in a while. I always find that it’s the perfect time to catch up with old friends from school and college, and make new memories with your family. It’s also an opportunity to slow down from the busy world, which can get busier during the winter holidays, and connect with yourself – relax inside, cosy up with a good book or movie and have some time with you. It’s a very cosy period of time and there’s nothing better than a warm snuggle with yourself.
2. What do you find most difficult during the holidays?
I find the pressure of the festivities slightly overwhelming in terms of finances and expectations. I struggled with money all through university and even though I’ve just graduated this is still no exception. Being surrounded by advertisements, Christmas markets, even daily emails surging into my inbox, I can feel a great deal of pressure to buy gifts for the people I love. I also feel like I’m a bad person if I don’t – but for someone who is in a difficult financial situation and trying to get out of it, this added stress must be ignored and put to one side. I try to remind myself that there’s more to this festive period than gifts and if the people in my life fail to understand that, it speaks more of them and nothing of me. This holiday is about spending time with people you love, playing in the snow like children again, laughing and enjoying the company of yourself. Spend time to reflect on the year and all you have achieved, rather than thinking you’ve come up short.
3. Taking some time out from all the festivities to look after yourself can be really helpful. What do you do to help your mental health during the holidays?
The world is a busy place, especially during university, and there are always so many deadlines fast approaching or just flying straight past. Friends to see and catch up with, and family engagements to participate in. But sometimes it’s nice – and necessary – to have some time out: sit back, get cosy, and enjoy being you for a little bit. It can be truly uplifting for your well-being to be surrounded by people who you care for and love, but I’ve often found that once you’re on your own again the contrast can bring you down. Make time to bond with yourself in the ways that make you happy; like I’ve said before, I make friends with myself by getting cosy after a good day and spending the evening along with a great movie that I love, usually The Muppets Christmas Carol!
4. What present would you give yourself over the holidays?
I think the gift I would give to myself over the holidays is a meditative retreat somewhere beautiful in the world such as Spirit Rock in California; a chance to spend some time with myself, heal, and go on an adventure to see another part of this wonderful world.
6. What are your New Year’s Resolutions?
I understand the concept of New Year’s resolutions, that they can motivate people to change their lives or lifestyle for the better in the next year ahead. However, I make new resolutions whenever I feel the need for them to be made. I think waiting for the New Year to make a resolution prevents it from really coming true. If there’s something in your life you want to change, never wait – just do it. For example, if you are a smoker and say you’re going to quit smoking in the New Year, don’t carry the bad habit on until then, just start quitting now. Waste no time waiting. Do what needs to be done to ensure you’re happy now and for the future.
If you would like to get involved in our Christmas blogging series, you can find all of the details here.
a lonely christmas
a perfect christmas
a perfect christmas 2016
after 5 tops
alone at christmas anxiety
another way to say take care
anxiety and christmas
anxiety at christmas time
anxiety over christmas
at christmas
attend charity
avoiding stress during the holidays
bank holidays over christmas
beyond blue
beyond blue adelaide
beyond blue australia
beyond blue day 2016
beyond blue helpline
beyond blue hotline
beyond blue mental health
beyond blue services
beyondblue helpline number
beyondblue mental health
bipolar and holidays
bout of depression
british royal christmas
british royals
british royals christmas 2016
can loneliness cause mental illness
can loneliness lead to mental illness
caring at christmas
charity christmas party
chmas
christmas and health
christmas and mental health
christmas anxiety
christmas articles
christmas at at
christmas cards supporting mental health
christmas countdown begins
christmas depression
christmas depression statistics
christmas family conflict
christmas family stress
christmas for the royals
christmas games for adults at work
christmas games for work
christmas gifts for mentally challenged
christmas group therapy
christmas group therapy activities
christmas health articles
christmas health facts
christmas health issues
christmas health tips
christmas help
christmas help 2016
christmas holiday health tips
christmas illnesses
christmas is a
christmas is a time for
christmas is time for
christmas it
christmas js
christmas more
christmas problems
christmas problems family
christmas rates
christmas stress statistics
christmas stress tips
christmas tips for service people
christmas wellbeing
christmas with the british royals
cmha calgary
cope behavioral health
coping activities for adults
coping skills for mental illness worksheets
coping skills worksheets for adults with mental illness
coping with christmas
coping with christmas stress
coping with holiday stress
coping with the holidays
coping with the holidays worksheet
countdown begins
couples holidays 2016
crazy holiday teen
daily mail mental health
dealing with family at christmas
dealing with holiday stress
depressed at christmas time
depression after christmas holidays
depression among millennials
depression and anxiety at christmas
depression and christmas
depression around christmas
depression at christmas statistics
depression during christmas
depression during christmas season
depression during holidays statistics
depression over christmas
depression over the holidays
east london mental health trust
enjoying the holidays with family
family conflict at christmas
family stress at xmas
feeling lonely at christmas
feeling lonely at christmas time
feeling lonely at xmas
feeling lonely christmas
feeling lonely on christmas
feeling low after christmas
fundamental
funny holiday challenges
funny holiday survival guide
funny tips for surviving the holidays
generations mental health
getting through christmas
getting through the holidays
handling holiday stress
hard to be
heads together
heads together charity
heads together mental health
health and christmas
health and wellbeing tips
health constraints
health deficit
health tips for christmas season
healthy christmas
healthy christmas gifts
healthy christmas quotes
help for mental health problems
help for the holidays
help very
helpful holidays
helping those with mental illness
holiday challenges list
holiday depression statistics
holiday family stress
holiday health issues
holiday hints and tips
holiday loneliness depression
holiday stress
holiday stress management
holiday stress statistics 2015
holiday stress worksheets
holidays and mental health
holidays for mental health patients
holidays for people with mental health problems
holidays make me feel lonely
holidays stress me out
holidays with help
how to avoid stress during the holidays
how to cope with christmas
how to cope with holiday stress
how to deal with family conflict during the holidays
how to deal with holiday stress
how to get in the holiday mood
how to get over holiday blues
how to get over the holiday blues
how to get through christmas
how to get through the holidays
how to handle holiday stress
how to help those with mental illness
how to look after mental health
how to look after your mental health
how to manage stress during the holiday season
how to manage stress during the holidays
how to reduce stress during the holidays
how to solve mental illness
how to solve mental problems
how to stay mentally healthy
how to survive the holidays alone
how to take care of your mental health
international mental health charity
is loneliness a mental illness
isolate the problem
isolated people
isolating network problems
isolation and mental illness
isolation from people
isolation mental health
isolation mental illness
keep hol
less stress during the holidays
loneliness and mental health
loneliness and mental illness
loneliness anxiety depression
loneliness at christmas
loneliness at christmas time
loneliness causes mental illness
loneliness during the holidays
loneliness mental disorder
loneliness mental health
loneliness mental illness
lonely anxiety
lonely at christmas time
lonely at xmas
lonely christmas
lonely depressed
lonely during holidays
lonely holidays
lonely mental illness
lonely over christmas
lonely people at christmas
lonely this christmas
lonely xmas
longford leader
looking after mental health
looking after your mental health
making christmas cards with the mentally ill
managing stress during the holidays
menal resort
mental gifts
mental health and millennials
mental health at christmas
mental health at christmas statistics
mental health at christmas time
mental health awareness at christmas
mental health calgary
mental health challenges
mental health charities
mental health christmas activities
mental health christmas cards
mental health during christmas
mental health during the holidays
mental health gifts
mental health holidays
mental health issues
mental health jokes
mental health over 50
mental health over 55
mental health over 60
mental health over 65
mental health over christmas
mental health over the years
mental health party
mental health problems
mental health symptoms
mental health tips for christmas
mental holiday
mental illness and the holidays
mental illness holidays
mental isolation
mental loneliness
mental party
mental problems
millenials and depression
millennial anxiety
millennial depression statistics
millennials and anxiety
millennials and mental health
millennials and mental illness
millennials anxiety statistics
millennials depression
millennials mental health
millennium health
mind your head
mind your mental health
not feeling the holiday spirit
nurse birthday
office christmas party parents guide
old millennials
pay it forward gold coast
people problems
people with health problems
people with mental health issues
perfect mental health
period health tips
prince harry mental health charity
problem people
reduce holiday stress
reducing stress during the holidays
royal christmas
sane charity
simple christmas
skills holidays
skills holidays 2016
stress and the holidays
stress around the holidays
stress at christmas statistics
stress during the holidays
stress nhs
stress sanity and survival
surviving christmas
surviving the christmas season
take care of health
taking care of christmas
taking care of your mental health
the help
time problems
time problems year 4
time questions year 4
tips to avoid holiday stress
together mental health charity
top mental health blogs
very helpful
very simple 2016
very way
ways to help mental illness
ways to reduce stress during the holidays
we are simple
wellbeing tips
what is beyond blue
who can help with mental health problems
why am i so sad at christmas time
why are holidays stressful
why are the holidays so stressful
your christmas countdown
10 ways to look after your mental health
