Self-Care Advent Calendar (Week 3)

It's already time for the third week of our Self-Care Advent Calendar... December is whizzing by!

December 14th

This whole week is about conserving energy wherever possible, and today’s focus is on protecting your own "space" over Christmas... choosing to spend time with people who make you feel great and lift your energy rather than sapping it. Think about your upcoming social engagements and as to whether it will be time well spent for you. If you are questioning it, then possibly consider making your excuses and bow out early, leaving them with plenty of time to rearrange.  

December 15th

Time to get festive! Spend a few minutes creating a Christmas playlist on your phone. Music can be a great mood lifter and there is nothing better than a few festive tunes to get you smiling, so make a small playlist and turn up the volume.

December 16th

This time next week we will be pretty much in full on Christmas frenzy, so today can be about carving out 20 minutes of calm. Light a candle, turn the lights down and take a moment to focus on everything that you are grateful and thankful for. Focussing on what is good in our lives is so important (and so neglected). It is all too easy to think about what we don’t have rather than what we do have... so take a moment with a festive scented candle to feel thankful.

December 17th

Today is about super charging your Sunday morning with a green smoothie. Packed full of antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins and all round goodness, this is a great one to repeat regularly throughout the festive season to keep you feeling fantastic.

For 1 smoothie:

half an avocado

1 handful of frozen mango chunks - (if you only have fresh then add in some ice cubes to chill and thicken the drink)

1 handful of spinach

half a banana

top up with water/coconut milk/almond milk (about 200mls)

...Blitz and enjoy immediately.

December 18th

By this time of the festive period, houses are often full of chocolates, crisps, salted nuts and other nutritionally poor snacks. If these are lying around the house then chances are, no matter how great your will power is, you will end up eating more than you want to. Rather than the typical crisps, nuts, pastry snacks, chocolates etc... why not fill bowls with olives, vegetable crudités, plain nuts and toasted seeds? That way the mindless snacking that is part of Christmas will be less damaging to your health.

December 19th

Today is about others. We get very wrapped up in ourselves and our family at Christmas, and although this is totally normal and totally reasonable, we are taking today to think about others and do something for our local community. A brilliant way to give back is to buy some extra bits when you are walking round the supermarket - consider filling a food box for local families who will struggle to afford a Christmas meal this year. Alternatively, add some extra non-perishable items into your trolley and donate these to the local food bank (the box is often near the door as you leave the supermarket). This will make an enormous difference to a local family and will make very little difference to your shopping bill. Also, selfishly, there is real joy to be found in giving.

December 20th

We are focusing on senses today, especially scent. Light a festive candle and get going with the following tasks, all of which will fill your home with the most wonderful aromas...

Make mulled wine:
1 bottle of red
2 heaped spoonful of sugar
an orange studded with cloves
a cinnamon stick

...gently simmer until warm and fragrant, stirring frequently.

Make some orange pomanders:
Take oranges and wrap with ribbon in quarters, tying with a bow at the top. Within each quarter, stud with cloves (warning: this will test your fingers and thumbs!). Using the bow, you can hang these all over the house and they will release a lovely festive fruity scent.

Have a lovely week!