How to do YOU this festive season!
With the festive season fast approaching things can seem daunting – especially if you are living with breast cancer, have recently been diagnosed, or are on the road to recovery. So, this year it’s time to sit back, relax, and do YOU.
You might be used to cramming your calendar full of social events at Christmas. However, you may need to alter your expectations to make things easier. This can include saying ‘maybe’ to events -whether on Facebook or in real life! You can see how you feel and choose the events you really don’t want to miss – people will be delighted if you can make it, and will accept if you can’t.
If the thought of trying to entertain in your home this year is frightening, a change of location, or even going somewhere with catering provided, can be a great option. Other ideas could be to have a picnic – where family members each bring a dish to enjoy in the (hopefully) balmy Christmas weather. If you do decide to host Christmas at your place, make sure you don’t take on too much – share the cooking and host responsibilities.
This leads on to being as healthy as possible, but also enjoying your Christmas pudding! Enjoy Christmas treats, but try to fit in your fruit and veggie quota and drink LOTS of water – hydration is key, especially in the warm Christmas weather. Try and fit in some light exercise, even if it’s a family walk, or booking yourself a mega-chill yoga session. You may even want to get in the water – swimming (in a pool, or in the sea) can be a great way to relax and rehabilitate.
Be honest with your friends and family about how you feel. Don’t be afraid of unexpected emotions which may surface, Christmas is a time of year often accompanied by a few tears! It’s also a pretty special time to feel the love from the important people in your life. People will want to know what they can do to help. A good idea could be to make a list of hospital appointments, medications and emergency contacts to give around to close friends and family.
It’s okay to scale back on gifts this year (especially if you feel under financial stress), your company is the greatest Christmas gift you could give to your family. Plus, homemade gifts can be cheaper and fun to make with your children and friends. To find some great suggestions for homemade gifts - click here.
Make sure that you give yourself the time to relax and enjoy Christmas, even during this tricky time and don’t forget to check out all the support services we can offer over the festive season here at BCFNZ - https://www.breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/support