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I don’t want a thermomixer this Christmas. I don’t want the latest iPhone or even new running shoes. Truth be told I don’t love receiving gifts, I’d prefer to be on the other side of that equation. But there are some gifts I need this year.

They just don’t come in shiny packages, and can’t be ordered from any department store. They have no price tag, and I am both the giver and the receiver.

This year I want to offer myself four gifts that, after the dumpster fire of 2020 & 2021, I think we could all probably all use more of.

The gift of self compassion

The last two years have tested most of us. We are tired and empty. The pandemic has worn us down to the nub of our being. Testing us over and over again.

I had so many goals heading into 2020 and didn’t achieve most of them. In the first lockdown I tried and failed at homeschooling more than I care to count. I also tried and failed at many self-care routines. A worldwide pandemic is not the best time to try giving up wine 😏

And after two years of trying so bloody hard at everything, including just surviving, I’ve realized what I really need is the gift of self compassion.

I need to go real easy on myself. I need a blankie and a cup of tea. A good book, no phone reception and endless amounts of grace for myself.

And I need to love myself the way I love my kids. To forgive myself for messing up for the thirty-fouth time. And I need to tell myself that it’s actually okay to just exist. I don’t have to do anything to prove myself.

I know so many of you struggle with self-image and self-love too, so this Christmas, please join me in giving yourself a healthy dose of self-compassion.

You might also like: All I want for Christmas is peace and quiet… (and how I’m getting it)

The gift of curiosity

The second gift I need this year is that of curiosity. The last two years have been hard work and what I need now is to have some good old fashioned fun.

The most enjoyable times I’ve had often occur after I have decided to follow my curiosity. Running really long distances was because I was curious about how far I could push my body. I never imagined that running an ultra marathon would be one of the best times of my life!

We value curiosity in children because we know it’s how they learn and grow. But being curious is good for us too. The benefits of curiosity are perhaps more important as we age and are more likely to become physically and mentally stagnant.

What is it that you are curious about? Follow it and see where it leads.

I’m currently feeding my creative curiosity by learning about taxidermy, and by dabbling in punch needling.

And, as Elizabeth Gilbert points out, curiosity is kinder than passion. You don’t have to be passionate about something, or anything. A little curiosity can go along way.

Instead of that anxiety about chasing a passion that you’re not even feeling, do something that’s a lot simpler, just follow your curiosity.

Elizabeth Gilbert

A sense of humor

Again, due to the dumpster fire that has been the last two years, it’s felt harder to find anything to laugh about.

And yet actively seeking something to make us laugh is one of the best things we can do to help us navigate the world right now. Laughter stimulates our sympathetic nervous system and the physical effects can actually mimic that of an antidepressant.

Find something to laugh about everyday. Watch a sitcom, or a funny movie. Cue up your favorite you tube bloopers. Play a funny family board game.

And if you haven’t yet indulged in the comments after Sharon burnt her pie last week, please visit HERE and thank me later 🤣

And although this gift is for you, laughter is contagious so this is a gift that will likely effect those around too.

Give yourself the gift of laughter this Christmas and cultivate a sense of joy in your home and family.

The ability to pivot

I love and need all of these gifts this year, but this last one is by far the hardest one for me to receive. This year I want to give myself the gift of pivoting.

If the last 2 years has taught us anything it’s that life and the world we live in is full of uncertainty.

Since making plans is one of my best hobbies, uncertainty is not my friend. And I know I’m not alone in this.

Right now the world is overflowing with best laid plans. From my kids rugby tournament to people not being able to attend funerals, large crowds of people are just not a thing anymore.

And planning for anything is almost impossible.

Herein lies the perfect opportunity to learn to pivot, as gracefully as one can muster, into alternatives. To see the glass half full instead of half empty, and to any silver linings that might be hiding away in the dumpster fire 😂

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I hope you get want you want for Christmas. Maybe it’s a thermomix, or maybe it’s something a bit more intangible, like world peace, or more joy, or more self compassion.

You have it within you to offer yourself the best gifts this Christmas. Don’t pass up the opportunity to love yourself this holiday season.

If you are feeling crazy-busy and overwhelmed at this time of the year, I’d love to invite you to take my FREE 5-day email series, designed to bring some much needed joy and calm into your December.