Cookies, lights and Christmas trees – there are many pleasant aspects to Christmas. It can, of course, also be a very stressful time. Dr. Michael Ziegler from the Chair of Business and Social Psychology at FAU explains what resilience has to do with a relaxing time during Advent and how we can increase our resilience.
A quiet end to the year
For many, the last few weeks of the year are an opportunity to end the year quietly and recover from the stresses of the previous months. The time just before Christmas where we enjoy delicious cookies, decorate our Christmas trees and make our traditional visits to Christmas markets with our co-workers seems like a welcome change. However, Christmas time itself can also be quite stressful. There are often many deadlines at work and it can be quite challenging to find the time to attend various Christmas parties – be they at work or at the sports club – where tensions may arise. And last but not least, some of us might still have to get some gifts at the last minute. This is exactly where we need resilience!
But what is resilience?
Resilience can be described as mental stamina. Resilience is a resource that can help us to overcome high levels of stress and maintain our mental wellbeing – not only during the Christmas period. It helps us to recover from stress quickly and rise up to any challenges we may face.
Focus on the present moment
Resilient people are characterized by a high level of mindfulness, which is an unbiased attitude towards events that happen to you or around you. The focus is on the present moment. Optimism, a positive underlying attitude, also plays a decisive role for resilience.
Keep your temper under control
It is not only important to be a resilient person, but actually dealing with problematic situations and overcoming them is also vital. It can therefore be useful to keep your temper under control and calm down. It is also important to consider various ways of solving the problem and to put them into action without letting oneself get distracted.
These tips can help you to increase your resilience:
The lucky coin trick
“Lucky coin trick” to encourage optimism: In the morning, you put three coins in your left pocket and each time you experience something positive, you transfer one coin into your right pocket. In the evening, you count how many coins you have in your right pocket and think about the positive experiences they represent.
Candle meditation
“Candle meditation” for increasing mindfulness: At Christmas time especially, we tend to use lots of candles as they create a pleasant atmosphere. Take this opportunity and light a candle. Make sure you are sitting comfortably and consciously focus on the flame of the candle. Gaze at the flame a for a couple of minutes. What can you see? Which color is the flame, what shape is it? Focus only on the flame. While doing so, let your thoughts wander (for example to your upcoming deadlines) and guide your focus determinedly back towards the flame.
Accepting negative feelings
Accept your negative feelings. Negative feelings such as anger are a perfectly normal reaction when we are confronted with a difficult situation. These feelings exist and are justified, which means that we should accept them.
Go on an excursion in your mind
Go on an “excursion in your mind” to keep a cool head and calm yourself down in a stressful situation. Pause for a moment when negative feelings arise and consciously breathe in and out. Try to think of a pleasant experience from the past (for example by looking at photographs from your last summer vacation), or listen to a piece of music that reminds you of a happier time or that will get you in the mood for Christmas.
Plan for challenges with to-do lists
Use to-do lists to help find the right solution to overcome everyday problems so that you are more organized when it comes to completing your tasks. First of all, try to get an overview of which tasks need to be completed. Then weigh up various solutions to the problems, decide which one to use and then use it.
Don’t get distracted
Don’t let yourself get distracted when you’re trying to get something done. Consider beforehand which obstacles could prevent you from achieving your goals and try to come up with a strategy for dealing with these obstacles.
Learn to say no
If you can’t attend all those Christmas parties or can’t complete all the items on your to-do list, then it might be time to start saying “no”. It is easier to say “no” if you’re clear about which of your own needs you are catering to if you say “no”. You must therefore always ask yourself what you are saying “yes” to when you are saying “no”.
These short tips will help you to stay calmer during Advent, and enable you to enjoy Christmas and gain new strength for the new year.
Dr. Michael Ziegler, Chair of Economic and Social Psychology at FAU. (Image: Studioline Photography)
I would like to wish you and your families happy holidays and a happy new year for 2024, which we will welcome with confidence and resilience and embrace the new challenges that are sure to arise.
If you make a donation for students on one of the Sundays in Advent, you will automatically be entered into the prize draw to win two tickets to the 2024 Schlossgartenfest on June 29, 2024.
Choose a label, buy a gift, wrap it, hand it in and bring some joy – this is how the gift tree of the Catholic and Protestant student communities works.
Advent, Advent …