Reach out and connect this Christmas
This Christmas period can be a hard time for some people, here are some helpful tips to make you make your loved ones feel supported and included this holiday season.
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Christmas and the holiday season should be a time of happiness, celebration and the chance to have a break from your everyday routine. For some it can also be a really difficult time of year. There are many factors that could be the reason why some may struggle with the festivities going on around them such as:
- Financial pressure
- Grief
- Family challenges
- Feeling unsafe in their home
- Feelings of exclusion
- Spending the holidays alone
- Working over the holidays
- Feeling overwhelmed by life in general
If you know of someone who is finding this time of year tough, you can make a difference by taking the time to check in with them and provide them with support during this time.
You can provide this support by;
- Thinking about who in your world might be finding this time difficult and ask them ‘are you ok?’ or ‘how are you doing?’
- Meet up for a chat over a coffee
- Ask them to go for a walk
- If someone is grieving, ask them how they would like to honour the memory of their loved ones.
- Invite them to join you for Christmas if they were going to be alone.
- Organise an activity to bring people together and re-connect
- Have a virtual catch up with someone you know who finds the holidays tough,
- Drop off a meal to someone to show them you care,
- Remind your friends that telephone support service Lifeline (13 11 14) are operating 24/7 over the holidays if they need extra support.
Remember Conversation could be the best medicine #RUOK?