Reach out and connect this Christmas

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?