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The secret to enjoying a stress-free Christmas: a top life coach says it鈥檚 learning to say NO

7 December 2017

Whether you’re up to your eyes in shopping, parties or planning ahead for the big day, the pressures of the Christmas season can take their toll.

And when we try to fit all this extra activity around our already busy lifestyles, it has the potential to be very damaging, .

“We’re in a race to get to Christmas Day, and Christmas Day happens and we stop for a few hours and then it’s go again. It’s not healthy, ” he said.

“We need a massive rethink of how we go about living our life at such an important time of year.”

Pete believes that by allowing ourselves to give in to social pressures we’re putting our mental health at risk.

“Most people know that they say yes to too many things and they put themselves to the bottom of the queue.”

Don鈥檛 feel guilty

“I think it has a lot to do with just wanting to be accepted, wanting to do the right thing, ” said Pete.

Life coach Pete Cohen

“But we often do the right thing by other people rather than ourselves.

“By the time Christmas comes most people are exhausted.”

A solution is to learn to say no without feeling guilty.

“So many of us put everyone else first because we want to fit in, we are tribal people,” according to Pete.

“But I would say to people if you really feel in your heart of hearts that there’s something that you don’t want to do, just say no.

“It feels uncomfortable to say no but the relief you’ll probably get from having said it [...] you’ll probably feel better for having done it.”

The programme in full

  • Gillian Russell opens the advent calendar of festive stresses, unpicking and resolving them for a happier, healthier Christmas.

Tips for making Christmas easier

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