At a time of year when excess – eating, drinking, spending money – is not only allowed, but encouraged, I start to wonder what effect this has on our well-being.   During difficult economic times, it can perhaps be liberating to think, to hell with it, its Christmas, I am going to relax and enjoy myself.   And by enjoying ourselves, we usually mean forget about waistines, diets, credit card debt etc.   However, I wonder if it is possible to think about ‘different’ ways of finding enjoyment and happiness, other than the usual self-indulgent, expensive and unhealthy routes.  

Inspired by an article I read recently, I have been pondering on the ways in which, by limiting our choices and our excesses, we can actually lead much happier, and more fulfilling lives.    We are bombarded daily with both choice and abundance, and this can make us feel quite overwhelmed.

I have started using limiting techniques, which I have found are making my life so much simpler and less stressful.   By actually narrowing down my options – and this can be when it comes to choosing which shop to go to, or deciding what to eat, or which product to buy – I have found that I am able to make decisions much more quickly and easily.   In addition, by limiting myself to less – for example not forcing myself to eat huge meals simply because it is ‘that’ time of year – I feel so much better, more energised, but relaxed at the same time.   Bizarrely, I also find that I am enjoying the ‘special’ moments in my life more – my son getting a standing ovation in the school concert for his piano performance counts as one – now that I am using this self-limiting technique.

Try to employ self-limiting techniques in all aspects of your lifeover Christmas, and I will guarantee that you will feel calmer, more relaxed and at peace.  Have a good one.