Most of us will be familiar with the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ the sing-a-long carol that runs through the 12 days of the Christmas season with each day representing a new gift bestowed upon the recipient by their ‘true love’. To give this a mindful twist I thought it would be good to re-imagine the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ from a different perspective focusing on the free gifts of self-love and acceptance available to us all. It’s important to remember that self-care isn’t selfish it’s necessary, because we can’t pour from an empty cup and to be truly present for others we need to look after ourselves too. So here we go…
On the first day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
Permission to not be OK, because sometimes life is difficult and challenging, especially around Christmas and it’s not a sign of weakness to struggle, it’s a sign of being human.
On the second day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
Present moment awareness which frees me from the shackles of the past and fears of the future and encourages me to experience the moment exactly as it is without fear or worry.
On the third day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
The perspective of gratitude which helps me focus on what I have, not what I don’t or what I’ve lost.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
The gift of non-judgement, for freeing myself from the judgement of others or judging others myself I can find more love and compassion in life.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
The power of forgiveness, understanding that forgiveness allows me to let go of the things that have hurt me in the past, freeing me to experience the future unburdened.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
The power to create my own reality, because when I understand that there is no one reality just my own experience of it which is influenced by my focus and perspective, I am better placed to create the life I want.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
The confidence to lovingly walk away from people or things that are no longer in alignment with me becoming the best version of myself.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
Heart brain coherence, understanding that when my heart and brain are working in harmony, I feel a greater sense of love and compassion for myself and others helping me find more empathy for those around me and improving relationships.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
A growth mindset, releasing me from perfectionism and a fear of failure, allowing me to take the risks I need to, to live a fulfilling life and feel the fear but do it anyway.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
Positive self-talk, silencing my inner critic and allowing me to begin to believe that I am worthy of the best life possible.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
Inner peace, finding that place inside through meditation, nature and other practices allows me to tackle the challenges and obstacles that come my way.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true self gave to me:
Self-empowerment through the ability to become the observer of my thoughts, allowing me to notice the story I’m telling myself and empowering me to start releasing the habits and behaviours that hold me back.
So, there you have it, twelve mindful gifts we can use to help us overcome the challenges that come our way, giving us hope for the future and inspiration to carry on when the going gets tough. Why not have a think about the gifts you would give yourself, whether it’s a simple thing like a bit more time for yourself or creating better boundaries with others for your emotional wellbeing, there are a multitude of gifts we can give ourselves at any time of the year because our health is for life, not just for Christmas!