A Christmas Message and Video (can be found on our Facebook) from our Health and Wellness Committee 💚💛
First and foremost, congratulations to the Morrissey brothers Dan & Tom in helping LimerickGAA bring back the Liam McCarthy Cup to the banks of the Shannon once again!
Another proud historic day for Ahane GAA Club and we are all hoping for a repeat dose in 2022 🤞🏻
It’s fair to say that it’s been a challenging year for the majority of us in some shape or form and in particular dealing with the ongoing uncertainty of COVID 19. With this in mind and as part of our community ethos as a club we have a " health & wellness message" which we would like to send out to the local community, to all our club members, non members, friends and families to help people not only enjoy Christmas but to minimise their stress levels 😥
Christmas is a special time of the year for most people, but for some it can be a very difficult time of year for many reasons, such as financial, losing someone close to them, anniversaries and the heightened expectations of family togetherness at Christmas can all combine to create a lot of stress for individuals and families at Christmas. We hope that the following information provides some practical suggestions that might go some way to reducing your 'Christmas stress' and
ensure that this Christmas is remembered for all the right reasons rather than for all the wrong reasons!
• Be aware of what causes you stress at Christmas and look at a way to minimise it
• Avoid discussions on topics that may cause conflict with the people you’re spending Christmas with, if a topic does come up that causes tension, try change the subject or take a few minutes out.
• Try to be realistic about your expectations of Christmas 🎄 The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year!
• As families change and grow, traditions and values often change as well. Choose a few traditions to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones and new memories. For example, if your relatives can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures 📸 , recorded messages or videos 📹💻
• Make time for exercise which will not only lift your mood but make you feel generally better! As the TV advertisements advise enjoy
alcohol but drink sensibly.
If someone close to you has recently died , it may be an anniversary or you can't be with loved ones for what ever reason, acknowledge to yourself that this Christmas will be different and that it is Ok to feel sadness and loss. Plan ahead with this in mind. This might be the Christmas to do things differently like letting someone else host Christmas or visit family and friends who live away. Celebrate the memories rather than the season, remember the season will pass ❤️
If you are alone at Christmas, don’t put off thinking about how you will spend the days over the holiday season. Structure is important so plan how you will spend your days 🙌🏻 You could use the time to do something that you would not normally get time to do like going for walks or a cycle 🚲 🚶🏻🚶🏻♀️
Take care of yourself this Christmas , know your limits and reach out for support if you do find yourself, a friend, neighbour or a family member struggling with the stresses of Christmas.
There are a number of services available that can provide information and support to you not just at Christmas but during the year also on a 24/7 365 basis.
Wishing you all a happy and safe Christmas 🎄
Ahane GAA Health and Wellness Committee 💚
Useful Contacts include:
• The Samaritans - Tel : 1850 609 090 24hrs a day
•Console - Tel: 1800 247 247 24hrs a day
• Aware - Tel: 1890 303 302
• CIPS - Citizens Information – Tel: 0761 074000 • Sean Carey. Health & Wellness Officer Ahane GAA Club. 0879077534
• Jigsaw-Jigsaw .ie 061-974510
• Mymovecouncelling.ie -087 6606561
