If I’m honest, I’ve never worried about eating too much over Christmas.
I’ve always seen Christmas as a time to eat, and to eat more than normal. If anything, Christmas was the time when I felt free to eat whatever I want, without fear of judgment or shame.
Food was always at the centre. It was a time to enjoy the best of my Grandmother’s cooking, all in one day.
No, food and eating was never my problem during Christmas.
My problem has always been the emotions surrounding the whole interpersonal experience.
What does that mean?
It’s managing difficult relationships, negative self-belief and all the other complex thoughts and feelings that come up in the Christmas melting pot.
Now I have the tools and strategies to manage these things, I fear the experience less. I’m still aware of the potential they have to prod and poke old wounds, but I feel equipped to handle it in a way that doesn’t ruin the whole season.
Takeaway: My challenge around Christmas is emotional and interpersonal; it’s not really about food. I’m now more prepared to face that challenge head on.