Test: What stops you doing Christmas differently?

What’s keeping you stuck is not external pressure but your own resistance to change and fear of the unknown. The tried and tested traditions, even when they leave you feeling flat or overwhelmed, provide a sense of security and predictability that can feel safer than venturing into new territory.

The thought of disrupting established routines can also feel overwhelming, and a lot more effort that sticking with the status quo. You might tell yourself you’ll shake things up next year, but when next year arrives, the same worries resurface. The trouble with staying firmly in a comfort zone is that eventually it stops feeling comfortable and starts feeling suffocating.

You may feel like life is busy enough without trying new things but it’s also a myth that sticking to what’s familiar takes less effort – you could be overlooking opportunities to dial down the effort factor, while also adding new the energy and enjoyment for all.

Change doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and just small tweaks can build your confidence – and tolerance for chaos if it all goes wrong. The only way to know if something better is possible is to try.

Chances are the catastrophe you’re imagining won’t materialise, and if it does, it will just add to the messy joy and humanness that’s at the heart of every celebration.

Your next steps
1. Imagine yourself at this time next year – what kind of Christmas do you want to be looking back on?
2. Collaborate and delegate – the less you do yourself, the less there is to feel responsible for.