From People and Culture
THE FESTIVE SEASON AND OUR WELLBEING
Summer time, the festive season, the end of the year and the beginning of a new year can be a joyous happy time. A time for celebration and connecting with family and friends. It’s when we indulge in traditions along with long held and newly formed rituals that come with the time of year. We tend to be more social, eat more, drink more, and we treat our loved ones and ourselves. We tend to want to make it a special memory making time for those that we love. Sometimes we can place pressure on ourselves which can be stressful, and we can find ourselves ‘burning the candle at both ends’ more than any other time of the year. However, for many of us we look forward to this time of the year and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
As we are reading this newsletter it’s likely homes will be decorated, menus will be planned, for some hams will be in the fridge and puddings will be hanging. We start to wear our festive earrings, pyjamas or put tinsel in our hair and we are likely to know who our Secret Santa is. We might be dusting off our party clothes or working out what gift to buy for that person who seems to have it all. We could be listening to Christmas carols whilst wrapping gifts and adding to our to do lists. We could be looking forward to watching the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race or the Boxing Day Test whilst eating leftovers or simply hanging out for some down time.
For some, it will mean keeping the traditions and rituals of the season alive and for others, it may be the beginning of brand new traditions and rituals. For most we will be connecting with others, we will think of those who can’t be with us, and we will remember those who are no longer with us. Whether you decide to deep dive and embrace the cheer of the season, take it easy and chill or whether you sit somewhere in the middle, it truly can be a magical wonderful time of the year.
It is true that for some it isn’t always a time of the year that brings joy and celebration, rather it can be the hardest time of the year. There are many reasons why this could be the case and should you, a loved one or someone you know find this a difficult time of the year, please see the below contacts/links that can provide support throughout the festive season. Remember the festive season can mean something different to other people and may bring up different feelings. For you it may be a time of joy and celebration but not everyone will feel the same. It is a time to be kind and gentle with ourselves and with each other and to remember that compassion and kindness is a powerful way to make a real difference.
However you spend this time of the year, we hope you find time to relax and re-charge, we hope you experience the love of family and friends, and we wish you all a truly fabulous time and every happiness.
Cindy Woolley
MANAGER EMPLOYEE WELLBEING
IN EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY CALL 000
Lifeline – 131 114 (24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention)
Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 (24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention for children and young people aged 2 to 25)
Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636 (24/7 support line)
13 YARN – 139 276 (24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People)
Qlife –1800 184 527 (LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral line)
Access Mental Health Helpline – 1800 332 388 (24/7 support, information and referral line)
MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78 (24/7 counselling service for men)
Family Violence – Call 000 if anyone is in imminent danger or 1800 633 937 (24/7 Referral and Response Line)
1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732 (24/7 support for people impacted by sexual assault and family violence)
Sexual Assault – 1800 697 877 (24/7 sexual assault support)
Find Help Tas Website – www.findhelptas.org.au
