As we come to the end of our school year and begin to anticipate the festive summer season, here are two gifts to give yourself this Christmas.

Gift Number One - Presence
We are about to take some well-earned time off to spend with our loved ones, recharge our batteries and reconnect. This can be harder said than done as we struggle to wind down, to switch off and be fully present. However, many of us may be able to remind ourselves of the opportunities we enjoyed as a community in the forced family time earlier this year. Presence offers us the chance to savour precious moments and take notice of those things that give us joy.

Gift Number Two - Positivity
While we all continue to grapple with the uncertainty of the times, it is important to establish balance in our thought processes. The biologist in me knows that we are designed to scan for negative threats, for that is what has kept the human race safe over the millennia. But there are not likely to be any carnivorous dinosaurs lurking behind a bush this summer, so we can afford to give our brains a break and consciously focus on that which is good. The research work of Martin Seligman has demonstrated that tuning in to the positive and sharing what you are grateful for will improve your wellbeing significantly.

As Carl Sandburg wrote, “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” Presence and positivity are precious gifts to give to yourself and to share with others.

So, as the summer break rolls on, may you enjoy the best of the festive season, connecting with family and friends, reflecting on the fabulous growth your girls will have made at St Margaret’s College this year and looking forward with faith, hope and love to the New Year.