Please, don’t restrict – reflect.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, our society’s yearly schedule has made a big priority of this holiday in the calendar. That means that regardless of your beliefs and practices, industries such as the fashion and modelling industry nearly come to a complete halt for 2 weeks every December around Christmas. This holiday season comes with an opportunity to create amazing memories, but as a model, it may come with a surprising amount of anxiety.

For many, the Christmas break is about treats, food, and alcohol, and lots of it. And though the industry has gotten better, there still is an immense pressure and expectations regarding our body image. This makes the idea of changing eating habits, taking the chance of perhaps gaining a little weight or developing a spot or two difficult to stomach. Personally, the first few years were difficult for me on that front.

Another element that can be worrying is that you know that half the month is going to be slow workwise, which means that you may not scoop a lot of jobs in December. These two together are not a nice combination, as many models correlate work and money with body image, so the fear of not earning enough money may make us be harder on ourselves when it comes to how much we will allow ourselves to indulge.

I have highlighted 5 things you can do in the run-up and during the Christmas break to show more kindness to yourself and really enjoy the time off.

1. Remember, it's okay to eat more and unhealthier than normal. It is also okay to take time out to relax; you are not only allowed, but you also deserve it.

2. Be honest with your family and friends about your feelings; this may prevent you from feeling lonely.

3. Start making a financial overview and plan prior to Christmas and a month or two following, to take the pressure off financially.

4. Practice self-care regularly. This can mean anything you want; self-care is personal. Examples could be, walks, journaling and meditation

5. Get some rest during the period and/or have fun! Whatever you need. It is really the only time a year where the whole industry is on hold, so the only time where your plans won't be interrupted by options, jobs, or castings.

The most important thing to remember is that this is your career, your life, and you should be able to enjoy all aspects of your day-to-day life, outside the pressure of work. Having our looks at the forefront of our career makes it really difficult to juggle when and what to sacrifice for it. It is up to you to check in and recognize what is right for you. All I know is that restricting myself from happy moments, joyful treats and lazy mornings never granted me any work. The moment I started relaxing and resting in myself, I grew confidence, and with that came clients. Please, don't restrict – reflect.