Wow I just LOVE these new trends which are exactly what I have been talking about for over a decade!
WOW what a revelation I had when I noticed this!
I have recently been challenged with some health issues that lasted some months, it not only affected my physical health but my mental health too.
As you know my vlogs/blogs are all generally solution focus and I try to motivate people in a loving and respectful way.
But recently I just lost my ‘Mo Jo’ and found myself in a pretty dark place.
I am now through this and felt I could offer some golden nuggets in my reflections.
One thing I know is having a simple action plan was my ‘life saver’
I want to share it with you as it really is a wonderful way to live life.
1.My routine of getting up, washing and dressing early and practising a quiet time meditation was how I started my day. Even though I sometimes had to go back to bed to rest I felt I had at least started my day positively.
2.I ensured I had three healthy meals a day and drank plenty of water.
3.Getting into nature daily helped me refocus, connect with my spiritual side and be more loving and kind to myself.
4.Talking about how I was feeling and spending time with people who love, care and respect me was also SO important.
5.Having my work also helped me have a purpose and allowed me to help others and not just think about myself.
6.Pracitising an attitude of gratitude daily helped me realise it could be worse, allowed me to notice the good things I do have in my life.
7.Getting at least 7 or eight hours sleep at night and resting when I needed too is a wonderful way to rejuvenate and replenish our bodies.
8.Even though it was hard I stuck to my exercise routine and did at least 3 classes of yoga a week and getting out on my bike for gentle rides.
A friend came for lunch last weekend and bought me a gift, it was a framed picture that said. ‘This too will pass’ which gave me great comfort.
Often when life becomes a little hard, I can feel I will be stuck in it forever. Generally that is not true, something always seems to change.
As I started to think about this month’s Blog I realised the above ‘Formula’ is actually the perfect action formula for life regardless of what is going on!
I now feel so much more comfort having a formula that can carry me through the good times, as well as the bad and ensure I love and respect myself whatever is going on.
Are you truly transparent, open, honest and authentic, can you say how you are really feeling and are not just a people pleaser? if not you need to check this out…
We all often feel better in our own comfort zones but if we really want to see changes we have to break out of our comfortable place, check out this fun Vlog and allow yourself to be brave, remember nothing grows in the comfort zone!
This is a subject very close to my heart, with 25 years of recovery I feel I have a lot of experience in this area. I thought it might be useful to include a definition and this is what I found…
The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity.
Many people are not even aware that they may be addicted to something and the list I am sharing is only the tip of the iceberg.
Food (under eating/overeating/anorexia/bulimia/controlled eating)
Work
Sex
Drugs
Sport/exercise
Negativity
Self-harm
Self-neglect
Relationship or co-dependency
Constant activity
Tv/computers or games
Shopping
I guess the first thing is to Acknowledge you have an issue, when I was an exercise addict I often felt compelled to exercise even when I was tired or unwell. Also my food addiction felt like a true compulsion, I just had to have it and used food as a ‘self soother’,it was my comfort.
I somehow felt more in control when I was using a substance or activity and often said, ‘what will you give me to help me relax without one of the above?’
The solution really comes with the three A’s(Acknowledgement, Acceptance and Action) after the acknowledgement and then some sort of acceptance, the real work begins with the action part.
Getting help is truly in my experience the way forward, that may be with a visit to your GP, Counselling, Coaching, group therapy etc but the top of the list for me was entering a 12 step program.
In this ever changing, and at present, fearful time we all often turn to something to help ease the stress, or somehow get away from reality and addiction certainly helps us be less present to the worries of the world and life around us.
It’s not easy to admit you are addicted to something but once I took that step the rest of the journey became easier, today I still have challenges but instead of using food, alcohol, or over exercise I am able to talk about my feelings.
I have learned I can sit with them rather than use something to numb them, I am more able to articulate what’s going on for me and less likely to use anything that may eventually cause my body to become unwell. I also am more aware the only person I can change is myself so I am mindful not to take on the world’s problems. I try to ensure I take care of myself well and this has a massive knock on effect to all around me.
So finally If this does apply to you or someone you know, help is always available you just have to be ready to ask.
URGENT NOTICE! We must listen to our bodies if we want to obtain the best health, it will communicate to us with various signs from gut instinct to pain, make sure you have your headphones on loud and clear.
We all can be impatient sometimes ,did you know it can lead to health issues? anxiety, and trying to control situations can lead to negative emotions and often long term stress.
We all want to work on self improvement at some stage of our lives, but the feelings of becoming a better person are truly amazing and the health benefits are not what we often expect.
I have just recently returned from a wonderful Cruise on the ‘Queen Mary 2’ as a guest speaker and I was filled with purpose and joy.
I have realised two things I love are ‘people and purpose’.
So this month’s blog is all about fulfilling our purpose.
How do you know if you are? well it’s a great question but I PROMISE you when you are following it you feel freedom, excitement, passion, energy, love and joy!
So if you are not feeling any of the above (ideally all of them!) then you may not have found your true purpose yet.
I was blessed to have been able to follow my purpose from a young teenager and that was to help others in some way ( I was an auxiliary Nurse back in the day) and also followed on with Nursing and now Life Coaching (specialising in health).
My suggestion would be to start taking quiet time and asking yourself what your calling is, by taking regular time out of daily life, sitting quietly and being still. Just connect with your inner self and you will notice ideas or guidance to do something will present itself in some way.
Then write down what you are good at and love and perhaps speak with someone else about it, a friend or a coach.
If you are not really fulfilled or are in any way not really happy perhaps it’s time to go that bit deeper and find what it is you are really here for?
As Socrates once said ‘The unexamined life is not worth living’.
I wish you fun on your journey of self discovery.
We all want to ensure we get the most out of our time each day ,however multitasking is actually bad for our health and can cause anxiety and stress.
Does fear hold you back? we all can have issues at times with fear to a greater or lesser degree.
I don’t really know what I was expecting as so many people have had such different experiences with Covid-19, so I thought I would write about the positive things that came out of my isolation time.
Firstly, my only symptoms were feeling hugely exhausted and a lack of appetite so before I even start I was really lucky.
As my week closed down and my energy declined I was mainly resting and getting up for meals, it made me realise the simplest things were the most valuable to me.
My roof over my head, my warm bed, my bath, my toilet, my garden view, my husband, my heating, my food and water, my family and friends, who were all available to me and gave me such comfort.
I felt so many feelings over the week from loneliness, sadness, frustration, disappointment, anger, and vulnerability.
I learned that ‘its ok’ to have all the feelings and to sit with each of them with respect for what they are telling me.
I have learned that I am truly blessed to have ALL my basic needs met and the biggest lessons are to live ‘one day at a time’ and make the best of what you have.
This time has also allowed me to slow down which is a lifetime aim of mine , and enjoy the journey rather than the destination.
So as I brace myself for re-entry, I hope I am a little more humble and respectful to my amazing body that has got me through a challenging time.
We can often say , I will sort my health out tomorrow, next month, on Monday but we all know deep down NOW is the time to really address improving our Health.
we all love to be successful, can it be said in a simple word? check out this weeks vlog and see
2021 is nearly gone 2022 is along, the in-between bit feels often some how odd and undirectinal as we wait for something to end and something to start. How can we make the best of this period? read my Blog and find out.
That is exactly where we are, 2021 is nearly gone and 2022 is coming along!’The in-between bit’
For some it can be a difficult time as there is so much uncertainty in the world, but today I want to speak about a ritual I have done for the last 10 years.
It is truly a magical thing and I feel so blessed I have been practicing this as it really allows space for reflection and gratitude.
First my husband and I purchased 2 gold notebooks and a really beautiful candle, we sit down (usually new year’s eve) and start with a five-minute quiet time.
We try to create a calm, quiet, present space and then light the candle, we both read out what we wrote last year, our reflections challenges and gratitude’s and then a wish for the coming year. If this is your first time just do your journaling reminding yourself of the key questions.
What your challenges, reflections, and gratitude were for the past year and end with your hopes for the coming year.
The process only takes about 20 minutes, we then read each other’s thoughts out and the final part is where we discuss what we wrote.
It really is a wonderful way to end a year and start a new one as it encompasses openness, honesty transparency, and presence, it allows your relationships to deepen and give you a greater insight into yourself and others.
This exercise can also be done as a family,with friends, or on our own.
For me, it fills up the ‘in-between bit’ of Xmas and new year with a sense of gratitude and hope.It allows me to see the changes over the years and focus more on my appreciation of life.
So as I write my last Blog for 2021 I wish you all a truly, happy, healthy, and blessed 2022.