Wow, this is a tough Blog to put out there 2 weeks before Xmas! ( bless me 🫣)
I fully understand the enormity of a busy life, and to add Xmas into the mix seems almost an impossible task! how can we find the space to create any peace?
The truth is it’s something we all need to learn to find otherwise we seem to be left with the consequences of lack of peace, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, mood swings, inability to concentrate, over or under-eating, anxiety, and even depression (to name but a few!)
The reality is, as well as being unhappy ourselves it has a knock-on effect to those around us.
What we really want to achieve at this time of year is a relaxing, fun, calm connection with family and friends yet what many of us experience is an overload of stress!
How can we address this is your question? To be honest, it may seem an unachievable goal, so let’s break it done into bite-sized actions that can help you enormously to create a bit more peace in your life for now and ongoing.
1.write a list of the most important things you would like to improve
2. Do one thing each day for self-care
3. Make a small amount of time to get into nature to think about how you can make the changes
4. Start with a small action and start to build on it
5. Remember if nothing changes nothing will improve
6.Take responsibility for creating some peaceful moments, as no one can do it for you
What’s amazing is once we start to put these actions in place we automatically start to get the benefits of a more peaceful life, when we make time for ourselves first EVERYONE will benefit! Why, because when I’m feeling more peaceful it has a massive knock-on on effect to those around us.
We are great at suggesting to our kids, family, work colleagues, and friends to take care of themselves better so we clearly know the importance of it.
Perhaps now is the time to do it for yourself, if you really want a healthier, happier more peaceful xmas you must start with some self-care, it’s the best gift you will ever give yourself this and every xmas.
In today's fast-paced world, where productivity and hustle are celebrated, we often overlook the importance of rest, but did you know that rest is a crucial component of a healthy-life.
Rest helps manage stress levels and lowers blood pressure, contributing to a healthier heart.
Rest helps you think more clearly, have quicker reflexes and focus better. “The fact is, when we look at well-rested people, they seem to operate at a different level.
So why don’t people make enough time to rest and relax on a daily basis?
What I notice with many people and my clients is, it’s often seen as being lazy, non-productive and even selfish and people just seem to feel guilty.
The issue is we are not robots or machines and if we don’t make more time to rest the consequences soon filter in, lack of sleep raised anxiety, higher level of stress as well as numerous physical ailments.
When our lack of rest builds up we can often turn to over or under eating and even drugs or alcohol to soothe our already restless nerves. We are often irritable and our moods can swing enormously and of course even end up in burn out.
As always what is the solution, how can we schedule time in for rest and still feel productive in the world?
I guess for what it’s worth I can only look to research and my own experience, if I don’t make time for my health I wil have to make time for my illness.
Perhaps just start paying attention to your own schedule, are you already starting to feel the effects of lack of rest? if so perhaps start by making time for one small kind act to yourself where you can rest, by starting with something small maybe an early night, a few moments to sit in nature, or even a long bath.
I GUARANTEE to you ,you will soon start to reap the benefits and will automatically begin to schedule more rest into your busy life.
Finally remember you would give this advise to a friend so how about doing it for yourself?
Wow this is a Biggy today!
It really is hard sometimes to refocus when things go wrong in life, but this practise is truly amazing for our mental health if we can just try it.
Something I love is telling story’s so here goes!
Last week I went to Health Spa to do a regular talk with my guest, after an amazing time we got in the car to go home and the car would not start.
As you can imagine it was an awful moment, so many negative thoughts flooded my mind, how long will it take to fix? How much will it cost? How will I get home? The negative thoughts just kept coming and I was starting to really feel depressed.
I stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and and allowed myself to practice the three A’s. ( something I created to help me in any tough situation)
1.Acknowledge how I felt ( angry, sad and frustrated)
2.Accept how I felt. (In the moment honouring my feelings without judgement)
3.Action, what can I do about the situation?
First things first also come to mind, so I called the AA and then I started to really shift the negative thoughts to positive ones and just kept focussing on those.
It is not an easy practice, but I promise it gets easier the more you do it!
The reality is life stuff happens and having a more open mind and flipping as soon as you can really does make you feel better!
Yes it was a pain and it took 5 hours to sort, but breaking down at a health spa was not the worst place to be.
Yes it cost 150 pounds but thank god I had got that money.
Yes it delayed me and shortened my day ,but I got home safely and was able to still have a nice evening with my husband and friends who came for dinner.
The gratitude started to really pour out and I have even been able to write this Blog to encourage others.
Remember we do have a choice about what we focus on and if I choose the focus on the negative I feel crap and so does everyone around me.
If I choose to focus on the positive more solutions seem to come and I get over it all way quicker, plus my health both mental and physical is less impacted.
Today could be the day you start this practise so give it a try and notice the difference.
I once heard a hard-hitting statement that said.
IF we don’t MAKE time for our Health, we will have to MAKE time for our illness.
I do love a great thought-provoking question, most people know the importance of self-care and the obvious benefits so why do people often get burned out? put their family’s or friends above their one needs? put their work first and self-care somehow falls to the bottom of the list?
No one (generally) when looking back on their life in their last moments here would say, ‘I should have spent more time in the office’
The real truth is about self-care is when we practice it EVERYONE benefits!
A recent study on NHS England states ‘self-care reduces heart disease, stroke and cancer’
Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. When it comes to your mental health, self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy.
So why are many health related diseases on the rise, in particular mental health ?
I guess that’s the million dollar question but the truth is there are many reasons why ( or some might say excuses) why we say we can’t put our health first and these need to be addressed.
Lack of time
Lack of energy or motivation
Lack of money
Lack of support
Lack of desire
Procrastination
As a health Coach, I work with people in a respectful loving non-judgemental way so if you feel you are really ready to practice self-care but don’t know where to start, talk to someone who could support you ( that may be a doctor, a friend or partner) . Write down what you really want and look at the above questions and find ways around them.
I also know when people really want to make changes, they are able to make the time and take responsibility for their own health.
My suggestion is always to do small actions and tiny steps in the right direction.
And finally to know you really are WORTH IT x