It’s a great idea to try to start a routine in your morning, if you haven’t already, to get yourself in the best frame of mind, for the start of your day especially if in a lock down. Do something today ,that will help you feel better tomorrow. Here is some tips to start off your morning better…
1) Make the areas of your home, you are going to wake up and use first thing, tidy and clam. Pick say two areas,get this done the night before, just a quick tidy nothing to crazy just so it’s ready and feels in order,so it’s a clam usable space.
2) Right a quick list of things you want to achieve for the day, from ordering a food shop, sending some emails, exercise goal for the day etc.if you can’t do in the morning then list the night before ahead of the next day. Remember to tick them off as you go you will feel a Real sense of achievement.
3) Pick out what to wear for tomorrow, so when you wake up, it’s ready. Doing this will help you have a more positive wardrobe choice than you are likely to do if in a rush in the morning. for example if it’s a run first thing have it all ready for you to go do this in the morning,charge your fit bit, phone etc, so a positive start from the get go.
4) Wake up before the rest of the house, this is so you can have a moment to have your coffee, wake up properly ahead of the day, and anything it trows at you, such as work, homeschooling, house tasks and the work life balance you juggle
5) Make your breakfast count. Get organised, prep it all ready the night before into Tupperware , especially if you no, this is the only way you will have time round your activities to eat. Make it full of what you need to fuel your body for the start of your day. Make sure you include a glass of water first thing to when waking up, keeping hydrated is so important!
6) Morning movement, If you can fit in exercise In the morning then do! Ideally start with a stretch,walk, yoga or Pilates style workout that allows a lot of breathing and mindfulness, it will boost the start to your day so much. If you haven’t tried these things before, give them ago! Exercise really can give you a great positive boost, just what you having been missing or looking for,from your mornings.
There is a time where we all struggle to identify with what makes us truly happy. It hard to no where your happiness lies as it’s all part of our ever changing mindset, but once you have identified it, it will change your life. Choosing to do more of what makes you happy is one of the best investment you can make!
The more happier you are the more you will project this outward, to what you attract into your life and naturally to those people around you,so don’t feel guilty for investing time for yourself , they to benefit by you being the best version of yourself. We All need to make the time to help find out what makes us happy and build on this in our life and the strategies that we feel provide this to us as a person.
Remember you get out what you put in, if little time is invested into your personal happiness, then the less happy you will feel.
This “Internal happiness ” isn’t always easy to find as it’s a ever changing and supported by our mind-set therefore it needs to be maintain! If you don’t keep it topped up it’s going to start to slip and fade. Keep being consistent in investing in it for yourself.
If you want to try to identify what currently would help you feel happier, then It’s good to list the things out that you feel are currently in your life, that do make you happy.From this list,then identify what of this is purely for you, just you,you as an individual not as a role you play to others. Remember this is keeping your happiness true to you. Making sure you regularly do what makes you happy as daily as possible, even if it’s a 30 minute me time, exercise class or walk, it will keep you also feeling strong in your mindset to.
The key is to learn how to keep it going. It’s very easy to dedicate time into making others happy but don’t you too need to also be happy and have this as a priority in your life? This is to ensure you keep “you” being the real you. So you keep true to who you are, who you identity as a person in your own right, as well as all the other labels you carry, partner, mother, father, sibling, colleague, friend etc.
It maybe a collection of things, that when put together they collectively lead you to finding your happiness. When you find this and your mindset is happier, you’ll find that your living more in the moment, your more at peace with yourself and have learnt that it’s ok to say no to things. You may also become more confident in who you are, you may want to try new things, new experiences, thinge that definitely move you outside your comfort zone. With these things until you brave them and take more steps forward towards the things you want to do,but have been to scared to try in the past, If you don’t ever try these, will you feel regret or feel your missing out?
Make a list of what you feel makes you happy. Identify What on the list is currently in your life and what on the list currently isn’t. Then if you have a few things listed pick 2 or 3 of them that you want bring into your life and Focus on right now. plan some steps for this to happen. keep the things you feel make you happy under review as it can change, so goals can be made, moved and achieved, keep a eye on your mood and mind. Don’t let yourself slip back because your giving everything to everyone else.
It might be you don’t yet no what truly makes you feel happy, but no what definitely doesn’t make you happy!maybe start with this and looking at what can you change, even eliminate from life. Try to avoid and stop doing the things that you don’t like and that are definitely not making you happy. It maybe this change has to come first before you can even think of what makes you happy, clearly in your mind.
Making time to analyse what impacts you negatively and positively is very important, others wise you can form a toxic lifestyle and routine of things that collectively make you unhappy, and spend little time on what brings positivity to your day, the long term impact of this will be on your mental health, so get it right for you.
Remember your mind is one of the most powerful life tools you have and happiness is a state of your mindset. Invest in it and the returns are endless.
Ever get those days where nothing seems right and you head to the fridge for whatever comforts you ,from wine, ice cream, cheese or cupboards for biscuits, cakes and crisps and without thinking consume them even if not Hungary. Are you someone who when things seem hard and hopeless you want a quick comfort, something that gives a short fix but then this adds to the feeling of failure and being out of control.
This behaviour is you hitting a self destruction button, which later you regret as you don’t feel better from the binge at all just worse.
The question to yourself is what’s happened?what started the slope that caused you to feel like this and derail?
If it’s negative thoughts and beliefs in your head about yourself causing this for you, have you considered how true they are,do you actually believe them? Are they limiting you in your life? Beliefs are only actually real if you believe them! So how can you unpick the real from the untrue ones.
The first step is to change the way you think and look at things. Try getting your own new perspective of things (this is your start line) if you have hit the bottom the only way now is up.Be honest about what you have been doing that hasn’t worked and what you need to do to ensure you succeed?
Ask yourself next time you go to open the fridge at night after a hard day, do I want that Ice cream or is this a comfort fix? If it’s for comfort, What if you decide to face the emotions instead and talk about them or write them down, get them out don’t store them and lose control by hitting self-destruct button anymore. For the moment you lose control, you open the ice cream tub you try to suppress emotions buy a short term comfort, this is you self sabotaging everything your working so hard towards.
The key is you realise this and make a change Recognise your hurting yourself your in a circle of comfort eating and break free, take control and be present in your thoughts and work on progress and happiness for yourself.
When you have a day or time where things start to slip and make you feel low, learn to recognise this and interject straight away.
1) when you feel your at your weakest, keep away from toxic communication and surround yourself with positive people and things that lift your spirits. This can be music, programmes, films, fitness routines to speaking to fiends. Engage with a Community of people in the same boat if it’s around fitness or weight goals. Look for motivation and inspiration.
2) It’s important to acknowledge where you are and know that it will pass. Don’t dwell, keep moving and if you do step off course , change the next step to being back On track,’the pass has happened but you can Change the now. Try Communicating to a close friend, others on the same journey or to your self, try owning the feelings “say I’m having a rubbish day” the sooner you own it the sooner it can change, as it’s no longer being stored and bottled up. Plus by owning your feelings by saying “I feel sad”this helps you realise where you truly are with your emotions and you may feel more able to deal with them. You can also see if you need greater support and seek help as the emotions will now be in your conscience and you can plan a way forward. When in denial nothing can change.
3) get through the foggy dark days buy drawing on strategies that help keep you grounded. Things that you find therapeutic try to build regularly into your life from creative pursuits to fitness routines, reading, writing, or watching something that lightens the mood and fills you with laughter.
4) Its important to reflect on the positives, look at how far you’ve come. Every step you have already taken. Remember to say to yourself you have got this! You can do this!be confident in the direct and aims you have for your end goal. Also remember we are all human and everyone falls of the bandwagon sometimes the key is you get back up and show up!
5) write down everything that’s stressing you out and you feel is making you feel low,ask what evidence their is that this is the case? if their is anything you think can prove this then ask yourself do I want to change this? If the answer is yes, then the next question is, how can I change this?
An example of this is, if a person says,they don’t feel very fit and healthy and it’s getting them down. They could then look at the evidence to support this, if the evidence of this that they currently spend little or no time on their physical well-being such as exercise, fresh air what can I do to change this…
They can then Start by Making a change towards this, for example start factoring exercise into their weekly, daily routine. This is them then taking control of their direction and making time to spend on them feeling better, they then are less likely to feel low and more in control so can coach themselves better when they find themselves considering comfort eating again and feel less out of control.
The key is to factor the things that give you strength and keep you on track regularly into your life. Make sure they are put into your weekly schedule, where they best work and suit the reality of your day-to-day life. For example if you know it’s not gonna work long-term in the mornings round your work, Kids etc,then change it to the evening or afternoons.
Make sure you set yourself up to succeed not to fail. It’s important to set realistic strong steps that really suit your lifestyle and current situations” set yourself up to succeed not to fail.
Ever thought if we spent more time on the positive rather than as much time as we do talking negatively about, ourself, putting our self’s down and as a result missing out of things, as a result of all this, what you could actually achieve and be doing with your life?
When if we actually believed we can, how much happier we would be and what we would already have achieved and succeeded at and where we would be?
How many opportunities have come your way that your confidence, limiting self-beliefs, fears and influence of others stopped you taking?
Make a positive change and Stop this happening again! to you and yourself and don’t miss out on any more things you want to do in your life!
Go for it! say yes not No to positive opportunities and the worse thing that can happen is that you tried and it didn’t work or wasn’t what you wanted and then at least there is never going to be any regrets, you tried.
And just What if it all worked and you actually got want you wanted, it would be worth it then.
Take and apply these simple steps right now to your life!….
1) signing up to things! That course, that challenge that task, lessons, new ventures etc, get it’s done sign up!
2) saying yes more often! Those things you want to say yes to but fear stopped you pick one to start with and change the no I can’t to yes I can!
3) drop out more of the things you don’t want to spend your time and energy on! It’s so true the old saying, if you’ve always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always got, time for change, if something is not working change the approach, or draw a line under it and move on!
4) keep the path true to you and go get your dreams. Make sure you’re doing more of what you really want to do it’s your life.
5) make sure all of the above leads you to something that makes you feel really happy regularly.
First of all I want to send positive vibes, wishes of health, happiness and strength we are all in this together. Take care and be safe.
I have been in lockdown restrictions for a while now and wanted to share some things that have helped me get through the days and the ever changing updates and information out there, I waned to share what’s kept me mentally and physically stable.
Start the day as you mean to go on, I have found having a moment first thing to myself helps me to mentally prepare for the day ahead. Find a place in your home you feel most relaxed and positive and take your morning coffee/tea and just take a minute. I am blessed to have a room that has lots of large windows facing green space so I wake up and have my favourite cup of coffee looking out at my garden.
Find out some great reading material and feed your mind! Have a few things ready to read, I have got a handful of books ready, that will keep my mind focused. I am going to continue to factor this in my day even if it’s a page or two a night.
I have planned some creative projects, given the current situation I have looked at things I can recycle and what also I can do at home for sustainability.
I have looked at what’s happening in the Community on-line, there is normally lots you can get involved with, help or connect to. It’s important not feel alone. It can be a simple phone call to your neighbours.
Communication, talk to your family and friends call those your closest to. its so important to speak to whoever makes you feel happy and those that keeps your spirits lifted and also think who you can call and help them along the way to. Now is time when it is absolutely key to make time for those you love and care about.
Make sure you check in and reflect daily on how you are. ask yourself how are you feeling and what’s your mood like? There is a lot going on and a lot to take in and adjust to so be kind to yourself. Don’t forget to ask yourself “what helps me feel connected still with the world?”, “what am I learning about myself?”, “how am I doing with this situation?”, “what do I need to help me through this tough time?”
Make a list of things that takes your mind off everything and then you can use these things again as strategy’s going forward over the coming weeks. I have found watching something funny and that my sense of humour really helps; laughing and lightening the mood allows me to escape and of course also my exercise workouts as they keep me focused.
Allow time to process what’s happening and take this all in. You might find It helpful to write down anything that directly impacts you or is worrying you and look at what steps you can take to support and help yourself through this time from financial matters to practical living issues, such as food and essentials.
Surround yourself with things that make you happy and remind you of good times, photos are always great of places and people in your life. Play music and enjoy mood lifting sounds. Look back at videos and pictures remind yourself this is all temporary and we are all in this together.
I have found making my home as calm as possible is incredibly helpful in this situation, I have got rid of any clutter and created more space to keep the mood positive and allow for clear thinking. Lighting candles with a fragrance you like and make your house your home.
It’s hard to always stay on track of nutrition but I have found it incredibly helpful to log everything into my fitness pal so I can check on what nutrients I am missing or having with limited supplies and monitor my calorie intake, vitamins and minerals.
This situation has created more time for me to give to tasks and things that I don’t normally have, such as cooking at meal times I have more time to prep so can make fresh and from scratch and explore and try new recipes So also allows me to get creative which always boosts my mood.
Get fresh air, when you can make sure you let air into your home, if you have a garden get outside at least once a day if weather allows and your well enough too. The fresh air and sunshine can do wonders, I know some in countries you are ok to take a walk with social distancing so there is this option too.
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