Category: Steps to success

christmas well-being tips, lifestyle, New you, personal development, Self development, Steps to success, Uncategorized, Well-being

Your Christmas personal preparation plan!

brainbiscuitscoaching

Your Christmas preparation plan;

It’s that time of the year when Christmas is around the corner and I feel it’s important to make sure you ask yourself; Is any of my Christmas planning filled with things that I want ? Does the planning reflect What is my ideal Christmas?

This time of year can come with so much pressure because we all put ourselves under pressure for everything to be “perfect”

Make sure you don’t use a lot of your energy on things that don’t promote your happiness or adversely affect your wellbeing; nor do things that may add extra financial pressure.

Christmas really is a mixed bag when it comes to emotions too, ether it may be due to past experiences or loss of persons or a change in personal circumstances. Christmas is different for everyone.

This time of year is also typically when our routine goes out the Window and as nice as it is to have days off from the norm, I find this impacts me. If you need routine or notice if you don’t have routine that you struggle with the change of pace, just make sure you keep some of the structure you personally need. For me I need to still clear my head and push myself physically, so I have to stick to strategies that allow me to do this, for me this is my running. I need routine over the festive holidays to keep me on track.

A tip of survival is to avoid a stressful Christmas and just remind yourself to consider your own feelings on things; what matters and what really does not matter …. such as perfection!

Spend your time wisely, and try not to put pressure on yourself, it’s ok if it’s not the perfect Christmas you had in your mind. If things are fun and make you happy and you get to surround yourself with those who matter to you then isn’t that a success in itself? 

This year I am trying to aim for the following for myself;

1,Go with the flow days, were I go with how I feel and enjoy the lack of pressure and expectations I put on myself.

2,Social days with those who make me feel happy, uplifted and good.

3,Days to be productive, to get those things done that I didn’t get a chance to until now, and want to have done ahead of the new year.

4,Fresh air outdoors days where we can just get outside on a crisp winter day and enjoy ourselves.

5,have Creative days, it’s important to feed your creativity and if you want to make something or bake or attempt something new just do it!

6, If you find your mind has a few thoughts swimming around about the near future or for the new year etc try to make the time to acknowledge what you are thinking about, make time to write them down. Following on form this….

7, Allow Forward thinking time, It’s good to ask yourself;

•What do I want for 2020?

•What do I want to do in 2020?

And see what come to mind. Get it down on paper it’s more likely to be something you commit to if you see it written it comes to life.

8, It’s good to also be reflective and learn from 2019 what you enjoyed, didn’t enjoy and what you have learnt from these things. Ask yourself if they present again Can you approach things differently, can you change these things, again what do you want and how do you feel? 

Remember the past has happened and can’t be changed but you can be the change you need to make your Christmas and new year 2020 yours!

How to be happier, lifestyle, Mental health, personal development, Self development, Steps to success, Uncategorized, Well-being

Let Autumn be your prep for a successful winter !

brainbiscuitscoaching
nature red forest leaves

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

With autumn well and truly here, it’s a season full of change and I use it as a season to prep for the winter and enjoy all the wonderful inspiration autumn has to offer. It’s a great time to declutter, forget spring cleaning enjoy  “Autumn Organising”.

This time of year, I like to make changes to my living environment as I know over the coming weeks I will spend more time indoors as winter approaches. I like to change items in my living space as it creates a new mood and therefore a new energy in my home. My living room is the heart of my home so I always focus on this space and of course my bedroom. Things I aim for is looking at soft lighting as this keeps me feeling positive in the darker days as unfortunately unlike summer there isn’t long amounts of natural light so this is important to me and of course colour, I tend to change colours in my home once for spring/summer and then autumn/winter, choosing colours you are drawn to is so important. Right now, I am drawn to a cosy soft grey and warm autumn pink. For my living space. I like to change my throws, cushions, flowers and try to minimise things ahead of Christmas. This also could be items you can change, update, up-cycle or find on-line with little to no cost.

Autumn for me can affect my mood I notice now that I start off feeling a little flat when October approaches. However interestingly, Autumn tends to be a great season for me personally to focus. Autumn for me has a pattern I notice where anything I set out todo goal setting wise works. It’s important to work out if you have a season which you are at your best! Make a mental log of what season works best for you, this would be a great tool and should be used when planning something that needs lot of focus and motivation, as this is when you’re at your optimum peak of positive mindset!

My Personal Autumn must dos are;

 

1, Take a bag and fill it with anything in your house you feel you’re ready to move on from, no-longer wear,use or need. Fill the bag and send it off to your local charity shop!

 

2, Try a new recipe and make something hearty to enjoy. I personally love using a slow cooker this time of year for seasonal vegetable stews, soups and dishes.

 

3, Pick a space in your home such as an area your drawn to and want to change. Try quick go-to changes first for example if it’s the sofa in your living room change the cushions and throw and see if it makes you feel uplifted or any different feeling to the space, more cosy, calm etc. Put up new photos and pictures that inspire the changes and new things going on in life right now, positive Visuals are great!

 

4, Pick a new scent, try a new perfume for you, a candle for your home, I went with an Autumn scented candle, lots of Sandalwood, Amber and burnt Orange to bring the crisp Autumn feeling in the home! 

 

5, Have a go-to basket for inspiration and when you’re feeling inspired to do something like goal set, list right, plan-things or get creative. Have things in the basket like notebooks, pens, books, craft projects you want to do this season. This positive pod,means they are all conveniently ready for you, prep again is key!

 

6, With the darker night’s drawing in, I like to review my exercise routine, either get equipped for running in the dark or make routine changes and try some new remember winter creeps up on you so plan your new exercise routine now. Remember with exercise preparation is key!

 

7, This time of year can get expensive so maybe look at any positive changes that you can make to your shopping and outgoings, sometimes being organised with homemade lunches, prepared meals from scratch not only healthier but cost affective to, these things can really help make a positive spin on the pennies

 

8, Have list of things you want to go and do this season, step outside the comfort zone and do something that challenges you in a positive way, from classes, to on-line learning, reading that book, visiting new places trying a new hobby or exercise, go for it!

 

9, Go through your kitchen cupboards/pantry and see what you have that’s in date, but you won’t really use that you could give to your local food bank most super markets now have a trolley at the front you can give items to. You could even get some extra bits to give, I like to get pasta to add to my items I donate.

 

10, This is one of my favourites, get your diary full of social catch ups with all your friends, it’s so important to keep connected especially with people who make you happy!

11, Something you might want to do is set a goal that can be complete between now and Christmas or winter ask yourself,

Q: By Christmas I would like to (blank)

Fill this answer in with something you would like to achieve in these time frames.

12, I like to go through my clothing and make a capsule wardrobe (collection of a few essential items) and put a few full out fits together that I want to wear and that make me feel positive. It’s fun to sometimes get ideas for AW18 fashion, hair, accessories and makeup for inspirations.

 

Enjoy your Autumn Organising!

 

Identity, life coaching, goal setting, lifestyle, Mental health, New beginnings, New you, personal development, Running, Self development, Steps to success, Uncategorized, Well-being

How to re-identify yourself again after change….

brainbiscuitscoaching
asphalt dark dawn endless
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Do you often put yourself to the back of the priorotiy list when it comes to others?  Are you someone who has life responsibilities where you have to care for others so it’s hard to have time for you?  Has a change occurred that has changed you and your identity?

Change is always hard and can be difficult to cope with, even a positive change takes time as it’s still new!

The first top tip when your feeling a bit lost and not sure of who you are anymore, or who you want to be, is to look out for clues. They will be everywhere you just need to be in a place to capture and remember them when they come your way…..

The clues are normally things that you are drawn to, activity, people, tasks, places, colours, sounds, environments, pictures in magazines or on-line, Pinterest, following research, stories, fabrics, books, clothes, pictures, views etc these are all things that you might be drawn to and might just give you a clue to what your new found identity might be, if you want it!

The mind works best with lots of things to reference as evidence so use these clues, to keep you motivated and not to give up on finding yourself, and creating project you!

If you find yourself out walking and are drawn to a particular area and view or place,  that’s because it connects with you in someway and so it’s great to add that into your lifestyle as it is something that calls out to you.

You might find these places to be things that start to unlock your creative side, for example the places you visit might make you want to take photos of the scenery, or create paintings of the views, or collect things such as leaves and flowers for pressing.  Recreate what you love in your home or if it’s gardening choose the plants that you are attracted to for their colour or texture etc.

Gather all the things that are clues for you and all the clues to help you then look at your identity more.

ask yourself…

1,what is it about each thing you have collected, seen, visited, describe what you are drawn to and like about each thing

2, how does it make you feel

3, do you want more of this in your life, yes or no

4, why?  What does it bring or do for you?

This is the start of you slowly re-evaluating things, gaining identity again which will lead to you then taking steps and look at areas that are priorities.

Some people find it hard to find inspiration, you need to dig deep at times. Making up a new routine to help support yourself to become inspired again to have things that you enjoy and are drawn to as part of as many days in the week as possible. Make time for me time.

Remember project you is the best thing you could ever work on! The happier you are the better your life will be!

 

Breaks, lifestyle, New you, Steps to success, Taking time, Thinking space, Travel

How to take real “Time off” from the normal routine.

brainbiscuitscoaching

DSCN3966.JPG_1

Why is it when it comes to having time away (a time that should recharge us), we often return and quickly feel like we never left! 

I wanted to try to explore ways of getting more from my short (1-2 day) holiday breaks away with the family so that they refuel me.  

I want those breaks to have a lasting effect, to feel the benefit when I return to normal routine.

So, I did just this and headed to the coast!  I took some things I love such as a camera for taking photos of the scenery, a notebook and pen to write down my thoughts and any ideas that come to me, and I took my workout gear.

One of my strategies for this break to really work, was to take myself away from anything that had a screen, for me a break from social media and the phone was key to really relaxing; no Wi-Fi, no clock watching, no tv on, no rushing round. This change allowed me to take “real-time” off from normal life. My time was spent doing the things I enjoy, allowed me time to pause and take everything in. 

I was able to do activities that allowed me to feel really calm  and positive, and I had emotional space to notice how much that environment was influencing my mood and behaviour. I felt so much happier and relaxed!

This time allowed me to see what my life can be like if I make certain changes when I return home. For example, managing my workload, looking at the time spent on tasks that are not really benefiting me, and limiting my screen use. I could focus on what I *want* to spend more of my limited spare time doing.

I took this opportunity of time away to start one of my goals; to eat a lot cleaner food (nothing artificial, only natural sugars).  While there I really enjoyed buying food sourced from the local farm shops. I cut back my caffeine intake too, as it seemed the right time.

I love being by the sea and it was very clear to me how quickly this new environment had such a positive impact.

This time and space allowed me to feel recharged for the first time in ages; I had a real break! 

keys to successful breaks

 

1, Choose an environment somewhere that’s the opposite to your home one, or to a place you really want to go to.

 

2, Cut back on “screen time” social media, phone calls, emails etc as much as you can.

 

3, Take a note of how the different places you visit whilst there made you feel. Was there anything that you felt some inspiration from? Drawn to? Want to now do? If so don’t forget to add them to some of your SMART goal lists.

 

4, Think about any new good habits whilst there you could bring back with you to include into your normal routine, such as eating better, getting more active, planning more “me” time doing things you enjoy.

 

5, Make sure you pack things that make you happy and are a positive way to occupy your time.  Examples of this: reading materials, craft project stuff, walking gear, workout gear, notebook and pen etc. It’s great to try these activities in new surroundings.

6, stop clock watching, don’t rush around, you doing need to do this here so make the most of this.

7, every time you go to do some activity whilst away, just ask yourself do you want to do this or do you feel you have to, and try to do the I want to do this, over the I feel you should, this is for you this time. Can any tasks wait till you return, if so leave it for then this is your break.

9, pack ready for this break, take the things you have wanted to read, do, make but have not made the time and put them in the case ready, preparation is key.

10, take pictures, remember this time and use this when you return to remind you on where you want to be and the true aims you have in your life when back to normal routine.

Enjoy trying new things and all the different environments on offer.  Look at how you react to the new surroundings and explore how it makes you feel and behave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New beginnings, personal development, Self development, Steps to success

Key steps to success in your self-development

brainbiscuitscoaching

Brain Biscuits Coaching, key steps to success in your self-development! 

 

1, Have self-awareness – The only thing stopping you is you! Clear your mind of all the mind chatter you have and any limiting beliefs that are holding you back! Get rid of as many of them (limiting beliefs) as you can. Find out what motivates you! Channel your empowering beliefs.

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/29/motivation-muscle

 

2, Do something challenging – Allow new opportunities, say “yes” to more things. Whenever possible just try things that you were once fearful of and instead of panicking, enjoy being stretched. Push the barriers of your comfort zone, stretch yourself, use all your skill set and qualities/attributes. Remember to “seize the day! Set goals and make things happen.

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/30/smash-out-of-the-comfort-zone/

 

3, Do something different- How do you know you don’t like something if you haven’t tried it. Have a go, try new activities, meet new people, be inspired.

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/21/take-out-the-t-make-it-i-can-and-not-i-cant-limiting-beliefs-dont-let-them-stop-you/

 

4, Be determined – Determination is key, give it your all as this will keep you going when life throws a few curve balls. Determination is what will keep you on track, you only fail if you don’t get back up! 

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/28/the-game-changer/

 

5, Visualise it – see it happening, seeing is believing.

 

6, Knowledge really is power – read more, learn more, develop new skills, ask questions, find answers enjoy fuelling your mind. Make space to do this!

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/21/find-your-creative-space/

 

7, Imagine it – imagine yourself already where you want to be, how great that will feel and how would this enhance your life.

 

8, Be Creative – use all the creativity you have to create what you want, make it happen!

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/26/your-creative-diet/

 

9, Don’t forget to Pause- take a moment, see all that is around you, use these moments to look for inspiration https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/25/dont-forget-your-moment-to-pause/

 

10, Breathe- take a minute, try square breathing, it is a great start for you to re-centre and clear your mind.

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/21/square-breathing-exercise-for-better-mindfulness/

 

11, Make Space and Time- Time for what makes you happy is worth scheduling into your day, positivity feeds off positivity. The right environment is also key, as it can bring out the best in you and fuel your senses for peak performance.

https://brainbiscuitscoaching.com/2018/07/01/declutter-make-space-for-you/