Tag: personal development

fitness, health, How to be happier, life style, lifestyle, Mental health, mentalhealth, motivation, out with old in with new, selfcare, spring, sutainability

Spring into spring!

brainbiscuitscoaching

Spring is coming, lighter days, warmer weather and hope on the horizon, There’s never been a better time to get planning, looking ahead and set your action plan to step into spring….

Think about what you want and the steps you need to get there, make a list of daily tasks, weekly steps that will get you to where you want to be this season.

Review where you are, what do you want next out of life, what are you aiming for? What’s next on your chapter?

Spring steps and tips of areas to focus on:

1) Clear out your old clothes, make a wardrobe that reflect you at your best, revamp yourself and style for spring. From looks, fabrics, colours, make up, accessories and self care routines to Maximise your confidence and self worth. Remember Your worth it!

2) Out with the old in with the new, review items you store in your home whatever isn’t being used and you don’t love! give it chance for a new life to become a treasure or use to someone else. Up cycle, recycle and give to those in need via your local charities.

3) Plan ahead the things you want to have and look forward to this spring. From a new challenge, venture that trip or staycation away this summer. It’s so important to have things to look forward to no Matter how small they may be. To keep you looking ahead, giving you motivation and drive.

4) Review your routine, with spring around the corner the days will be lighter for longer think about your fitness routines, Review your goals make tweaks where they’re needed to keep you feeling and getting the results you want and deserve. Keeping you determined, focused and accountable. It’s great to be able to do a lot more of your workouts outside and more options due to the weather change. Look to challenge yourself and revamp where you need to your workouts.

5) Review your eating habits and what will be in season this spring from vegetables, and fruit. Update your ingredients make things more interesting with what’s available. Find new and inspiring recipes. Review your nutrition, vitamins, nutrients, mineral intake, maximise free online support tools and apps that help you log these things and water intake!

6) Get more fresh air, Get out when safe to and get lots of Fresh air! we have been in fair to much! Especially now the days are lot more lighter, walking is so good for your well-being and mindfulness.

7) Review your Sustainability, consider anything you can do to help promote this. Review your garden is there anything you can grow and provide for yourself such as vegetables, herbs and fruits? is there an allotment or community garden you can get involved with? Perhaps support a charity you can make a donation with of any of your old garden pots and seeds to support others who may not have a garden. Gardening is super for supporting good mental health.

8) Spring clean Declutter, Spurs up your home, make a few changes weathers it’s more plants, colour scheme, Minimalise clutter and give life to the new area in your home that’s not currently being utilised properly, clear areas of chaos, a tidy home is so much better for promoting a clear mind.

9) Take on new and exciting personal and self development tasks, goals and challenges that put a spring in your step! fire in your belly, that takes you out of your comfort zone, that you’ve got into over winter and spring into new challenges this spring.

10) Ask yourself how happy am I at the moment? How much am I enjoying what I do weekly, daily right now? what can I do to make myself feel happier, list out thoughts of new suggestions and how you could introduce new things that keep your zest for life and your happiness at a top priority. Find how to keep or find your zest for life again and your happiness at the top of your weekly daily priorities.

11) Self-care, look at including steps and strategies to ensure you’re regularly checking in on yourself. Think about how your well-being is and how you’re caring for yourself, ask yourself if there’s any improvements you want to make? What’s been working over winter? what might have been the most hardest time for self-care to be at optimum level, use spring as a great time to ensure your on the best path for you possible.and Get list making a write down the steps and prioritise this! it’s not selfish it’s key to you enjoying your life. Draw on strategies that work and include them in your plan will ensure success.

confidence, Identity, lifestyle, motivation, Self development, Well-being

So many roles, but who am I,what makes me, Me? …

brainbiscuitscoaching

So many identities, titles, roles, but who are you?

Struggling with identity? working out who you are? with the time you have left in the day, to yourself, no reserve left to invest in yourself after all you have given to others in the day?

Now more than ever we have all taken on more, play more roles to those in our lives and give all we can to get through what has been a very unusual 12 months! From working from home more, home schooling, becoming teachers overnight, being a rock of support for your household, family, friends and community. But you must not forget you amongst all the chaos.

Then it’s time to plan and workout how to make sure you have some energy, time and plan for you to re-identify yourself back to being you. Start planning the “Get your identity back plan”

First let’s help you to re-identify with yourself;

1, what do you like right now in your life, what do you enjoy?

2, what do you want to change, or not like in your life right now?

3, when do you feel at your happiest and when do you feel at your worst?

Once you have answered these, look at how you answered the question regarding what do you like and when feel at your most happiest. At those times;what are you doing, what role would you label yourself as at that time ?

An example might be, when I am with my children and family at the weekend, that would be your parent label. When I am going for my daily walk with the dog that is probably your ‘you’ label.

When you then look at what you don’t like right now in your life and what makes you feel at your worst. Think about,what labels they best identified with. A example might be; I feel so on edge and stressed and under pressure when at work, so this label would be your ‘profession or job title”.

Once you have the good,the bad,the best and worse times listed and roles labelled ask yourself;

If you could pick anything to describe yourself as, what 3 things at the moment would you want and choose to be?

Which of the 3 descriptions is the most important one to you right now?

Then focusing on that particular one of the 3 first.

Ask yourself, is this something you feel you already identify as? If not what would you need to do to be like this description?

For example if you put happy, you need to think of all the things that would mean and make you happy in your opinion.

It could be things like, feeling very comfortable in my own skin, reaching my your aims in life, seeing the things you want to see and experience in life, having self love and inner contentment for yourself, having good well-being. These are all examples, once you have done this, then do this with the remaining two words left of your 3.

Once you have a description and meanings for all of them, look at what your first wrote down, the answers to what you feel makes you happy, feel at your best and at your worst etc.

Then next imagine or actually form a visual timetable of your life and a snap shot of a full 7 day week. What do you now want it to look like? What can you change to your Current weekly situation, and make a schedule that fits more to the description of who you want to be and what would be a happier lifestyle allowing time factored in so you can be and best version of you as-well as all the other roles you are in the day.

Photo by Pete Johnson on Pexels.com

For example, daily you might be taking on the role of a teacher with homeschooling, parent role and then partner with house work and cooking dinner, sorting household paperwork and needs, but then this time table now has the “you “ factor in.

One where, you have a space and time written in, that you have an hour or what you need of me time, to focus and complete x,y,z towards being the you that you described in the task before, where you picked your 3 words.

It might be that being happy or healthier was a description, therefore you may have concluded you want to become a runner, a Gym bunny, a cyclist, walking rambler, CrossFit member or someone who is very active in life. So you now put this time in to your day and week so you start to become just that.

Before you know it, days become weeks, weeks become months, a year and before long you have made it a lifestyle!

you have become the description, the ‘you wanted to be!

you have your own identity you wanted, away from all the other roles you play to others and can be all of those things in balance with your own needs, wishes, wants and life.

Don’t lose who you are, don’t get lost in your roles, know who you are, what you want and keep being you!

the happier you are the more positive and good you will bring to your life and all those around you. Over time the descriptions can change and your likes and dislikes too, remember every time you do something that makes you happy or more like the description you want to be, in those moments your not just wanting it anymore your becoming that person! Your making it happen your the “you” you want to be,in those moments and you matter!

accountability, beliefs, life style, lifestyle, Mental health, New beginnings, out with old in with new, Self development, Uncategorized, weightloss, Well-being, wellbeing

Stop blaming, start positive Aiming! …,,,

brainbiscuitscoaching

This is a hard subject at times for us all, Blame.

Blaming things, people, life for where you are, unfortunately leads to no movement forward. When we find ourselves really wanting to do something or really not wanting to do something, the reality is, your the one making the decision, making and taking the move forward or not in life.

It’s very hard to be true to yourself and honest and say, you no what I can make this happen or not for myself, I am the one driving the steering wheel, regardless of what life trows your way, you are choosing how to deal or not deal with it, right here right now.

An example is let’s say you have decided to follow a goal of yours, this goal might be that you want to be your version on healthy, which is to not to drink alcohol and watch what you eat in regards to processed foods and your goal is to change how you currently feel in your own skin. You feel the foods make you feel bad and that you feel alcohol makes you feel unmotivated for your new exercise routine, which you are following as part of your overall goal.

The situation you then find yourself in is that you have been on track now for just over 4 weeks, your starting to feel so much better mentally and physically, getting results in your moods, energy levels and seeing the physical positive changes of your efforts, your then invited to a social event and there will be the foods you want to avoid and wine, cocktails and things you feel hinder you and your goal right now, what do you do?

A) Do you decided to have a night off from your regime, that’s fine you have decided I want this stuff this evening so I will.

B) Do you not go because you don’t want to put yourself in this position when you have just started to make the steps to the goal and it’s to early on for you to be in this position?

C) Do you go but not drink alcohol and have your meal before you go so your are not Hungary for those food items when there?

The answer is all of them are right, which ever you want, you decide you take control of the decision and own it.

Then you don’t blame anything or the social event for why things go wrong or right because you are deciding what you want to do how you want to do it and you are fully in control and accountable for you and your actions.

When you start being positive In your decisions and accountable you then don’t blame anyone or others for where you are, because their is no negative spin on you making very conscious decisions. You either want something or you don’t, you either do it or you don’t. You go or don’t go and everything still moves on and progresses for you if you want it to.

Accountability is such a powerful tool, to be accountable is such a strength, it allows you to have boundaries for where you want your goals to sit, move and shape, face what you feel is where you are at, where you are going and have realistic mindset those goals and keeping yourself in check.

Top key tips to ensure you stop blaming and start positive aiming, towards your goals:

1) Attitude, start looking at the way you talk about things, do you find yourself blaming and shaming things, circumstances and people for we’re you are today ? A movement forward would be the next time you go to do this,try to stop yourself and instead support yourself into a new more positive mental attitude, say to your self, do you want this? Or not? When you start having a more negative spin on things try to use more positive language and actions towards yourself and your steps. Aims and goal, be your own cheerleader and prep talk yourself out of what you don’t want to happen, remind yourself that you can do this you can stay on track and tenner what and why you are doing this all for in the first place.

2) Focus, keep where your heading fresh in your mind, think of how you will feel when you make the changes and goals happen for yourself how amazing will this feel, then also think about if you didn’t change anything at all how would you feel, let this motivate you further, choose the direction you want and keep focused , you will get there which ever you choose, change or no change.

3) Admitting where your at, what’s working, what’s not working and be really true to yourself about what you want and don’t want. Work out what your strength’s and weaknesses are and plan for success and drop out things which you have admitted do not help you! Things that do not help you and change the approach so you can’t fail.

4) Stop self sabotage; when things start going right and you either feel a little outside your comfort zone or you become scared or fearful of your successes and change remember that old habits die hard, don’t start self sabotage try to prepare for these times and coach yourself out of doing this, remind yourself, its ok I feel scared this is new and think of all the good you have done to get here right now and all the great things your goals will lead you to, it’s worth staying on track. Work on yourself, your fears and find ways of facing and understanding what can and has held you back and when you feel this starting again to happen you take control and stop it taking control of you. It’s important to get support and help if you need to don’t let anything or anyone stop you from your successes, it takes a great and real strength to face things.

5) Excuses, leave them all behind, accept you are the one who is in the driving seat and making the decision to do or not do something. Don’t blame anyone or anything else you are in control, so take control of the direction you are going.

The bottom line is invest your energy in yourself, learn to let go or draw a line of anything that’s holding you back and be open to the fact that it could be you holding yourself back, blocking the way. you have the key to unlock your life and start aiming towards your future the future you want. You just need to believe in yourself more, remember the mind is one or the most powerful tools you have.

confidence, Identity, lifestyle, new year, new year resolution 2019, New you, Self development, Steps to success

Build yourself up, don’t knock yourself down!

brainbiscuitscoaching

 

photography of person on green mountain
Photo by mirsad mujanovic on Pexels.com

It’s so easy to think negatively at times about yourself and put yourself down, but have you ever tried it the other way round, thinking positively about yourself instead?

Think of all the times you got back up when life knocked you down, each time you said enough and made a change in your life all the fight you have had in you and determination.

Look at your character, you will be full of personality, skills, attributes and ability in many fields to succeed; some you might not have had the chance to unlock till now, but believe me we each have a wonderful positive contribution to give to both ourselves and others.

So go ahead start your list, ask yourself;

1,what our your personal strengths and list them;

2, list all of the things your happy with about you and your life right now;

3, Find a positive word that you feel best sums you up ! Us this as a tool to help you keep going when you have a challenging day especially when you feel like giving up;

4, Become strong in who you are, remember the inside is just as important as the outside. Make yourself solid to the core in your values, visions and future. Don’t let anyone or anything take that from you, stay true to who you are and allow yourself to grow, progress and most of all enjoy your life!

Happy “You Year”

lifestyle, lock down, Mental health

Struggling with your thoughts and feelings….Learn to enjoy a good brain dump!

brainbiscuitscoaching
A lot on your mind, thoughts in your head

Ever have times where you feel incredibly overwhelmed, like your really processing a lot of thoughts and feelings or just feel in a withdrawn state?

You may have a mind full of all sorts,This is the perfect time to have a good brain dump.

A brain dump is where you literally take every single thought that you can catch, that’s swimming around in your mind and get it down on paper, wether a word, complete sentence of thoughts or feelings. Write it all on a page and off load it there from your mind and make a subconscious brain dump.

It’s an ideal strategy when you need to clear your mind, I recommend that you find a place you can have a moment and take the time you need to complete this exercise;

The exercise should help you to understand and identify more about your thoughts and feelings and this should in return help your mental health. It allows you to keep your mind as clear and as aware as possible. By regularly doing this as a strategy.

This will help you Identify when your overwhelmed or stressed, which is so important as your mental health is just as important as physical health. I hope this practical exercise for the mind feel that it supports you just like an exercise routine for your body would.

This exercise gets the words, feelings and thoughts out that you need to expose to yourself and helps you exercise your thoughts, outward rather than harbour them inwards and keep them bottled up inside, where they manifest into something else if not addressed, like anxiety, anger, fear, worry, sadness and what you actually really need is to talk them outward, release them on to paper.

When brain dumping, Start with all the things that come quickly to mind first, as they are normally trigger words that open up more depth of your thoughts and feelings.

An Example is, if I wrote the word “Pressure “ I could look at that word and ask myself why did I write this? My answer might be, I wrote pressure because I feel, I am someone who regularly has presume in there life. The next question is why do you feel pressure? I feel pressure because I’m juggling a lot of things all the time. By asking this it helps you identify some context to the thoughts and words.

The next thing to then do is ask yourself what can be done about this? Can anything be done?, is it in your control? How can I feel less “pressured” what are my options, can I get help with X, Y and Z that I am juggling that makes me feel this pressure. If you find somethings you write on this that’s not in your control. Then how can you draw a line on it, accept and move on, or find a strategy to cope with the things your not in control of, you can make a list of what helps with these things such as exercise, walking , running, mindfulness, yoga, Pilates, craft projects, etc

The other things that can come to mind when you get things down on paper, might be things that are more of a list of things you want to do or need to do, with these, section them together and then you could make a to-do task list for yourself. This is so you feel you have these things now out of the mind and in your control.

You may have things that are on your mind that are impacting you a lot. A particular subject that comes back regularly, this is something to focus on. Spend more time on working this through. ask yourself why it regularly comes up? Do you need help with this?

Ask yourself, is this particular word or situation stopping you from progressing,becoming or doing anything? Ask yourself is it linked to anything?

Remember, It’s always better out than in, keeping it all internally will normally mean it’s coming out still,but in a different way. It may be displayed in mood swings, out of control with food or substances, feeling low or unhappy regularly. This is because your not dealing with it yet or fully, until you do your subconscious will keep it floating around to haunt you. Learn to let it out and let it all go….

Also If you are really struggling and feel you need support don’t be ashamed, reach out to someone don’t suffer in silence. talk it out and get support.