Month: March 2017

Life is often a busy, exciting and overwhelming adventure. There is always plenty of things to do, many people to see, and plans to be made. But it is also important to find your version of ‘quiet’. Whether that is through meditation, a cup of tea on your own, reading a book, going for a walk or a swim – whatever it looks like, it is vital to let your body and mind relax so that it can unwind from the constant action going on around you. Finding this place of serenity, even for just ten minutes a day, can help you to have more clarity in all of your other thoughts. It can also provide you with space to think of new ideas, passions, insight and understanding. It provides you with a pause to stop and re-evaluate what you are doing and who you are.  Try it out today and see the benefits that it can bring.

Some of us ignore our fears and push them aside so that all is left is a bit of a murky feeling when we think about starting something new. However, this feeling of ‘ick’ is sometimes enough to keep us from doing something that we should or would like to do, but we just don’t consciously address it. A great process to address this is to write out a list of all your fears surrounding your goal. Once you articulate them, you will realise that some of them are absolutely irrational and easily overcome. Others will have something to teach you about what you can do to avoid the negative experience that you fear. In both cases, listening to your fears equips you with the ability to move forward and act. Don’t let that lurking apprehension take over your resolve and purpose.

Do you find yourself wondering where all your time in the day has gone? Do you feel like you haven’t been as productive as you’d hoped? New studies in mindfulness by psychologists are finding that while we are constantly multi-tasking, we are becoming less and less efficient. Our brains are not focusing wholly on the task in front of us, so we are prone to error, lapses in attention and also training our brain to constantly be on the lookout for the next ‘thing’ to do, or the next distraction. This can have disastrous results on our levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), energy levels and focus on important things, like family and friend relationships. So, for today, try to do one thing at a time. And do it well. Spend 20 minutes ‘doing your emails’, rather than working on something, checking emails, checking social media and cooking your lunch all at the same time. Be present in your moment and train yourself to appreciate and complete your task to the best of your ability.

Watching kids go about their days is inspiring. No matter where they are or how mundane a task, they seek to make it fun and turn everything into a game. They are ready to smile at a moment’s notice. It can help us to reflect on how much fun we have in our own lives. Do we any child enthusiasm in our daily activities? How often do you laugh and participate in activities where you are having a REALLY good time? Is there space in your life for more of this?