Inspiration Blog

Many of us live payday to payday to pay our bills and buy things that we want. A lot of the time, those things are THINGS that we don’t really need. More and more studies are being released showing that there is a strong correlation between owning more things and having higher levels of stress. Now, this isn’t a causation study and the higher stress may be linked to factors such as working more hours, financial stress of maintenance of our possessions, or the overwhelming desire for constant consumption. However, this is like a cycle – the less we own, the less you need to take care of; the more value you give to what you do own; the opting-out of always needing more. We can sit and ‘be’ much more easily, when we aren’t worried about our stuff or how we will pay the next bill because we have just splurged on another reckless purchase. Need help? There are plenty of minimalist blogs and videos out there to help shift your mindset. Check out theminimalists.com to get you started (I am not affiliated with these guys, I just value their stuff!).

So, we are three weeks in to the New Year – work has begun for most of us and perhaps old habits have started to creep in or new ones have started to fade. It’s a great time to re-assess where you are, and where you are headed. Where did your habits take you last year? What small changes were you hoping to introduce this year? Have you made the decisions and actions necessary?

Sit down at some point today and re-assess your goals for the year – congratulate yourself on any progress you have made and recommit to the lifestyle habits that you deem necessary to improve your life. Write them down and have them as the lock screen on your phone, or in your wallet so that you are frequently exposed to them. Don’t forget – small steps everyday make a huge difference when compounded over a year.

Did you know that the average smartphone user uses their phone 176 times per day, with about 5 hours of exposure to the screen of their handheld gadget? These statistics shocked us, but we are also looking around and seeing people with their heads buried in their mobiles (ironic, since we are posting this to social media). We have become increasingly connected, but disconnected from what is immediately around us at the same time. Couples lying in bed scrolling through endless, meaningless posts; bus commuters staring at the screen for the entire train or bus trip; friends out to dinner with their phones face up on the table. Why is it so important that we know what everyone else is doing? To be honest, when we discussed this issue, we couldn’t even remember a ‘post’ of importance from the day before, yet we know we spent more time on our phones than we were comfortable with. In response to this, we are setting ourselves a challenge – 3 times per day, at set times, we have 10 minutes to use social media and texts. The rest of the time, we are committing to connect with the world around us, by engaging with our surroundings and the people in our world. Could you do a similar challenge, suited to your needs?

There are two things that will add immeasurably to your life – travel and education. It appears that we tend to seek and choose experiences that confirm our beliefs and values, yet the circumstances that surprise us and force us to re-evaluate ourselves are the most powerful and rewarding. Sure, it can be great to be surrounded by familiar and like-minded people, however, engaging in open-minded discussions and unfamiliar and challenging experiences give you the opportunity to expand your world view and appreciate the many things that this world has to offer. So, when planning your next trip, looking for a new hobby or meeting new people, try to look at what you can learn or be challenged by, rather than simply gravitating to the same things that you usually do.

Humans are all different – this can either be a point of celebration or one of frustration. This is usually dependent upon our mindset. Yes, it can be infuriating when you believe that everyone should see the world as you do, however it is unrealistic and provides you with unnecessary angst if you rage against it with little hope of changing peoples’ minds. Accepting others’ opinions and stances (they may be just as informed as – or more than – you!) is a step towards bringing more peace into your life. Of course, global injustices such as poverty and war should not be ignored and passively accepted, but day-to-day things that do not affect you should not clutter up your precious mental space. The most powerful way to influence others? You do you. Be proud and comfortable in your decisions, but try not to jam them down peoples’ throats, because that never tastes good.

Every day is a new start; a fresh chance to make the next 24 hours brilliant. Whilst we cannot choose every element of every day, we can decide to face our day with optimism, friendliness and calm. Withdrawing ourselves and limiting our exposure to unnecessary drama can do wonders for our mental state (I’m looking at you, clickbait articles on social media!). Going for a walk at lunchtime and sitting in a park with a friend, starting a great new book on your commute to work, clearing up your workspace or home can give you a feeling of new beginnings. You can make today special and you can make it beautiful with just a few moments like these. After all, this is the only shot you have at today!

With the growing rates of debt in our society, more and more people are financially weighed down and, most likely, strained by repayments – wishing that they weren’t just working to pay their bills. 2017 could be the year that you face up to your debt or inability to save. Take control. Go and see a financial planner or adviser. If you have a history of trying to save and failing, consider using a budgeting service that will force you to get your accounts in order. Once you have adjusted with this intervention, you will notice how much money you save. Some other handy tips are:

1. WAIT – If you see something that you feel you would like to purchase, wait a week and see if you actually need or still think about that item. Often, the spurr of the moment “I must have that” fade away and you realise that you don’t actually need it, anyway.
2. TRACK YOURSELF – Just for 30 days, write down what you spend each day and tally it into categories at the end of each month. You will be surprised by something; an area of expenditure that you didn’t realise easy so big and can easily be cut back. Being conscious about where our money is going is key.
3. SLUSH FUND – I always recommend having money put away for those ‘just in case’ moments. No, this isn’t “I need a holiday”, it’s an emergency bond on a new place, a flight to visit a sick friend or family member, funds to fix your smashed car, hospital or vet bills that are unexpected and time-bound.

It is very stressful to feel ‘stuck’ in your situation for financial reasons – stuck in your job because you have so many bills to pay, stuck in a relationship because they have the financial income, stuck in bad credit due to your irresponsible spending habits. It’s time to get disciplined and put your financial house in order this year.

Our culture seems to indicate that we should be capable of doing everything ourselves – be an expert in everything, or you are somehow incomplete. This is, of course, a clear deception. The majority of successful people are master delegators; they recognise their strengths and then surround themselves with people who compliment their weaknesses and give them opportunities to use their gifts and enrich everyone’s situation. For example, I don’t prioritise grocery shopping in my life. With two boys under 3, the whole exercise can be a bit mentally draining. So, I recognise this and outsource so get my groceries delivered. A small thing that takes much less time (and much less running after a toddler down aisles) and we have great meals at home. Some others don’t prioritise planning their exercise sessions, and so they entrust great personal trainers to get the best results. Others who have their own businesses don’t understand or enjoy marketing, and so they employ people who LOVE this work and do a great job. So, by recognising our strengths and weaknesses – how we can benefit others by sharing our strengths and recognising theirs, everyone wins!

In the morning, just as you wake up, we encourage you to design your perfect day. In your mind, or on paper, lock in your appointments and schedule and then visualise how this day could go perfectly. What elements would that include and what attitude is required of you to bring this about? We find this mindset quite inspiring, as it gives you the positive expectation that good things will happen, alters your mood and attitude towards work, life and the people in your circle, and gives you a mental ‘kick along’ to achieve your goals. As you progress through your day, keep adjusting and checking in with your perfect solutions to things that come up. Train your brain to be positive, creative and flexible. When you look back on your day,  it will be a little closer to perfect than if you hadn’t been intentional about it.

Do you recognise the feeling of wanting everything NOW? Often, we get disheartened when our progress and achievements take time and we must wait. However, usually the build-up is where the most enjoyment and character formation take place. When you plan a holiday, the anticipation is usually one of the most exciting parts – you plan and choose the place to go, prepare and imagine all the things you would like to do and discipline yourself in saving money and putting aside time from work. When reaching a fitness goal, it is the new styles of workouts, the satisfaction of adding more weight to the bar, the incredible sunrises and sunsets that you see as you run on new landscapes. The feeling of achieving goals is amazing, but it’s the perseverance and journey that develop you into a stronger, more interesting and happier person.