Self Care Advent Calendar Day 13

I hope that you enjoyed doing nothing yesterday (and if you didn’t, why not?) Take a little time out to do nothing today as well, and tomorrow, and the day after etc etc.

One thing I would like you to think about doing today is having a sort out.

Clean out a drawer, a cupboard, a wardrobe or the garage (if you’re feeling particularly adventurous you could even attack the attic)

Even the most organised types have a drawer or box where all the junk goes and most of us need to sort things out on a fairly regular basis to make sure that we don’t get lost in an avalanche of things falling out of a certain cupboard in the house.

There are many ways of decluttering and organising, you only have to have a quick search on pinterest to find lots of hints and tips for sorting your stuff out. One method that I particularly like is the Marie Kondo method. Basically what you do is form a pile of the items you want to declutter – clothes for instance – then pick each one up in turn and ask yourself it brings you joy? If it does keep it, if it doesn’t get rid of it.

As a massive fan of the Gilmore Girls I was super excited to watch the new season – a year in the life. Lorelai’s Mum goes through a big life change (no spoilers here) and tackles the Marie Knodo method of decluttering, and it’s brilliant to watch. A woman who has everything that money can buy, but finds little joy in so much of it. Yet the things she does find joy in are the things to pay attention to.

A while ago I read something that struck a chord with me – trying to make yourself happy by buying more stuff is like trying to deal with your hunger by strapping sandwiches to yourself. Having stuff does not make you happy. Sometimes not having stuff can make you unhappy – but that’s a bit different, and shouldn’t be confused. so, look at the things around you a decide if they bring you joy.

When we have a good declutter a couple of things tend to happen. Firstly we feel pretty good about ourselves. It’s good to feel organised and on top of things. Secondly, if we recycle or donate the things we are getting rid of we can feel good about that too. Thirdly a lot of people find that having less stuff give them a clearer head and a more relaxed frame of mind. All of these things are good self care.

What’s stopping you? A clear out before Christmas will help you to feel better, and depending on what you donate  you may end up making someone else’s Christmas a lot better.

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For most of us decluttering is something we just need to do every now and then to keep things straight, but for some it’s a real problem. If you are, or know someone who is, a hoarder, then you know how serious this can be. Hoarding is a psychological problem that can be helped but is very difficult to deal with on your own. Get help from people who know how to support you.

 

Self Care Advent Calendar Day 8

How quickly did that first week go? Welcome to week 2 of our Self Care Advent Calendar.

Where shall we begin?

How about building on that creativity that we started yesterday? This week, let’s try to create something less physical – let’s create a new habit.

Did you know that it is generally accepted that if you do something every day for 21 days you will create a new habit. That means there is just enough time for you to create a new habit before the end of the year.

I want you to think back to January. Did you make any new years resolutions that you haven’t quite got around to yet? It’s not too late – you can still make it happen.

So what sort of habits should we be making?

Well you could do worse than reflecting on the things we covered in Days one, two, three, four, five, six and seven of the advent calendar. Was there anything in there that you would like to establish as a daily habit?

Maybe it’s something else that you want to do. It doesn’t matter what it is, just make sure it’s something useful to you that makes you and your life better.

This month I am focussing on Self Care, so what habits could you create that would most benefit you? Here are my top 5 suggestions

1. Meditation

I know this takes practise before you start to see positive results from it, but it’s worth the effort. Creating mental space in your life will help you to be more resilient and better able to cope with whatever life throws at you.

2. Yoga

Depending on the type of Yoga you choose this can involve meditation, but also helps you to be physically strong and flexible which again supports your resilience.

3. Mindfulness

This has similar benefits to Meditation but is easier to practice in day to day life. When we really focus on being in the moment we can alleviate a lot of stress and anxiety from our lives which has amazing physical and mental benefits.

4. Self Hypnosis

What a fantastic way to achieve the things you want to in life. Take control of your subconscious and make things happen the way you want them to.

5. Organization.

Ok so, this is a bit of an odd one. When you get into the habit of being organized – planning and prepping your life – you might be surprised at the difference it makes. It’s effects can be many and varied. One impact tends to be that you will feel less stress. Knowing what is happening and knowing you are prepared for it can get rid of a lot of worry. Another impact can be an improvement in your diet and exercise. By planning your food and knowing what you are going to eat you tend to make better choices than you would if you decided what to eat when you are already hungry. By planning in your exercise (and maybe organising other people to be involved) you are more likely to complete it. It can also have a financial impact. Less impulse buys + more planned budgeting = more money in your pocket!

One final note on this one – don’t be too ambitious. Create one achievable habit and build on it. Make a commitment to yourself to create one new habit and stick to it for at least 21 days before you even think about trying another one. Slow and steady wins the race!

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Some of the most beneficial habits can take a little bit of help to get started with. If you are struggling to change there people out there who can help. There are lots of therapists available with lots of different techniques and tricks to get you where you want to be.

 

New Years resolutions – start now!

How have you done on your New years resolutions for 2014?

Are you making any for 2015?

Why wait for January?

We are entering into an unusual time of the year. December and everything associated with Christmas is a time that is a little outside the normal way of things. There are more parties, more food and drink, more time with families, more opportunities to have time away from work. All of these things can either help, or get in the way of, all of the resolutions detailed above.

The choice is yours.

The thing to remember is that when you made this resolution, or when you have been thinking about starting it in January, you have made the decision that this is something you want to achieve – something you want in your life.

Why wait?

If you’re thinking about the idea that December is your last blow out before you start your change, I would question your commitment to changing.

If you really want to lose weight, why spend December putting on more weight to lose in January?

If you really want to give up smoking why spend December risking your health for another month?

If you really want to quit drinking, why spend December with a hangover and an abused liver?

If you really want to get out of debt why spend December getting yourself into a worse position?

If you really want to get fit. why spend December sitting on the sofa eating mince pies and making it harder to start in January?

January is a bit depressing. All the parties are over, all the presents are unwrapped, the weather is rubbish and there’s nothing to look forward to for ages….so why would you want to make a change in your life at a time when you are already struggling? Do it at a good time – like NOW!

There is also the pressure of everyone starting their new years resolutions in January. How great would you feel when people are going on about how much weight they have to lose, and how much they put on over Christmas, if you could say that you had already lost half a stone and were feeling amazing?

If you have struggled to make the changes you wanted to this year, maybe it’s time to think about getting professional help. It’s OK to want a helping hand to make a change in your life. The important thing is that you make the changes you want to so that you can be as happy and fulfilled as possible. I think Hypnosis is a great way of getting that support, but there are lots of people ready and waiting to help you – slimming groups, personal trainers, volunteer groups, debt counsellors, life coaches etc etc, so don’t think you have to do it all on your own.

What ever you want to achieve to make your life better, think about what’s stopping you.

Remember

Don’t give up what you really want for something you just want now.

Thank Goodness it’s Monday!

T.G.I.M.

At last, It’s Monday!

You remember all those things you said you’d start on Monday – well It’s here!

Time to start!

Did you say you’d get fitter ? – go for a walk, run, skip or swim

Did you say you’d get healthier ? – eat something green, throw away your cigarettes, chuck out the booze

Did you say you’d start your diet ? – bin the sweets, lose the crisps, get rid of the cake

Did you say you’d get organised ? – clean out the cupboard, sort through the paperwork, tidy your office

Did you say you’d get in touch with people ? – pick up the phone, write the email, send a card

Did you sat you’d make time to relax ? – Light a candle, switch off the computer, listen to some music

Did you say you’d cook your own meals ? – Get your ingredients together, find a recipe and sharpen the knife.

Be excited – today is the day you were waiting for!

Have a great Monday x