What will you do today to make a difference in your life, to make a change? Give yourself love and acceptance and others too. Pick just one small thing---drink more water, have raw veggies for a snack instead of a candy bar. Prepare and cook a delicious healthy meal. Go for a 15 minute walk. Take 2 minutes during your day to pause and deeply breathe--3 counts in thru your nose, 4 counts out thru your mouth, Drink one less coffee and one less soda and add more water instead. Say something kind to a stranger. Notice someone doing something good and praise them for it, Count to 10 before you react to a volatile situation. Take 5 minutes in your day to mediate on what's good and positive about life and share it with someone else. Without any distractions from computer, phone or TV, write a note to someone who's having a hard time and let them know that you care. Do something nice for yourself that you've been putting off because "everyone else comes first",....What do you want to do? What WILL you do?
Take a look Inside! Become more self-aware and set a serious Intention to change. Then it’s about daily cultivating positive, flowing energy in your body and spirit. That’s what happens when practice self-care and we treat ourselves kindly, which includes what we say about—and to—ourselves and others. Its about remaining present for your magnificent life and being grateful every day!
To create energy like that, we have to take a sincere and deep look at the barriers, practices and beliefs that have kept us stuck. Many of these started as messages when we were children and they have been holding us back ever since, leading to the building of a big wall that prevents us from stepping out and embracing challenges, new experiences and new direction. Once we begin to really see, we can tear that wall down!
Do any of these sound familiar?
I can’t write that book because everything’s already been said and my story isn’t that interesting.
I can’t go out with my friends because I’m embarrassed by how I look.
I can’t go to the pool or the beach because I feel exposed and insecure
I can’t be a part of that book club because I’m not as sophisticated as they are
I can’t lose weight because I’ve tried before and nothing works
I’m going to keep quiet because I have nothing interesting to say.
I can’t go out on a date because I don’t want anyone to know the real me.
Would it surprise you to know that I’ve had nearly all of these thoughts and MORE?
These type of messages will ALWAYS hold us back. And when they pop up in our heads, the onus is on us to slay these dragons! If you’re not feeling on your game right now, if this seems really hard, that’s OK, I get it. When I’m in that place it’s just a sign that I need to wake up , pay attention and redirect my focus. For me that means giving myself a loving (no-nonsense) pep talk. Once I’ve cracked through my defeating chatter, I’m better able to create healthy habits (actions) that support who I want to be and how I want to feel.
These are the lessons and tools I share with my training and health coaching clients! For example, if we want our bodies to be strong, then we have to take time to create a fitness routine that supports those goals. If we choose to believe that we don’t have time to work out, then we’re choosing not to thrive. It means we’re prioritizing the safety/familiarity/comfort of where we are over where we want be. And if you’re struggling with anxiety, feeling unmotivated and depressed at times like I have, deciding not to move your body is not a loving choice. Exercise does a world of good for anyone’s mood, being shown to be more effective than anti-depressants. If we can create time to just do nothing but veg on the couch, then we have plenty of time to go out and walk, take a yoga class or do a few situps.
If we want to be healthier and stronger people, more resilient against disease, we have to change our eating habits from a processed food-based system to a REAL FOOD-centered plan. There is simply no other way to better health outcomes. Is it hard to change? Yes, it can be difficult. But like anything else in life, the hard things become easier and easier the more you practice them, then before you know it you’re a virtuoso of Healthy eating!
When we grab on to the positive energy we create by setting our Intentions and following through with loving lifestyle choices, we are stepping into fullest expression of who we are—loving, thriving, forces for good in our own lives and those around us!
Be Well! Carol