1st of 3 BIG EVENTS POST – The fall

1st of 3 BIG EVENTS POST – The fall

Sorry for my lack of personal posts. I have had a lot going on - 3 big events. Listing one post a day so it’s not a huge long post, and each has a lesson.

NUMBER 1.  About 6 months ago I fractured my foot by a freak trip up a curb. To someone who walked 15-20,000 steps a day, it was a big deal. I had 2 weeks pretty much in bed, and was just about able to walk in a support boot and crutches, but no more then 4 blocks at a time.

I had several NHS appointments to see how badly I had fractured the tendon and the nerve.  It was an experience to actually get to hear my nerve grow!! They put an acupuncture needle in your leg, and you can actually hear the nerve grow (silence means it is a normal nerve).  So apparently it will take another month for the nerve to head down my leg to my big toe. At least I am now on the mend and am so thankful to Bhavini and Aiden, from Bodies Under Construction, for their amazing physio skills to helping me with rehab.  I am now almost back to 100% and for the first time today – I managed to run for 6 minutes!  YEAH!!

However, the hardest part of the fracture was not the physical pain, it was the mental depression.  Not being able to get outside for exercise, do my normal routine, and see clients really took a toll on my mental wellbeing.  I felt so down, and even though I could do work over Skype and some social media, not getting out and being able to exercise began to make me feel lonely and depressed.  I knew I had to take action mentally to get me into a better state.  

I began to break down the day into activities such as 30 minutes just doing gentle stretching, 30 minutes bath (including massaging my foot), 30 minutes reading positive books (like Laws of Attraction), a few hours work, 1 hour watching feel good YouTube clips about “spending it forward” and “acts of kindness”, 45 minutes eating a healthy lunch slowly and watching the news, watching a funny or classic movie, and ending the day again with gentle stretching with a scented candle - of course.  It started to help vs. being frustrated and depressed.  Once I had a plan, I started to feel better.

I read the book Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.  It was ironic as the book is about a lonely woman.  The author, Gail Honeyman, wrote the book after reading a newspaper story about a woman in her 30’s that never saw people from the time she left work on Friday night until Monday morning.   We only think of the elderly as suffering from isolation and loneliness.  You need to make a plan if you are living with depression, fear, loneliness, anxiety, etc.  Little steps will lead to bigger ones and slowly feeling better and better and better. 

The other lovely lesson I learnt was to try the “acts of kindness” for myself to others.  I went to Sainsbury’s, bought a dozen yellow roses, and passed them out on my way home. Every one of the 12 people I gave a rose to brightened their day and mine!  One man even said, “I feel like I have just been knighted”.  Also one woman I gave a rose to was so thankful and happy that the women at the table next to her clapped, so I gave one to her too, and those 2 women I am sure were still talking to each other long after I left.

So don’t let things get you down – get a plan.

The Science of Laughter

I read The Science of Laughter from Time Magazine’s September issue.  It was really interesting to learn that the main reason we laugh is social communication.  

It is also an unconscious behavior (not under our control at all), which is why we have all had “inappropriate” times of cracking up.  Mine usually happens in church.

The really amazing thing about laughing is that it is, like drinking water, good for us.  Not only mentally making us feel good, but also physically we benefit.  That is why there are more and more studies being done in universities and hospitals about using laughter for better health.   It helps in boosting our immune function, pain tolerance, cardiovascular health and memory.  We know it reduces stress and help with depression.

So I suggest you spend 1-2 hours over the weekend to watch your favorite comedy! Happy Friday!

When you want to feel happy when you are feeling sad

Sometimes we feel sad and don't know how to getting that happy feeling again, particularly in winter (and around the holiday's it can feel worse). This exercise gets you thinking happy and locking it in for use throughout the day. Don't worry - be happy : ).

5 tips to bring more Positive Energy into your life

ATTRACTING POSITIVE ENERGY

THIS SHOULDN’T BE HARD, BUT YET, IT SEEMS SOME PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH BEING POSITIVE.

SO TRY THESE 5 TIPS OUT THIS WEEK AND SEE IF IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR POSITIVE ENERGY.

1.        WHEN YOU WAKE UP, BEFORE YOU GET UP, SAY TO YOURSELF 10 TIMES, “I AM GOING TO HAVE AN AMAZING DAY” AND SMILE AS YOU SAY IT. COUNT OUT WITH YOUR FINGERS.

2.        ONCE EVERY HOUR DURING YOUR WORKING HOURS, STOP AND BREATH 6 TIMES – IF YOU CAN DO THIS OUTSIDE – EVEN BETTER.  AND SAY, I FEEL GREAT!

3.        ON YOUR COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK, SAY 10 THINGS YOU GRATEFUL FOR: 

-         THANK YOU FOR MY JOB (IF YOU DON’T LIKE YOUR JOB, FOR THE SALARY),

-         FOR MY HEALTH – IF YOU HAVE A COLD, AT LEAST YOU DON’T HAVE CANCER – I AM TRYING TO GET YOU TO KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE.

-         FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, FOOD, WATER, A HOME, BEING ABLE TO READ, MUSIC, EXERCISE, SPOUSE/PARTNER, CHILDREN, ANIMALS, BREATHING, MEDITATION, LEARNING - anything no matter what or how small   SOMETIMES I REPEAT MY LISTS - BUT THAT CAN BE RELATED TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENED OR I AM JUST SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THE PERSON, PLACE OR THING I AM MENTIONING.

4.        ASK FOR POSITIVE ENERGY.  DEPENDING ON YOUR BELIEVES, ASK GOD, OR THE UNIVERSE, OR THE INTERNET TO SEND YOU GOOD VIBES.  REALLY ASK FOR IT.

5.        KEEP LOOKING FOR POSITIVE THINGS IN EVERYTHING! NEVER GIVE UP LOOKING FOR HAPPINESS.  TOUGH TIMES DON’T LAST.  SO KEEP LOOKING AND EXPLORING AND LEARNING ABOUT THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY.  THINGS THAT BRING GOODNESS AND POSITIVE ENERGY INTO YOUR LIFE.  IT MIGHT TAKE A SOME EXPLORING, BUT YOU WILL FIND IT AS LONG AS YOU WANT IT.  

LASTLY, IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS DRAINING YOU OF YOUR POSITIVE ENERGY OR HAPPINESS, FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE IT AND STOP IT, THERE WILL BE A SOLUTION BUT YOU NEED TO ADDRESS IT AND FIX IT.

For those who have lost a loved one, some comforting words.

We had this printed on the back side of my fathers funeral card.  I find peace when I read it.  I wanted to share it with others.  RIP

Excellent advice on letting go of worries

How to fall asleep

Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? Then the following few tips should help you drift off to sleep. I am not talking about having a regular routine, using lavender under your pillow, or having a warm bath before going to bed. This is about when you are in bed and your mind starts to wander.

With your eyes closed do one of the following:

1. Think of all the places you found sleep came quickly (childhood bed, holiday, on a train journey being rocked back and forth like a baby).
2. Count backwards from 300 and if you mix up a number start again.
3. Imagine you are looking at a fireplace and watching all the colours within the flame.  Notice the gentle reflection of the glow of the fire in the room and how it makes you feel.  Then focus on the fire again until you "feel" tired and imagine reclining back and closing your eyes.  (This deepens your relaxation).
4. Write down your worries and put them in a drawer so they can sleep for the night and you can decide in the morning if you still want to wake up those worries or let them sleep forever in the drawer.
5. Tighten and release all the muscles in your body starting at your feet up to your head.  Going up your whole body slowly.  Then when you get to the top, start again at the feet (not squeezing and releasing) but this time imagine each muscle is relaxing even further to the point like you "feel" you can't even move a leg or an arm.
6. Imagine or focus on doing something so boring you want to go to sleep instead i.e. driving down an endless straight road.
7. Think of 10 things you are thankful for in your life and then say a mantra, "I easily and quickly fall into sleep".

Sleep well!

Stress busters and mood lifters

As the winter nights close in, fight back with these stress busters and mood lifters. Stay happy all winter long!

• Keep magnesium levels up. Magnesium is a natural tranquilliser (Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds) or get Bach's rescue remedy from Boots
• Make lists: things seems worse in our heads, use a calendar...
• Have a guilt free bath (oils and candles). You happy = everyone happy
• Learn to breathe
• Go for a walk and do other regular exercise like yoga/Pilates
• Get a massage or acupuncture
• Learn to meditate and use visualisation techniques
• Listen to music or a relaxation CD
• Self-talk... Say positive statements... Well done!
• Plan for your future but LIVE in the moment. 99.9% of the time we worry about things that might go wrong. So fee the fear and do it anyway!

Learn self-hypnosis and discomfort control