Tag: #health

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Self-Care is not Selfish.

busy-women

Self-care is not Selfish

So how are you…really?

Every day, I see the crazy, messy, demanding, no down-time, don’t let anyone see what this is really like truth people are living. I also see people searching for something different. Searching for something they believe is unattainable. Lives that they can enjoy, space to breathe, time to live and not just exist.

I have lived it and know it to be true. I am hardwired with a massive tendency to overload myself and overcommit. I have very high expectations of myself, three very busy children, coupled with a husband who travels for work and I run my own business so I know intimately, the juggle and the struggle that we women face. For a long time I spent my days over scheduling, trying to do it all, be it all and have it all. I was running on adrenalin and juggling lots of balls (pretty well) but I was missing basic opportunities for connectedness and happiness. I started to burn out.

So I stepped back. Big time. I had to make some changes that would better support me and my family. What I have learned over many years is that for me to thrive – at work and at home I need be very intentional and deliberate about supporting my wellbeing and investing in myself each and every day.

For so many women there is this sense of hopelessness around it all – that we are living a losing battle of just trying to stay on top of things. But here’s the thing…It is absolutely possible to live a life you love…to live a life that is full and stimulating and fulfilling but that is not panicked and rushed and chaotic.

Over time I have learned ways that have enabled me to take my wellbeing to a whole new dimension. As a result, I am more present, calm, energized and fulfilled. This didn’t just happen. It’s been a slow burn. My non-negotiables each day are good nutrition, exercise, enough sleep and meditation. By practicing these self-care rituals, I am much better at managing and embracing the busyness of life.

How to make ‘self-care’ actually happen.
It can be quite a challenge to find time for ourselves. Unless you plan it – ‘me time’ can easily fall off the to-do list.

  • Commitment to self. Getting over the idea that ‘self-care’ is selfish and that in fact it’s a necessary dimension of your wellbeing is the first step. When we are tired, stressed and pulled in too many directions, it is impossible to give our best to all that we must accomplish.
  • What is wasting time? Do you check your emails constantly? Answer personal calls in the middle of a work-day? Spend time mindlessly scrolling through social media? If this sounds like you, perhaps it’s time to prioritise your responsibilities and gain more time that way.
  • Learn to say “no”. Practise makes perfect but it is okay to say no to things that you don’t really want to do, need to do and don’t value.
  • Plan for it. Unless you plan for it, in our very busy, over committed lives it is likely to fall off the ‘to do’ list. We have to be pro-active about fitting it in. Schedule it like you would an appointment or a meeting.
  • Commit to a minimum of 10 – 20 minutes a day. Start off small. Do something (or nothing) that you enjoy and that allows you to let go of responsibility. Everyone has 10 minutes.
  • Create a daily ritual. This might be a bath, going for an evening walk or getting up early to meditate or have a quiet cup of tea alone. Build it into your day and make it something you look forward to.

No matter what ‘self-care’ means for you, it shouldn’t be at the bottom of your ‘To Do’ list. It is something we should be doing to stay healthy and happy. It’s basic. It’s fundamental.

So what can you do today to improve your self-care?
If you have a hunch that you’re not quite nailing it – I’d love to hear from you. I work with clients just like you to improve their wellness with simple strategies and routines to regain clarity and control, find balance in their day and develop healthy habits towards experiencing a more fulfilling life. Contact me here and lets have a chat.

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Tired all the time? Get some sleep.

Tired all the Time? Get some Sleep

So how did you sleep last night? What about the night before that? Did you go to bed before 10pm in a cool, darkened room and sleep without waking for 8 gorgeous hours? Did you wake naturally, feeling refreshed, energised, calm and positive? No? Really? Well this sadly is the reality for a very large number of people who in fact rarely experience this. Unfortunately the complaint of “I’m exhausted all the time” has become perfectly normal. How wrong is that!

I attended a talk the other night presented by the super brain and very awesome Dr Libby Weaver ‘Sort Your Sleep – Understanding Mood, Stress and Fatigue.’ It struck me just how many of us struggle with getting enough shut eye. Anyhow, it inspired me to share a bit about how absolutely central sleep is to good health.

Too busy to sleep.
No matter how tired we are sometimes, it feels like it’s impossible to get the sleep we need. Feeling that there aren’t enough hours in the day, we look for something to cut. And sleep is an easy target. Ironically, the more tired we are, combined with the sleep we are too busy to have, the more we come unravelled…big time!

Burning out.
I can speak from personal experience when I recall a time where anything over 5 hours felt like a bonus. Waking to an alarm after minimal sleep would send my adrenalin pumping. Like a robot I would sit up, tie my laces and head out into the dark to get my exercise in before the rest of the world woke. I was totally knackered. Wired and tired! I am here to tell you that if you are getting by on minimal sleep and feel like you are coping okay then it is time to reassess. Burning out is not the necessary price for accomplishment and success.

Just getting by.
Sleep is often the first thing to go when we are busy. You think you can just ‘get by’ with five hours sleep and you’ll be fine. Right? WRONG! We need sleep to function well. It is absolutely vital for our mental, physical and emotional well-being. Getting good-quality sleep (and enough of it) should be as high on your priority list as regular exercise and a healthy diet.

Why lack of sleep is bad for our health…REALLY BAD!
There is a wealth of evidence showing that too few zzzzs can have a significant and very negative impact on our health and wellbeing. Sleep is absolutely the key to better health. Sleep affects our physical and mental health enormously. A bad night’s sleep massively impacts alertness, concentration, memory, mood and productivity. It can also lower our immunity, contribute to weight gain, affect our hormone function and increase our risk of serious disease. Without enough sleep, we may well continue to function but we certainly do not continue to function well. Sleep is the key to feeling great and functioning at your personal best.

Today we know more about the science of sleep than ever before and how important it is to every aspect of our wellbeing. However, getting enough sleep seems harder and harder. It’s also the delusion that overwork, stress and burnout are the inevitable prices we must pay in order to succeed. There are some very real medical reasons why people may not be able to achieve deep restorative sleep, so if you feel like you have ‘tried everything’ then it may be a reason to consult your GP. For most of us though there is a great deal of hope around sorting our sleep.

Here are some suggestions for getting a great night’s sleep:

  • Sleep in a darkened room. This supports the body’s natural hormonal patterns to send you off to sleep and keep you that way.
  • Get to sleep by 10pm. Most of the body’s repair work is done prior to 3am so the more sleep you can get before this time, the fresher and more vital you will feel on waking.
  • Switch off! Computers, televisions and phones interfere with your natural sleep hormones and affect your sleep big time. Ideally have technology free time for at least an hour before bed.
  • Avoid doing work for 2 hours before bed and engaging your brain in this way.
  • Avoid stimulants in the afternoon. Eliminating caffeine after 12pm is a good idea.
  • Avoid excessive alcohol. Although alcohol is a sedative, it disrupts quality of sleep by causing us to wake when our blood sugar levels start to fall.
  • Keep the temperature in the bedroom at a comfortable level. Don’t overheat with piles of blankets and keep some fresh air coming into the room during the night.
  • Find a way to relax before bed. Restorative rituals like a bath, a cup of herbal tea, a book, some light stretching or even some slow deep breathing can help to clear your mind and enable you to fall into a deeper sleep.

So how much sleep do we need?
Seven to eight hours. Most experts consider this the optimal level of sleep and it should lead you to wake feeling rested and ready for the day ahead.

So it’s about time you got some serious shut eye.
It is so important to schedule maximum (quality) sleep time for yourself if you want to start feeling amazing from the inside out. Rather than trudging through your day, wake up feeling calm, clear and rested. There is a new kind of normal – just go to bed!

I would like to challenge you to find one thing you could do differently over the next week to set yourself up for a better nights sleep. I’d love to hear what works for you. Contact me here.

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Are you an ‘All or Nothing’ person?

Are you an 'All or Nothing' Person?

The problem with ‘All or Nothing’ thinking is that either you’re all – or you’re nothing. There is no in-between. This approach to life can really stifle our happiness and fulfilment and tends to explode into self -criticism and feelings of hopelessness.

Letting go of extremes can really improve your health and wellness.

I get it. It can be challenging to always eat well, diligently exercise, rest enough…add this to the every-day responsibilities of working, managing a home, giving to relationships, contributing to society and being a decent human…it can be overwhelming and exhausting.

‘All or Nothing’ people swing between both ends of the extremes:

  • They do restrictive diets to punish themselves after indulging on a holiday.
  • They swear off all alcohol for ‘Feb Fast’ or ‘Ocsober’ only to participate in huge drinking sessions for the remainder of the year.
  • After having a row of chocolate they think, “Oh well I’ve blown it”, and so decide to eat the entire block.
  • They sign up for 30 days of yoga in a row to make up for 3 months of complete inactivity.
  • They do a green juice cleanse for a week after a weekend of indulgence and binging.

If we embraced moderation a little more in our lives we wouldn’t feel the need to turn to extreme weight loss challenges, diets and ‘detoxes’ to make up for our lifestyle.

So you miss a workout one morning because you have to be at work early or you have a row of chocolate after dinner. The thing is, missing a workout or having a piece of cake or chocolate doesn’t mean you’ve blown your whole regime. Being affected by life’s little bumps doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re human.

So many clients I see are stuck in this ‘All or Nothing’ cycle. This idea that if something is not done perfectly then the pursuit is useless.

Maybe you or someone you know is like this…Before they (re)start their new diet the pantry gets cleaned out, they eat a few last-hurrah meals, drink a few last–hurrah wines. A new exercise regime may start with the same sort of enthusiasm, new active-wear and renewed promises to self of daily workouts. But if you are pressuring yourself to be perfect, it won’t be long until you decide you’re weak or that your life/family/job/whatever is conspiring to keep you out of shape. And then, you give up. You quit!

Whilst these intentions are great and we need to be scheduling time for intentional exercise and paying attention to the quality and quantity of food we eat, this ‘All or Nothing’ approach sets the bar so high that it can never be reached and in doing so, we set ourselves up to fail. Cue feelings of guilt, shame, inadequacy, restriction and feelings of hopelessness!

We need to be a little bit flexible, especially at the beginning of a lifestyle change. Yes, it’s important to make a plan and do your best to stick with it. But if you do stumble, dust yourself off. Life happens…carry on. A slip up does not need to be the undoing of our health. It is just a tiny part of the big picture.

It really is about time we start being a little kinder to ourselves for the sake of our health. Time we embraced a little more moderation instead of guiltily swinging between ‘All or Nothing’ extremes. I provide guidance towards health and lifestyle solutions for busy women. If you would like some support towards making some tweaks toward a sustainable and balanced wellness plan then contact me. I would love to help you find what feels right for you.

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Time to Prioritise Health over Beauty.

We live in a world that sends us all sorts of messages about the ‘perfect’ body. Truth is, there is no such thing. We are constantly receiving image-related messages, both within the media and our surrounding environments, indicating what society views as ‘beautiful’. It is not surprising then, that instead of embracing and celebrating diversity in all body types, we end up focusing on what can be dangerous and often physically unattainable perfection. Given that most images in everyday media are computer-manipulated to create completely unrealistic bodies, it is no wonder more and more people are turning to cosmetic surgery to get the body the media portrays. And since the images created are artificial in the first place, it follows that no one can attain this body through natural or healthy means.

So What’s Body Image?
Body image refers to how you see yourself, how you feel about the way you look and how you think others perceive you. The reality is that we come in all different shapes and sizes. It is unrealistic to represent only one body type as beautiful. Unfortunately there is a whole lot of shame, guilt and disappointment around our bodies today.

Time to Embrace.
This week I am thrilled to be hosting a cinema screening of one of the most important documentaries of 2016 ‘Embrace.’ The documentary is the brainchild of Body Image Movement founder Taryn Brumfitt. From body loather to body lover, Taryn has set her sights on creating global change in the way people feel about their bodies by sharing not only her journey, but also that of inspiring and motivational people from across the globe. https://fan-force.com/screenings/embrace-roseville-cinemas-nsw/ I am seriously passionate about helping to share this important message and get people questioning and accepting the current norm.

Enough.
We are enough. We are not broken. We do not need to be fixed. We need to stop stigmatizing bodies and calling them too fat, too short, too old, too tall. The truth is we come in a variety of shapes and sizes and our diversity is something to be celebrated.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

1. Question Messages in the Media.
We need to look and think critically about the unrealistic ways the media portrays girls and women. We should be questioning and challenging western society’s narrow beauty ideal. So many pictures are photo-shopped to the point where those body shapes are impossible to achieve. It is not real life. We shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to the unrealistic images in the media.

2. Give your Body some Love.
 Focus on our positive qualities, skills and talents and what our bodies can do rather than on how we look. Perhaps consider all the different aspects that make up a person; personality, skills and outlook on life! The body is amazing. Appreciating and respecting all the things it can do will help you to feel more positive about it.

3. Think Critically.
 Become a critical viewer of social and media messages.  Pay attention to images or attitudes that make you feel bad about yourself or your body. Do you really need that in your life? Try to stick to media that doesn’t make you feel ugly and unworthy.

4. Rock your own Style.
Wear clothes that are comfortable and make you feel good about your body.  Work with your body, not against it. When you feel like your clothing suits you, you’ll feel a lot happier and confident in yourself.

5. Don’t be Negative.
Accept other people’s body sizes and shapes. There is no right or wrong when it comes to body shape or appearance. People are more than numbers on a scale. Every person is a unique individual with admirable talents, skills, and abilities. Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. We should be celebrating our individuality and diversity.

6. Don’t Diet.
 Instead of weighing food, obsessing over it, fantasising about it, just eat what makes you feel healthy and gives you plenty of energy to achieve what you want in your life. Try to eat healthy and in moderation. Focus on how different foods make you feel. You’ll start noticing which ones make you feel bloated and lethargic, and which ones make you feel energetic and vibrant. Don’t get caught up in fad diets which inevitably end up backfiring, and result in you putting on more weight than you started with.

All this obsession is not only time consuming, it’s a waste of time. Truth is, healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. We need to change the rules and the way we think. It is time to celebrate diversity, pursue vitality and health through mindful eating and enjoyable movement.

If the way you feel about your body is getting you down or if you are caught up in the sea of misinformation and confusion; please contact me for some support options. Together we can get you thriving, flourishing and enjoying life.  http://www.chasingsunrise.com.au/contact/

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Managing Life Overload.

Last week I was invited to speak about ‘Life Overload’ and offer some suggestions for people around how they can take charge of their health. So I’d like to share with you these five things you can do to help move you from being over it and overwhelmed to feeling empowered, focused, vibrant, healthy and back in control

1. Decide.

A decision to change is not something you just stumble over, it’s something you have to decide you want and commit to. You don’t have to have hit rock bottom, nor do you have to tolerate a ‘merr’ kind of life. So if you have the innate wisdom of wanting more…Decide you want something better. Decide you are worth it. Decide you want a life.

2. Vision.

Get crystal clear on what you want. Without a vision it’s hard to find the motivation to move forward. It’s hard to get excited, be energetic or even enthusiastic if you don’t know where you are headed. Writing a vision can be hugely powerful. I encourage all of my clients to write a statement of intention that is compelling, inviting and appealing where they imagine living their best life. A vision forces you to cut through the fog and overload to give you clarity and simplify what you are trying to achieve.

3. Boundaries.

With the fast pace, busy, demanding life we all lead between work, families, the house, friends, exercise, contributing to society, who has time for boundaries? Well having boundaries is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves towards achieving health, wellness and ultimately happiness. Establish what boundaries you need to set for yourself, communicate them with the people they affect and then of course enforce them. Practice makes perfect.

4. Success. Know what that means for you.

What is YOUR definition of success? Because it’s the only one that really counts. So many of us walk around with the cookie cutter image of success in our mind and not what really matters most. My personal definition of success is not earning tons of money working 12 hour days; but rather being healthy, energised and present with connected relationships. So getting REAL about what’s important to you and pursuing your very own definition of success is key.

5. Put your wellbeing first.

You need to be well. You must look after your health and vitality to live your best life. So how do we do this without feeling like it’s just another thing to do?

Traditional stress management strategies can focus on optimum nutrition, exercise rituals, yoga and meditation. However in real life, health retreats, green juice cleanses and a raw food diet are just not real or practical for highly stressed people who just have to get on with things. Time consuming, idealistic strategies are not only hard to maintain but they can be difficult to even begin.

Busy, stressed and overwhelmed people need real-life solutions.

If you would like to some real-life, no nonsense, practical solutions that will empower you for positive, lasting change – please get in touch. I’d love to help you take charge of your health.

Contact Me

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Is Self-Sabotage Hurting Your Health?

Ever heard the expression “you are your own worst enemy”. Of course you have. In fact I’m sure it rings true for most of us. How many times have we acted against our self-interest then asked ourselves why the hell did we do that? Why did we say that to a loved one? Why did we procrastinate on that project? Why did we eat the block of chocolate? Why have we stopped doing that one thing that makes us feel great? WHY, WHY, WHY? When we fall victim to our critical voice, we often engage in self-limiting and acts of self-sabotage that ultimately hurts us in our daily lives.

Here are just a few examples of self-sabotage.

  • Repeating unwanted patterns of behaviour;
  • Procrastinating – being distracted by 101 other things – none of which you actually should be doing right now;
  • Lacking motivation as a deadline draws near;
  • Being an impatient, screaming like a banchi parent;
  • Inability to commit to or hold on to long term relationships;
  • Saying you want something then doing things that ensure it doesn’t happen;
  • Eating/drinking/doing things that compromise your health, wellbeing and effectiveness;
  • Making positive changes in your habits only to slip back into old ways;
  • Failure to complete what you start;
  • Finding the perfect job but missing the deadline for submission of the application;
  • Saving money for a holiday then blowing it all on an indulgent spending spree;
  • Achieving happiness or success but behaving in ways that jeopardise it/damage it and ultimately lead to you losing it;
  • Joining a gym but being too busy to go (then feeling hideously guilty about it)

Any of the above sound like you?

I recently fractured my ankle and can’t exercise or drive for the moment so for someone that craves exercise in the outdoors and their independence and freedom this has been ‘difficult’. So having enjoyed my own little pitty party – a combination of tears, irritability and chocolate – I am quite over myself. It is time to dust myself off and pick myself up. Consider the pitty party OVER.

See, ultimately these thoughts, feelings and actions undermine us, especially when we engage in them repeatedly. Our inner saboteur or ‘mean girl’ is activated when strong emotions are surging. A chaos of feelings rise up internally and destructive emotions dominate. These emotions compel us to repeat self-destructive acts, do something that hurts ourselves, or others if we allow ourselves to be controlled by them.

Once you recognise (or are helped to see) ways in which you are self-sabotaging through negative self-talk based on inappropriate beliefs and negative thoughts, you can actively and deliberately monitor these thoughts and, kindly and gently choose to change this inner dialogue to more positive, supportive self-talk. Slowly but surely a healthier, more supportive mindset leads to a joyful sense of freedom and sustainable positive life changes.

You might find the following techniques helpful as part of a deliberate change process;

Expect that there will be Bumps in the Road.

Change isn’t easy. There will always be tough times. Sometimes it can be helpful to brainstorm what might make things hard for you. By then developing a plan for how you might deal with these situations when they arise can often make you more confident in your ability to keep going when the going gets tough.

Don’t View Mistakes as Failures.

Progress rarely comes as a straight line. Sometimes people think one step back means they’ve gone all the way back to square one which can cause them to give up. Recognising that we are human, that we will mess up, stuff up, fall off the horse…and rather than seeing ourselves as a failure we need to harness our energy and focus to create a plan to get us back on track.

Stay Connected to your WHY.

Having a clear vision for your future is motivating and inspiring. A vision is what drives the decisions and actions that bring fulfilment and joy. Once you come up with a vision for your life I believe you need to read it every day. It reminds you of your greater purpose and there is less chance of you being distracted.

Pay Attention to Your Thoughts and Feelings.

When negative feelings come up, stop and bring yourself back into the present moment. I love the following questions posed by author Byron Katie in ‘Loving What Is’. She suggests you ask yourself;

–          Is it true?

–          Can I absolutely know that it is true?

–          How do I react when I think that thought?

–          Who would I be without that thought?

Get Outside.

Stop, take a break, stretch, step outside into the sunshine and fresh air. It can change your perspective and help inspire new ideas and solutions that you hadn’t previously been able to see.

Share your Struggle.

Sometimes being connected and allowing yourself to be vulnerable and share your story can lead to being inspired and supported by others.

So my advice for today. Concentrate on what you want, and enjoy what you already have. Live in the moment, not in fear of what could happen in the future. Think about what’s going right and what’s working and be sure to acknowledge and be thankful for it. If you think in this way, you will attract more of what is working.

I am offering complimentary 20 minute ‘Discovery Sessions’ for the month of September. So if you are stuck and spinning in circles and would like to work towards your ‘best life’ and break free of self-sabotage please contact me. http://www.chasingsunrise.com.au/contact/

 

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Find your ‘Dream Team’ for Better Health.

All of us need a good support network and our lives are made all the better by having people to help us out when we need it. When we decide and are committed to change it is vital to have the right people around us to encourage, support and celebrate our success. This is what I like to call a ‘Dream Team’ – they are people who genuinely care and want the best for us. These people want to see us achieve our goals and fulfil our potential.

Whilst some people lift, nurture and encourage us, others can have the opposite effect. They are the people who might shoot down our idea, lead us astray, appear uninterested or are just plain unsupportive. They are the people that want you to keep drinking with them, putting on weight with them, being stressed along side them… they will sabotage your efforts because it is uncomfortable for them to see you step up. For you to succeed shines a light on their own insecurities.

Choose Carefully.

Our wellbeing is certainly influenced by those around us so it is important for us to surround ourselves with a team of people that cultivate healthy and positive behaviour. If we can keep this in mind we can have greater insights into the quality of our interactions and their energetic effect on us. We need to choose our team carefully – as they will help us strive or wilt.

I encourage all my clients to choose a ‘Dream Team’. In my experience they are crucial in supporting a person achieve positive and lasting change. Our team inspire us to be a better person, can provide us with motivation to achieve our goals, empower us to make changes, hold us accountable and are happy for our success.

Who Makes Up a Dream Team?

Positive people that enrich our lives. They might be:

–          Family members

–          Friends

–          Co-workers

–          Mentor/Coach

These people see the potential in you, even when you are having trouble yourself.

My Team.

I am fortunate to have a large network of family and friends around me. Having said that there are only a few I would consider make up my ‘Dream Team’. My team inspire me, challenge me, love me, support me and absolutely want the best for me. They are people I can call on to talk through a problem, to gain perspective, get balance or reassurance. They are my own little cheer squad and I am immensely grateful for them in my life. On the flipside there are those that can leave me feeling flat and frustrated after interactions. They are the takers, they lack personal awareness and are egocentric. I have learned over time to manage my interactions with them.

How to Engage Your Team.

Tell people they are part of your team, allow yourself to be vulnerable, share your dreams, goals and desires. In many cases it might be helpful to tell your team what support you need. Don’t expect them to necessarily know unless you are specific. Our journey to wellness can be made so much better by having people to be strong when we are weak and offer perspective when we feel lost.

I would challenge you to have the courage to ask for support, to acknowledge that we are stronger when we to lean in. Surround yourself with people who are going to cultivate this new, healthy, positive change you want.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need some help with gaining the right support to become your own best version of self. I would love to be part of your team. http://www.chasingsunrise.com.au/contact/

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How ‘Busy’ is Hurting our Health

busy-women

Women today are struggling to catch their breath. Smart, strong, intelligent women are frantic and overwhelmed with the hectic pace and demands of every-day life. ‘Busy’ is hurting our health.

The modern woman is wearing more hats, juggling more projects, working longer hours and at the same time many continue to fulfil roles as home makers, nurturers, mothers and lovers. Add all of this to an endless list of ‘stuff’ we should be doing like exercising, eating well, having quality time with friends and family, improving ourselves and contributing to our community…there is no wonder we are overwhelmed and exhausted!

Our lives have become so demanding that ‘busy’ and ‘tired’ are just accepted as the norm. We are so caught up in the ‘doing’ that we are not actually just ‘being’, and sadly this is how we are measuring our success. We are pushing, striving, working harder, thinking, planning and rushing. As a result we are losing sight of human moments, connection and our health. For what?

It’s time to get real about what’s important to us and take back control.

‘Busy’ is not something to boast about…Busy’ is making us sick. Fatigue, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, headaches and tension – all conditions related to excessive busyness. It’s time to stop catastrophising our lives, subscribing to the hype and glorifying ‘busy’. It is more important than ever to take great care of ourselves. So how do we do this without feeling like it’s just another thing on our already epic ‘to do’ lists?

Most people will say they just don’t have time. We all have time…the same time. We prioritise what we value most. So saying that you don’t have time is because you don’t value it as a priority. By carving out time (that we all have) for ourselves, we can make huge strides in other aspects for our lives that have previously drained us.

You need to ask yourself; is what you are doing now aligned with what you want for your life? If the answer is no, it’s time to reassess.

Life will always bring us challenges, set-backs, disappointments and occasionally a full blown crisis. But in amongst it all there is joy and happiness to be found. We need to wake-up and be able to enjoy the ordinary and every day, the journey, the being, the authentic, the real.

Exhaustion, stress and busyness lie between what we have and what we want. Reassessing priorities and decluttering our lives is key to creating space to create more, be more, give more, dream more and live more. This is your life. Own it.

Change is not easy, but with the right support it is possible.  Don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to learn more or find out how we can work together to help you regain control, find balance and develop healthy habits towards experiencing a more fulfilling life.

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Reduce Stress and Improve Health.

Traditional stress management strategies can focus on optimum nutrition, exercise rituals, yoga and meditation. However in real life, health retreats, green juice cleanses and a raw food diet is just not real or practical for highly stressed people who just have to get on with things. Time consuming, idealistic strategies are not only hard to maintain but they can be difficult to even begin.

Busy, stressed and overwhelmed people need real-life solutions. We need changes that are workable, practical and achievable that assist and support improved health and wellbeing. Here are my top ten ways to help you reduce stress and improve your health immediately.

  1. Aim to gain health with nutritious food.

When we are stressed we tend to crave chocolate, ice cream, cheese…Unfortunately, indulging these cravings just end up adding to our self-sabotage. Strive for plenty of fresh, colourful and unprocessed food. Ideally we should be aiming to eat 5 serves of vegetables per day and around 2 serves of fruit. Combine this with lean protein and wholegrains to stay healthy and function with energy and improved mood.

  1. Get more sleep.

For busy people with not enough hours in the day – sleep can seem overrated. However without enough sleep we can’t function well. Most adults need between 7 – 9 hours of sleep a night. Much less than this affects our ability to cope.

  1. Exercise.

Hands down the best thing you can do right now to help yourself settle. Not only does it fire off its own set of physiological processes that promote relaxation and positive feelings, it enables us to get rid of that unwanted tension and the build-up of adrenalin pumping through our body. Simply start with small steps of something you enjoy.

  1. Learn to say no.

Accept that you are never going to be all things to all people. Ask yourself, is this something I want to do, something I need to do or something I have to do? If you can’t answer “yes” to any of these questions, your answers should be a definite “no

  1. Breathe.

Breathing engages our relaxation response which turns off our reaction to stress. Try breathing in slowly for four counts and exhaling slowly for four counts. Repeat this five times and notice how much more calm and present you feel.

  1. Clear the clutter.

It’s much easier to have a calm, clear mind when you live in a calm, clear environment. Try not to hold onto things you don’t need.

  1. Practise Gratitude.

When we are ‘busy’ it is easy for us to get bogged down, complain a lot and feel sorry for ourselves.  Being grateful can put us in a very different state of mind. Taking some time out to be mindful of things we are grateful for (big or small) can really help us appreciate what we have. Start a new ritual of writing down or saying out loud each day three things you are grateful for. Watch your perspective change.

  1. Make ‘Me’ Time a Priority.

For ‘busy’ people nurturing ourselves can feel selfish or indulgent; but sooner or later unless we start prioritising ourselves we can start to feel frustrated, fatigued, self-loathing with an overall lack of fulfilment. Self-renewal leads to a more balanced, happy and satisfied life. Book personal time in like you would for a meeting and do things that make you feel rested, cared for and peaceful.

  1. Watch the Coffee and Grog.

Warming up with coffee and cooling down with a glass/es of wine…everyday? I would never suggest to anyone under enormous stress to give up these things entirely however the secret is to consume them wisely, to ensure they enhance our day and not destroy it. Make sure you control ‘it’ and ‘it’ doesn’t control you.

  1. Spend time with the people you love.

At the end of the day it won’t matter if you were a size 8, had the big job, got the promotion or had a tidy house. What will matter is that you lived a life with connection, meaning and had real relationships filled with laughter and joy.

If you’re ready to commit to change and know you need some support, I’m here to help. Why not book a free 20 minute discovery session with me – let me help you get clear on what your next steps need to be so you can feel less stressed and empowered on how to take back some control.

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