Well-being review
Feeling bombarded with messages about resolutions, gym membership and diets? If you’re resisting all this January revolution, it’s perfectly natural.
Your reticence is because these messages don’t really sit with the life lessons that Mother Nature shares with us during these dark days and long nights.
Winter encourages us to slow down and gifts us the opportunity to hibernate and nourish our body and mind.
Rather than embarking on a frantic new gym regime, it’s actually the perfect time to reflect on what you’ve been up to during the previous year and to see how far you’ve come to fulfilling your personal dreams, goals and wishes (choose which words resonate the most with you).
Take a few moments to work through the following exercise and discover how you could improve your sense of well-being this year. All you need is a pen and paper and an open mind.
1. What does well-being and being well mean to you?
2. What well-being activities did you chose to do in 2017?
Tip: If you are a keen photographer, look over your snaps and if you are a Facebook fan, have a peek at your timeline – but don’t get too distracted!
3. How did these activities add or detract from your sense of well-being?
4. In 2018 how can you support yourself more; at home, work & play?
- Maybe giving something up?
- Doing less of a certain thing?
- Maintaining consistency?
- Or starting something new?
Your answers, ideas and musings will create your 2018 well-being foundations.
Making it real
The next step is the crucial bit.
Write down your well-being foundations in your 2018 diary, on your calendar or in a notebook and plan when you will do them. Perhaps choose a bright colour so it really stands out – this will also help when you review this year, as it, draws to a close.
Tip: Writing things down adds weight to them becoming a reality. Talking about them take you a step closer too. You might find that some of your friends are keen to join in with some of your planned well-being activities. Even better!
Start small and then keep doing it consistently for the next month ( or more) until it becomes a habit.
To keep motivated, check your wellbeing foundations daily, weekly and/or monthly (you choose) and update your progress.
Remember to celebrate what goes well for you and if you have any challenges, don’t be too harsh on yourself.
Instead, be gentle and consider the following;
- Where do you need support?
- Do you need to break your goal down to make it more manageable?
- Is the original goal still supporting you? ( perhaps it isn’t still important to you)
Explore this by yourself or with friends and if you’re struggling, remember to keep it simple and perhaps choose just ONE thing to do every day to nourish your well-being.
If you need extra help, get in touch and let me know at hello@calmworks.co.uk.
I can talk you through some options.
What it means to me
Doing these exercises has helped me to feel more empowered and to make more nourishing choices about how I choose to live my life. I hope it helps you to do the same.
Some of my well-being foundations include things like:
- Getting out for a walk every day (even if it’s only round the block)
- Eating wholesome, colourful and nourishing food
- Leaving for appointments a few minutes earlier so I can arrive calmly and unhurried
- Creating time time for my healthy Ms; massage, mindfulness, massage and movement. I practice what I teach!
- Making time for friends and family
- Taking cold showers (!)
- Moving ( dancing, yoga, walking etc)
The important bits
Just to reiterate the three main points to remember:
- Keep your activities easy and manageable for a greater chance that you’ll do them.
- Remind yourself why you are doing the activity and how it will help you, eg. “My
daily mindful walk gives me time in nature and is proven to help relax my body and mind.”
- Most of all have fun! And do let me know how you get on at hello@calmworks.co.uk
