Thursday, 21 January 2016

How to beat the January blues

January can make even the most energetic of us feel down in the dumps.Cold, dreary weather, lack of sleep and too much food and drink leave us feeling sluggish and overweight.

Here we provide you with seven top tips to help you feel better and brighter than ever this winter.

TIP ONE: LIE FLAT ON THE FLOOR WITH YOUR LEGS RAISED
Simply lying on the floor with your legs slightly raised can help boost energy levels because it calms the body and opens up your energy channels. This exercise relaxes the lower and upper back which, in turn, opens the stomach meridian or energy channel. "The best time to do this simple exercise is when you wake up because this is when your body is stiff and in need of energising.

TIP TWO: PLAN A HOLIDAY
Research shows that going on holiday is key to creating happiness. 
A holiday gives you the time and space to do the things that make you happy,

TIP THREE: ASK YOURSELF WHAT'S MAKING YOU FEEL DOWN IN THE DUMPS
New Year is often a time for self-reflection which can spiral into the January blues.

Being low in January is very common, But rather than pushing your feelings to one side, allow yourself to acknowledge them so you can resolve them.
One way of doing this is to fill in the Wheel of Life, a simple exercise often used by life coaches to help people find out exactly what is making them unhappy.
The idea is to draw a wheel with eight spokes. Each spoke should represent eight areas of your life. These include:
1. Your health
2. Your money
3. Your social life (including fun and recreation)
4. Your partner/relationship
5. Your work/career
6. Your friends/family
7. Your physical environment such as your home
8. Your personal growth/spirituality.

Now I hope this helps with your January blues.....and think of this it is nearly over and Spring is nearly here......

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS.....





Happy New Year to One and all, I do hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Now that we are getting back the routine of work, school and the normal everyday life things we do,,

Do you make New Years Resolutions. You hear it every year, Ill do this, Ill do that, I for one am not a resolution maker.... as I know I would not keep it...

I try to do a few new things to challenge myself every year or set a simple goal for myself... and in general I do achieve them, maybe not them all but there is always one that I push myself a little harder for.

Last year I wanted to complete the 10K Limerick Run,,, and yes throught the torrential rain and awful conditions, I got there, thats determination, well for me it is anyway...

Heres a few tips I feel if you have a plan for the new year that might help... Dont be too hard on yourself, what one person thinks might seem to be simple achievement to another person it has been a mountain to get that far. So whatever your plan is go for it, it will be such a great boost to yourself

1.  Be Realistic
The surest way to fall short of your goal is to make your goal unattainable. For instance, resolving to NEVER eat your favorite food again is setting you up to fail. Instead, strive for a goal that is attainable, such as avoiding it more often than you do now.

2.  Plan Ahead
Don’t make your resolution on New Year’s Eve. If you wait until the last minute, it will be based on your mindset that particular day. Instead, it should be planned well before December 31 arrives.

3.  Outline Your Plan
Decide how you will deal with the temptation to skip that exercise class or have that piece of cake. This could include calling on a friend for help, practicing positive thinking and self-talk, or reminding yourself how your “bad” will affect your goal.

4.  Make a “Pros” and “Cons” List
It may help to see a list of items on paper to keep your motivation strong. Develop this list over time, and ask others to contribute to it. Keep your list with you and refer to it when you need help keeping your resolve.

5.  Talk About It
Don’t keep your resolution a secret. Tell friends and family members who will be there to support your resolve to change yourself for the better or improve your health. The best-case scenario is to find a buddy who shares your New Year’s resolution and motivate each other.

6.  Reward Yourself
This doesn’t mean that you can eat an entire box of chocolates if your resolution is to eat a better diet. Instead, celebrate your success by treating yourself to something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution.

7.  Track Your Progress
Keep track of each small success. Short-term goals are easier to keep, and each small accomplishment will help keep you motivated.

8.  Dont Beat Yourself Up
Obsessing over the occasional slip won’t help you achieve your goal. Do the best you can each day, and take one day at a time.

9.  Stick to It
Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for it to become part of your personality. It won’t happen overnight, so be persistent and patient!

10. Keep Trying
If you have totally run out of steam when it comes to keeping your resolution by mid-February, don’t despair. Start over again! Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for 24 hours. The 24-hour increments will soon build on each other and, before you know it, you will be back on track.

Best of luck to all who plans on doing somethinge new.