Apr 15, 2019 | Fun & Recreation, Health & Wellbeing, Personal Development
A little over a month ago, I had a speaking engagement at a conference. I was also meeting a number of my coaching clients for the first time. In the lead up to the conference, I was determined to have nice long strong nails for the weekend. To achieve this, I had a routine of using strengthening oil on my cuticles and coating them with Sally Hansen’s “Hard as Nails” Strengthening Polish twice a week. (If you have not used the Hard as Nails polish, try it, it is great for growing long healthy nails.) By the time of the conference, my nails were GREAT!! Nice and long and strong.
After the conference, I was even busier than usual, and self care was the thing I neglected. I felt I just did not have time for myself amongst everything else that was going on. Exercise, quiet meditation time, and – yes- my nail routine, went out the door.
As a consequence, my nails are currently NOT long and strong 🙁 , my stress levels have been high, and I am not living my ideal life, in fact, I feel like I am careering out of control, backwards down a long hill 🙁
My plan for this week ( and subsequent weeks) is to take back some me time and rebalance my life. I know that this will mean I have to delegate some tasks and outsource others for a short while, but it is necessary.
Do you make YOU a priority in your week? Let me know in the comments.
Apr 9, 2019 | Courses
Ahh the elusive subject of “Balance” It can start out with such good intentions and quickly spiral out of control and, before you know it, you are back to square one.
Often your life might seem like a never-ending game of “Snakes & Ladders”. Forever taking one step forward and three steps back, until maybe – finally you get a lucky roll of the dice.
So what CAN you do to create balance and momentum in your life to achieve your 10/10 life?
PLAN!!!
Yep, it really can be that simple. (but oh so HARD)
Step 1: List your Goals
Get REALLY specific here. What does your perfect life look like?
Break your life down to these areas and write a few pages about what “perfect” looks like for you.
Home/Environment, Family and Friends, Romance/Significant Other, Health & Fitness, Career/Business, Wealth, Personal Growth/ Learning and Spirituality, Fun & Recreation
Rate each area out of 10, don’t think too hard about it.
Now write down what each area would look like if it were a 10.
What can you do this month to improve each area by just ONE STEP? This is the best way I have found to set realistic goals for my life, not trying to jump ahead too much at once. Eg: Set yourself a goal of losing just 1 kg this month. Simple? Probably, now duplicate that each month and you will have lost 12kg in a year.
Step 2: Plan your Days.
Schedules and To-Do lists need not be restrictive. In fact, if they are too tight, you are far more likely to not stick to the plan. Look over your life goals and plan to move those areas up one step. Get creative. Want to exercise more and have more time to read? Use your commute time, walk one extra bus stop, and park a little farther away. During your commute, read a book rather than a trashy magazine, or if you drive, listen to audiobooks or podcasts rather than talkback radio.
Step 3: Prioritize YOU!
Don’t minimize the time available to do the things you want to do, particularly if they are contributing to your life goals or wellbeing. Include ‘me” time around other essential life activities that require your time and attention.
Keep to the Plan unless in an Emergency ( a real Emergency)
Most people who create a daily plan, keep to it for a while, but not long enough for it to become a habit. Habits take around 28 days to form, so if you want your new plan to work and your lifestyle to be improved, you must protect it at all costs… Eventually, the changes you implement will become second nature, but until then, you need to stay in control of your plan. Have a look over your plan every day to remind yourself of where you want to be. Think of your plan as a roadmap to your perfect life. Just like any journey, there may be some roadblocks or detours, but if you just follow the map you will arrive at your destination.
Want to learn more? Join me on my Rise to RICH Programme and create YOUR perfect 10/10 life.
Apr 3, 2019 | Health & Wellbeing, Personal Development
Morning..,.
I admit it, I am a morning person, and I know some of you might hate me right now:)
I know that for many people, the mere thought of morning brings feelings of dread and panic.
However, for me, mornings are the time I get some “me” time.
I like to get up 30 minutes earlier than hubby. He is one of those – “as soon as his feet hit the floor he is go go GO!”
My 30 minutes or so are quiet time. I like to make myself a cup of tea, read a few pages on whatever book I am currently reading, maybe do some stretches and most importantly THINK!!
It’s the perfect time to focus on myself before life gets in the way and it’s the perfect way to ensure the day gets off to the right start.
Another thing I frequently do is to start the day with meditation. Meditation is a fantastic tool for relieving stress and helping yourself to cope better with the challenges that life throws at you. So if I know I am in for a busy day, some calming thoughts can prepare me for the onslaught.
Part of my quiet thoughts are often gratitude exercises. Gratitude is super valuable for being happier and more effective. The problem is that many of us forget to stop and take stock of how far we have come or how good our lives are already. Instead, we tend to overthink and dwell on the things we have yet to accomplish and what we want next.
Spending five minutes in the morning writing down at least three things that I am thankful for (these can be big things or small things), but simply by focusing on them, I will feel more content and happy.
Starting the day with a to-do list is an excellent way to enhance productivity. It’s also a very good way to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the volume of things you need to do. I tend to make my “Tomorrow To-Do List” at the end of each day. By reviewing this list in the calmer atmosphere of the morning, I can prioritise the top two or three tasks that will be my “Main Thing” for the day. Chunking down the tasks into bite-sized pieces makes the day far less daunting.
My morning routine helps me save money too. Knowing what I doing throughout the day, allows me to plan meals, so I rarely have to resort to a rushed takeaway meal. If my day looks like it will run late, a meal thawed from the freezer stash means dinner can be on the table in a matter of minutes. Or it might mean packing some healthy snacks in my bag for lunch on the go.
What is YOUR 10/10 ideal morning?
