fbpx

Adapting to change

24/02/2021 • Change, General wellbeing, goals, Mental wellbeing, Positive attitude, self care, stress, Uncategorized • by
0 Comments

If 2020 was the year of cancelled plans and forced change, what does 2021 hold for us?

The risk of infection and prospect of lockdowns and border closures means uncertainty is our constant companion, at least for now.

We are not in total control of anything.  But being resilient and adaptable are qualities that have helped humans survive for centuries; these are the same qualities we need to navigate the changes forced on us over the past year.

Two maxims I use to view change in a more positive light are:  “Whatever happens I’ll be ok” and “What if this is the best thing that could have happened?” Read More…

Laughter is the best medicine

11/06/2020 • General wellbeing, healthy lifestyle, Mental wellbeing, Pain relief, self care, stress • by
0 Comments

Recently there has been plenty of troubling events happening around us, both locally and worldwide.  Justifiably we are taking these events very seriously.  However, to balance this seriousness and to improve our physical and emotional health and well-being we need to remember to LAUGH!

A good giggle can lighten our mood, reduce anxiety, and help to release muscle tension, leaving us feeling more relaxed and buoyant.  One Korean study testing the effect of laughter therapy on patients in a long-term care hospital showed improved sleep and better general mood.

Laughing helps to increase circulation, lowers blood pressure, increases respiration and oxygen consumption which benefits cardiovascular health.

A hearty belly laugh tones your abs and burns calories.  Read More…

Twenty Seconds of Courage… can change your life

21/05/2020 • General wellbeing, Mental wellbeing, self care, self image, Uncategorized • by
0 Comments

The adage that confidence only builds after you take action, not before, has underscored much of my life. I can think of situations where I lacked confidence and only after I stepped up and gave it a go, did I feel my confidence start to build.

Waiting for confidence and motivation to arrive, can mean you never begin working on that dream.

Many great business ideas die before they get started.  Healthy consideration of your next move is important for good decisions, but too much thinking and planning may actually mean you give in to fear and anxiety. Read More…

Yin/Yang

31/03/2020 • General wellbeing, Mental wellbeing • by
0 Comments

As we navigate life amidst the COVID-19 pandemic I like to remind myself of the Chinese energy concept of yin & yang.
The Yin/Yang symbol above is a pictorial representation of “chi”.  Chi can be defined as the circulating life force or energy inherent in all living things. This life force circulates in our bodies via a network of channels called meridians.  Yin and Yang are the two opposing but interrelated aspects of Chi.
Chi is always both yin AND yang not yin OR yang.
The black and white represents yin and yang. The sine curve represents the fluctuating nature of the balance of Yin/Yang energies that are always moving in dynamic equilibrium.  You will also notice there’s a seed of the opposite in each.  Chinese concept is that humans are a small replica of the universe and what is around us is also within us.
I see life in a similar way.  Read More…

But first…. Look after yourself!

31/01/2020 • Exercise, General wellbeing, healthy lifestyle, Kinesiology, Mental wellbeing, physical, self care, stress • by
0 Comments

Take time for regular self-care activitiesDuring the holiday season you’re out of your normal routine and it’s easy to put your self-care on the back-burner while you prioritise commitments to family and friends.  Then when you go back to work, you are so busy catching up on the work that has mounted up while you were away, you still neglect your self-care and it can be a while before you start to carve out time for things that benefit your well-being.

Why is self-care so important? Read More…

7 tips for staying active

13/11/2019 • Exercise, General wellbeing, goals, Mental wellbeing, physical, self care, self sabotage, strength • by
0 Comments

 

I often have discussions with clients and friends about the challenges of staying active.  Injuries, work and family commitments get in the way of establishing a regular exercise regime for most of us.

I rarely feel like exercising when I wake up in the morning, but I generally feel happier and more energised afterwards.  The tips I’m sharing below is how I stay in the habit of exercising, whether I feel motivated or not. Read More…

The gift of receiving

23/09/2019 • General wellbeing, Mental wellbeing, self care, self sabotage, stress, Uncategorized • by
0 Comments

A few years ago, I was having a tough time with some confronting personal issues. My mother asked who could help and support me. I told her that I had some great friends, but they had their own issues and I didn’t want to trouble them.

Mum went on to give me a new perspective…

“When you help someone, do you feel good?”

“Yes I do”

“Have you ever thought that when you don’t allow someone help you, you are denying them that good feeling,”

I now have a new attitude towards accepting help when it’s offered. I gratefully accept!

I have shared this story with many friends and clients over the years, because accepting help can be challenging for all.

If you have difficulty asking for or accepting help, it can be worthwhile to explore your beliefs about receiving help.

Is it a feeling of being unworthy? The person offering help has already decided you are worthy and deserving in their eyes.

Are you a perfectionist that sees yourself as a failure if you ask for help? Read More…

Create some friction!

01/08/2019 • General wellbeing, Mental wellbeing, self care, self image, Uncategorized • by
0 Comments

A few weeks ago, I watched an interview with Gweneth Paltrow, where she was talking about how being a success at a young age meant that many people came into her life to help smooth the way and make life easy. It wasn’t until her father sat her down and suggested that she was in danger of becoming an A-hole, that she realised that a bit of “friction” in life is a good thing.

She expressed perfectly something I have been thinking about and working on myself. I noticed that when someone achieves success, they sometimes slide backwards (often dramatically) soon after. I wonder if, without the ‘friction’ created by striving for success, these people step back and stop challenging themselves to become better people and to improve and enhance their skills.

The ongoing challenges we face every day can be good for us! Needing to earn an income to pay bills and mortgages means we Read More…

What could you acheive if you pushed a little harder?

27/06/2019 • General wellbeing, Mental wellbeing, physical, subconscious, Uncategorized • by
0 Comments

Fannie Bay Swim, Darwin, NT 2019

A year ago, I remember standing at the end of a triathlon chatting to a friend who, like me, finishes among the last ten competitors.

We discussed the “top guns” and how in awe we were of their ability and fitness. She said “Have you ever thought that the reason they’re so good is that they push themselves harder than we do? I notice that when they lap me on the run they’re breathing much more heavily than I am”

This conversation popped into my thoughts many times since and I now use it as motivation to go a little faster, harder and/or further in training sessions and events.

I have achieved some new ‘personal bests’ as my reward for the extra effort, not to mention better self-esteem.

In my life outside triathlon training and events, I know that when I feel frustrated, it is often the result of giving in to fear, making excuses and allowing myself to sit in a comfort zone rather than pushing to my potential. Like a racehorse at the start of a race, itching to get out and run, but being held back by the gate Read More…

Take your rest!

13/06/2019 • General wellbeing, Kinesiology, Mental wellbeing, self care, stress • by
0 Comments

Taking a break!

“Take your rest!  You can’t go hard for the next set if you don’t take your rest!”  This was the voice of the coach this morning at swimming training.

You see I am a slow swimmer and in a mistaken attempt to keep up with the group I was skipping the 10 second rest break and continuing to swim the next lap.  After all 10 seconds isn’t going to make much difference right?  Wrong!  I discovered even a short rest meant I could swim harder and faster the next lap.

Every training program I have seen for triathlons, marathons etc, always have rest days as part of the schedule as well as rest breaks within the daily programs.  This shows me that if endurance athletes, who are training to push themselves beyond normal limits, take rests, then the benefits of rest shouldn’t be underestimated.

One of the most common reasons people come to see me is because they are tired and burnt out.  Frequently, these people have been pushing themselves to stay on top of their workload, whether it’s from their job or from personal or family demands.  Read More…

Next Posts