“I’m so busy at the moment……I ran out of time……I’ll start next week when things are calmer….”
Have you ever uttered those words? I have!
One thing that I realised when I did a bit of self analysis, was that I was always subconsciously busy doing things that were a priority over my health and wellbeing. It seems pretty crazy when I think back to this now. Why oh why, would carrying out chores, meeting up with friends, time on the phone be it messaging or calls always take priority? Don’t misunderstand me. These things are all important in my life but the order in which they came needed a rethink. I hadn’t exercised consistently for years or cooked dinner from scratch for the longest time and the effects of that were starting to show up for me. Tiredness, skin dull with breakouts, headaches and a general feeling of reacting to each day instead of planning it out to include my wellbeing.
I have always been the queen of overcommitment, not wanting to miss out on fun things or always stepping up if someone needed my help. Definitely a personality trait, but, I knew things had to be adjusted. I realised that by managing my time more effectively was a way to make improvements in my life. I could also hear my dad’s words in my head…”If you don’t look after No1 then, how can you look after anyone else?…Those words were the cornerstone of the business name, No1 Health Coach, so, I have his wisdom to thank for that.
Get yourself a planner and put “ME TIME” in the columns just like you would if you had a dental or hair appointment. Dedicating time for self care has to be ring fenced or else we get caught in the slipstream of life and before you know it its another day.
Whatever is going on in your life right now, where you feel like the tail is wagging the dog, commit to a particular time of the day where you can have 10 mins to yourself. Ten minutes is quite a long time to award yourself something that nourishes you, be it a relaxing bath, some deep breathing, or a short workout.
Changes take time. Have patience and get used to new ways gradually. An all or nothing approach to a new health regime rarely yields lasting benefits. Ensure you do something that makes you happy or gives some relief to modern day pressures every day, no matter how short the time is. Our westernised cultures corral us into habits that don’t really serve us sometimes from a health perspective but it’s making a choice as to how much time we allocate to this that is the king pin.
Coaching is something that gives me the greatest pleasure and perhaps you need someone to be accountable to, to give you some traction with starting out on a health journey. It’s so rewarding to see a spark turn to a flame when a client sees for themself the evolving benefits of self care and better habits. The possibilities are endless……….
