I do some contract work locally. This week at a particular workplace it is wellness week. Each day we get an email with some reminder of ways to keep ourselves emotionally and physically well.
These have reminded me of how easy it is to get out of the habit of keeping well. How easy it is to get into bad habits – eating badly, forgetting to exercise and get fresh air and sunlight, complaining and being negative, being ungrateful and impatient, gossiping.
Life can quickly become toxic and destructive if we don’t have a regular intention to keep ourselves well. Having a daily practice can help. Here are some ideas for how to stay in training for wellness!
On a daily basis (ideally in the morning before starting your day)
Spend a few minutes quietly, just focussing on your breathing, listening for any insights that might come to you.
Visualise how you would like your day to go. What kind of person would you like to be today – with your family, at work, with friends?
Ask yourself what are three things you are grateful for? Write these down
Plan what you want to get done today. Be realistic, and not too ambitious
Remember to build in some relaxation time during the day – perhaps a few minutes with a good book, coffee with a friend, a favourite TV program.
Decide to have a positive impact on someone else’s life during the day. Perhaps do a random act of kindness for someone at work or even for someone you don’t know!
Tell someone dear to you that you love them.
Tune out that inner critic if it is nagging at you. Be kind to yourself and remember that thinking something doesn’t make it true.
