Jumping into June!

It’s June! 

I’m not sure many of us quite understand how that has happened this year, but the calendar says it’s June so it must be true.

Almost half way through the year and we have spent nearly a quarter of that time in a very strange alternate reality.

Many of us around the world have been in lockdown, or at least with restrictions on our behaviour and movement for a large percentage of the year so far. It is a very strange time to be alive and certainly one we will never forget.

There have been weeks where I have been incredibly productive. Where I have got loads of work done, helped my son with his school work, worked in the garden, baked scones, crocheted gifts, rearranged kitchen cupboards and completed online courses and smiled the whole way through. 

There have also been weeks when I have got to Friday and wondered what happened! 

That’s normal.

We are in the middle of a global pandemic.

Some people will handle their stress by being busy all the time and by being very productive. Others will be handling it by eating their body weight in crisps and watching every series Netflix has to offer.

There is no right way to do this. We certainly haven’t been taught the best way to handle a pandemic lockdown.

As you know, I am generally a very positive person. I always see the silver lining or the lesson in everything and I can see many positives coming out of this situation. But I am also fearful of the negative behaviour I have seen from some of our world leaders. I can feel the anxiety and fear increasing globally and it scares me a little sometimes. 

However, I will not allow myself to dwell in those thoughts for long, because now, more than ever, we need to shine our light and be an example of love and compassion to the world.

My response

I have been finishing a course I began before lockdown the last few weeks and one of the things covered was the Psychological Phases of Crises and I decided they were worth sharing with you here.

It has been a very helpful therapeutic tool, I often recommend clients keep a diary of their thoughts and feelings as it is such a useful way of accessing your deeper emotions. It has also helped me to keep track of events during this time too though, and I know it will be really interesting to look back in in years to come.

Eleven weeks. 

 Eleven weeks of a new reality, which I have to admit I am enjoying immensely in parts. But also eleven weeks of  a slightly wishy washy approach to life. I have let my diet slip (not too far, but further than I would like). I am exercising in a sporadic, “when the mood takes me” way. I have been working some days and not at all others. Weekends slide through the week and the promise of a Zoom with my loved ones is enough to make me abandon almost any plan I already had.

I’ve had enough!  

I’ve had enough of free falling and seeing where the wind takes me. It is time to get some preper structure back into my days and to get really productive again. Today is the 1st June and that seems like the perfect day to start my new regime.

This morning I woke up, (admittedly later than I would on a normal school morning, but I don’t have to spend an hour doing the school run so that’s not too bad!) and I immediately went downstairs and did half an hour of yoga. I worked solidly in my office all morning, including my mastermind group Zoom which really helped fire me up. 

I had lunch with my family (one of the many things I am really appreciating about lockdown), then I came straight back in my office to spend the afternoon scheduling calls and writing this post. 

 I am making a gf/df quiche for tea with salad and I will either go for a walk or get on my rowing machine after that. Then this evening is my online Meditation Group (Lockdown Meditation Sessions you can sign up and join us every Monday evening, it’s completely free!).

You see I have decided that this free falling has to end, so it will. That’s how powerful our mind is when it is really determined. I can be quite stubborn when I want to be (ask my family!) but that comes in really handy when I need to make. change. I like to have a start date and am really motivated by routine so I think this will prove really helpful. 

Will I beat myself up if I don’t get up for yoga every morning? – no!

Will there be days when I don’t eat as healthily as I would like? – definitely!

But as long as I achieve the 80-20 balance then I will be winning. 

I am also taking part in a social media challenge this month where I have to post an image relating to a particular aspect of my business every day, so that will help keep me motivated. If you would like to follow my progress you can follow me here:

My challenge to you this June 

1. Take time to sit with your emotions and really get clear on how you are feeling right now. Perhaps you have been treating yourself to a few more biscuits than usual and although you are enjoying them, the side effects are making you sluggish, tired and you aren’t happy with how you are feeling. Maybe you are just really missing your loved ones and you need to call them or go round for a socially distanced cuppa. However you are feeling, embrace it and listen to the message it is giving you. 

2. Create an affirmation around how you are feeling. An affirmation is a positive statement in the present tense that you can carry with you to really deepen the message you need to take from these learnings. 

So you might choose;

I make healthy choices and my body looks and feels amazing. 

I am energised and motivated to be productive each and every day. 

I take the time to connect with my loved ones every day. 

Whatever it is that you need to work on, create an affirmation as though it is already reality. 

3. Get moving. Now, you know how you are feeling and what you need go for a walk, dance round the kitchen or just pace round your garden barefoot and really embed that message. Repeat your affirmation to yourself as you walk or dance. Repeat is when you are getting ready to sleep and repeat it every morning as you wake up. 

4. Be gentle with yourself. Remember these are difficult times for everyone. We are all digging deep into our mental reserves right now. Get up and do your best, but if you really, really can’t do it today, then, unless you have to, don’t do it. Give yourself a break.  

5. Keep your sources positive. What do I mean by that? I mean be careful what you read. Be careful who you talk to. Be aware of how much news you are watching/reading. If you watch every update and constantly scroll through social media it will zap your energy quicker ran running a marathon in this heat. Keep the things you allow into your body positive. Thoughts and feelings are energy which feed your body just as much as food and water. Make sure you don’t expose your body to too much junk food/ junk thoughts.

Finally, I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you, yes you! We are living through an experience that noone has really ever lived through on this scale before. We have legitimate fears for our health, financial security, for the future generally, but we are all making decisions based on what benefits the collective good. 

That is amazing. 

You are amazing 

Thank you x

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