Empower Newsletter – February 2021

Have you ever said you want something and next thing you know it magically appears right in front of you?

It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be that you decide you want to create more of a work/life balance; you may want to find a new friend with a particular quality; or it could be that you want to improve your health.

Whatever it is is not the important thing.  However, what is important is knowing what you want.  If you don’t know what you want, you will continue on your way, which is fine, but in establishing what you want it will move you forward to where you want to be faster with less speed humps along the way.

It’s like taking the smooth fast freeway rather than taking the bumping slow dirt road detour.

You just have to know what it is that you want!

Are you ready to open your eyes and see the opportunities that are right in front of you now?  If yes, work out exactly what it is you want moving forward and the universe will do the rest!  Well actually it will be you who makes it happen as you will now have your eyes wide open to see it when it appears!

You see the thing is, what you decide you want in your life has always been there, you just haven’t seen or been open to it.

The example I like to use is when we get a new car, we start seeing that exact same car and even the colour everywhere.  And the fact is, they have always been there!  It’s just that you weren’t looking for them, but now that your focus has changed you are now noticing them right in front of you.

Not knowing what you want is the hard part.  Once you know what you want it will magically appear because you will start seeing and noticing the opportunities that were always right in front of you.

It’s like, ‘you always find what you are looking for.’  If you are looking for an excuse, you will find that excuse and on the slip side if you are looking for a reason to change, you will find that too.

What are you looking for?

Want

Have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for.

7 Ways to Find Out What You Really Want in Life

1. Put yourself first
2. Regret nothing
3. Figure out what you need
4. Determine what really bothers you
5. Determine what makes you truly happy
6. Let people around you know what you’re trying to achieve
7. Stay positive

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

~ Steve Jobs ~

“If you know what you want, if you’ve made up your mind, if you can see it, feel it, and move toward it in some way every single day……. It has to happen.”

~ Mike Dooley ~

‘I now include deciding what I want in my daily thoughts.’

Empower Newsletter – January 2021

Chunking Down is the key!

Have you got things you want to achieve this year?

By breaking down your goal into smaller chunks it will make them less overwhelming and more doable.

For example you may want to drop two clothes sizes. This would be your overall goal or desired outcome. To make this a reality there are many things that need to happen in order to achieve it.

It’s all about breaking it down into small chunks and planning.

First, break your goal down into small steps. In the example above you would decide what you are willing to do long term in order to get it. It may be portion control, bigger meals earlier in the day rather than later or a complete change in what you will eat.

Your next step may be to establish how you will make this happen. Creating a routine for example of what you will eat for the week, going shopping and choosing to do your meal preparation every Sunday could be one step.

Another step could be to establish an exercise regimen that you can sustain and that will suit your lifestyle. It could be as simple as going for a walk everyday in the morning or going to a group exercise class at the gym a couple of times a week. It doesn’t matter what it is, consistency is the key.

Every time you do one thing you chose and planned you’d do is a small win on your journey. For example, every time you eat what you planned or exercised is a win and it should be celebrated by at least congratulating yourself.

If you go off track jump back on! You haven’t failed, just keep going! It doesn’t mean anything other than you went off track.

Remember small chunks, consistency and persistence will help you to achieve the outcome you want.

Chunking Down

Moving to more specific or detailed information.

By chunking up and down, you can size your outcomes so that they are doable and you have excitement, motivation and passion for achieving them.

•         Overcoming Disinterest. Why do we get bored? Often because what we are doing does not excite us. We are mired in the details. If you have an outcome and you are not excited about it, ask yourself the question, “This outcome for what purpose?”, i.e. chunk up. Get a bigger perspective or the big picture. Having an outcome and not knowing the larger purpose can be demotivating.

•         Addressing Overwhelm. Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed. This can happen if the chunk size is too large. Here we need to chunk down and be more specific or focus more on the details or be more realistic. After all, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! If you feel overwhelmed or do not know where to start when you think of your outcome; chunk down to be more specific and identify manageable tasks.

“You have to have a big vision and take very small steps to get there. You have to be humble as you execute but visionary and gigantic in terms of your aspiration.”

~ Jason Calacanis ~

Empower Newsletter – December 2020

It’s okay to go off track!

What happens when you feel like you have gone off course in relation to achieving something you really want?  Are you someone who uses it to motivate you to work harder at getting what you want or do you think ‘I’ve stuffed up’ and give up?

I was speaking with a gym member after one of my Pilates classes and she said “I nearly didn’t come to the class today.” I asked her “why not?”  She replied “I had a bad day yesterday in relation to eating the wrong things and having too many drinks so I thought what is the use in going to Pilates, I’ve already blown it.”

It is okay to ‘stuff up’ or to ‘go off track’ as long as you get back on track and continue on the journey of achieving your goal.  Just because you had a hiccup doesn’t mean that you have failed.  The only way that you can fail is if you give up completely.  In other words, if you stop going after what you want.

You might decide to try another way or to take a different path to get what you want.  The trick is to just ‘keep going’.

The most important thing is knowing your ‘WHY’.  That is, why you want it and why you are doing it in the first place.  So when you decide you want something, start with working out why you want it. This is so important because when things get tough, you can go back to the reason/s you are doing it in the first place and they will keep you going.

After establishing your ‘why’, to make it extra powerful ask yourself and then write down exactly what achieving your goal will give you; what you will be doing when it happens; how you will be feeling; what sort of things you will be hearing from yourself and others; and what you will be seeing and thinking.  It will also help to write down what won’t be happening any more as well.  What you won’t be doing, hearing, seeing, thinking and feeling.

Another effective way to keep on track is to ‘reframe’ the situation to motivate you to take action.  For example, in the situation above, instead of thinking that you have ‘blown it, what is the point of continuing’, you could use it to your advantage to keep you on track by saying something like ‘if I go it will make up a bit for the day before’.

So to help you get what you want, first establish WHY you are doing it, KEEP GOING if you stumble and REFRAME what you may be making something mean to your advantage.

Keep going

1. To continue moving forward.

2. To continue doing something without stopping.

3. Make an effort to live normally in spite of difficulty.

“Success is determined not by whether or not you face obstacles, but by your reaction to them. And if you look at these obstacles as a containing fence, they become your excuse for failure. If you look at them as a hurdle, each one strengthens you for the next.”

~ Ben Carson, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story ~

“During the course of your temporary hurdles, keep searching for a tad of optimism.”

~ Charmaine J Forde ~

“Life is a beautiful journey regardless of its occasional hurdles and puddles. The key is to focus your frequent thoughts on your blessings, opportunities, and possibilities over your adversities.”

~ Edmond Mbiaka ~

‘I face obstacles by looking at them as a hurdle; each one strengthens me for the next.’

Empower Newsletter – November 2020

Words matter!

How often do you find yourself in a situation where something you have said to someone has been totally taken the wrong way?

We all know that the way something is said can easily be taken out of context and/or totally misconstrued.

Without us being aware the words we choose can make a situation worse when our intention is the opposite.

For example, when someone is angry around you, by you saying “I’m leaving, let me know when it’s safe to come back,” what they may be hearing is that the situation is not safe and in turn triggering their brain into thinking there is something wrong which triggers the fight or flight in them.

It’s all about the words we choose so they don’t unconsciously receive the wrong message.

In the above example, if you change just a few words to “I’m just going to give you some space, let me know when you’re ready for me to come back,” it’s not telling them or triggering their brain that there is something wrong.

To take this a step further, after the situation has passed and you are both thinking clearly you can talk about it.  You could ask them “When you are feeling that way what words would you like to hear or what actions would you like to see from me?”

It’s like a toddler when they are having a tantrum and seeing red, there is nothing you can say and do it that moment to get through to them, you have to wait for them to calm down and then talk to them when they are in a better state.

We all have different triggers so it’s important to choose your words carefully. And if by chance someone is offended by your words, you can elaborate and clarify with them your intention when the situation passes. We are all a work in progress, so like everything else it takes practice to continually be aware of how our words may affect others.

How often do you find yourself in a situation where something you have said to someone has been totally taken the wrong way?

We all know that the way something is said can easily be taken out of context and/or totally misconstrued.

Without us being aware the words we choose can make a situation worse when our intention is the opposite.

For example, when someone is angry around you, by you saying “I’m leaving, let me know when it’s safe to come back,” what they may be hearing is that the situation is not safe and in turn triggering their brain into thinking there is something wrong which triggers the fight or flight in them.

It’s all about the words we choose so they don’t unconsciously receive the wrong message.

In the above example, if you change just a few words to “I’m just going to give you some space, let me know when you’re ready for me to come back,” it’s not telling them or triggering their brain that there is something wrong.

To take this a step further, after the situation has passed and you are both thinking clearly you can talk about it.  You could ask them “When you are feeling that way what words would you like to hear or what actions would you like to see from me?”

It’s like a toddler when they are having a tantrum and seeing red, there is nothing you can say and do it that moment to get through to them, you have to wait for them to calm down and then talk to them when they are in a better state.

We all have different triggers so it’s important to choose your words carefully. And if by chance someone is offended by your words, you can elaborate and clarify with them your intention when the situation passes. We are all a work in progress, so like everything else it takes practice to continually be aware of how our words may affect others.

How often do you find yourself in a situation where something you have said to someone has been totally taken the wrong way?

We all know that the way something is said can easily be taken out of context and/or totally misconstrued.

Without us being aware the words we choose can make a situation worse when our intention is the opposite.

For example, when someone is angry around you, by you saying “I’m leaving, let me know when it’s safe to come back,” what they may be hearing is that the situation is not safe and in turn triggering their brain into thinking there is something wrong which triggers the fight or flight in them.

It’s all about the words we choose so they don’t unconsciously receive the wrong message.

In the above example, if you change just a few words to “I’m just going to give you some space, let me know when you’re ready for me to come back,” it’s not telling them or triggering their brain that there is something wrong.

To take this a step further, after the situation has passed and you are both thinking clearly you can talk about it.  You could ask them “When you are feeling that way what words would you like to hear or what actions would you like to see from me?”

It’s like a toddler when they are having a tantrum and seeing red, there is nothing you can say and do it that moment to get through to them, you have to wait for them to calm down and then talk to them when they are in a better state.

We all have different triggers so it’s important to choose your words carefully. And if by chance someone is offended by your words, you can elaborate and clarify with them your intention when the situation passes. We are all a work in progress, so like everything else it takes practice to continually be aware of how our words may affect others.

Words Matter

Careful, thoughtful and deliberate positive communication. It is so easy to speak without thinking. To not genuinely listen and connect with people. When words are used in the wrong way it can be devastating.

“Words have power. If I tell you this hamburger is 80 percent lean as opposed to 20 percent fat, then in some sense I am communicating the same thing. But what people get from those two communications is very different: People perceive the 80 percent lean hamburger as much healthier than the 20 percent fat option. By choosing how you frame and talk about something, you are cuing others to think about it in a specific way. We can drastically change someone’s perspective by how we choose to talk about and frame something.”

~ scientificamerican.com~

“Words are free, it’s how you use them that may cost you.”

~ Rev J. Martin ~

‘I carefully choose the words I use to create positive change in my life.’

Empower Newsletter – October 2020

Ego is not a dirty word!

The 1970’s Skyhooks song ‘Ego is not a dirty word’ couldn’t be truer.  Although ego can get in the way of some things, if kept in check it can be a very valuable asset.

Depending on how you feel about yourself will control your ego.  If someone has an over-estimation of their self-worth and self-importance they will always think that it is someone else’s fault.  A person with very low self-esteem will generally jump to the conclusion that they must be the problem.

The thing about these judgements is that they are based on perception and are not real or true.   Perception is how something has been interpreted and interpretation is up to the individual.

Ego can get in the way when our perception of something is way off.  For example, if our self-esteem is very low we may perceive that because someone has ignored us after saying hello, that they don’t like us or that they have a problem with us.  In actual fact it may be that they were in their own head and didn’t even hear or notice us.  On the other side of the coin if an ego is out of control it can stop us seeing a situation for what it is because when things don’t go our way, others are automatically blamed because it couldn’t possibly be our fault.

But if an ‘Ego’ is in balance it can be a very powerful tool.  Having a balanced ‘ego’ does not mean that you think you are better than anyone else.  It comes from an inner belief in yourself.  It means that you have a healthy perception of yourself.   It comes from a place of potential, a place where you know you have value.

Your ego should never make you feel “better” than other’s thoughts and opinions.  Instead it should drive you to be the best that you can be and to believe that anything is possible for yourself.

Having empathy for yourself and others is a necessity.  Negative self-talk is always the harshest.  It will chip away at your self-worth and in turn, your ego will flounder.  Everyone needs to understand that they have value.  If you know that, there is so much you can achieve.

Without your ego you will not achieve your maximum potential. There is so much more you can do if you realise your own self-importance. You are no better than anyone, nor is anyone greater than you.   It’s about witnessing your own potential and achieving it.

Ego

1. A person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
2. That portion of the human personality which is experienced as the “self” or “I” and is in contact with the external world through perception.
3. The part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.

“It’s good to have a healthy ego because that pushes you to succeed. But when you cross a line, and your views are not balanced, that’s when you get into trouble.”

~ Judy Smith ~

“The ultimate aim of the ego is not to see something, but to be something.”

~ Muhammad Iqbal ~

“A healthy strong ego, with plenty of self-esteem, does not feel itself threatened by every innocent remark.”

~ Maxwell Maltz ~

‘I use my ego to drive me to be the best I can be.’

Empower Newsletter – September 2020

Welcome to the September 2020 edition of the Empower Newsletter.  Being the beginning of spring, I thought I’d talk about how the seasons can affect our lives in a positive way.

Do you know?

What the seasons can give you!

Do you get excited by the seasons and appreciate all the differences they have to offer?  For example are you someone who relates to the warm weather that Summer brings so you can enjoy the outdoors even more!  Maybe you prefer the colder weather that comes with winter so you can hibernate like a bear and snuggle up to regroup to store up energy getting ready for regrowth in the spring!

I’m curious if you have ever looked at the seasons from the prospective of how they can benefit you and then utilise those benefits to your advantage?

Just like the environment around us, evolving with the seasons is full of rewards.  As humans we do evolve instinctively, but what if we consciously took the opportunity each season presented to create even more conscious benefits.

Winter is cold so we tend to spend more of our time indoors. Winter allows us to rest by staying home and still more which allows us to rejuvenate and re-energise. This is the season of your life where you pause and consider how to move forward. Before you begin to birth in spring, you need to conceive in winter.

Spring is a beautiful season with so much colour and life. Things begin to bloom and flourish. Hope abounds.  Spring signifies what is new in our lives or what is being birthed.  It could be a new job, a new business venture, a new relationship or a renewed relationship.  This translates generally as the start of better times. At this time of year we begin to feel less sluggish, and become more open to inviting changes, both big and small, into our lives.  Essentially, they give you a reason to keep going.

Summer brings sunshine which in turn ignites energy.  Summer is the time between sowing and reaping. You sowed in the spring of your life. You pluck out weeds and water your plants in the summer of your life. There is nothing that will grow without being watered. Whatever you have planted in the spring of your life, needs to be watered (nurtured and looked after). Be it a job, a relationship or a project.

Autumn is a time to reap, celebrate and reflect. The things that you started in spring are coming to an end. Some of those things could end successfully, while some may come to completion in a manner that was not expected.  In autumn you need to think about the things that have ended. Celebrate in those that have ended well and learn from those that did not end so well.

So as it’s the beginning of spring, let’s reflect on what it can mean for us.  Since it is a time for rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and regrowth, this translates generally as the start of better times.   We become more open to inviting changes, both big and small, into our lives.

What changes are you going to bring into your life?

Definition

Seasons

The passing of a year can bring a marked change in the weather and the surrounding environment. The four seasons — winter, spring, summer, autumn — each of which run for three months, can vary significantly in characteristics, and can prompt changes in the world around them.

Creation follows a sustainable rhythm, year after year, but we charge on in cycles of our own making.  Seasons are best lived very differently from each other. The plants and animals know this, but we humans with our schedules and technology forget.

It ought to be simple, really: In summer we play, in winter we stay.

There are times of activity in the winter but the colder weather and the shorter days urge us to slow down and to rest.

In summer we can also rest sometimes.  It wouldn’t be a true summer without occasional boredom or lazing on the beach. But more often than not we dance all about.

What do these seasons look like for you? Do you revel in their differences? Do you invite a change of pace when the seasons turn?

“The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other.”

~ Arthur Rubinstein ~

‘Living in rhythm with the seasons enhances my life.’

Empower Newsletter – August 2020

Laughter improves your wellbeing!

With everything that is going on in the world you may not have found much to laugh about in recent times.

You may have even found yourself dwelling on worry, loss and disappointment without even realising it.  These feelings will only increase the unpleasant feelings.

Because what you focus on is what you get!

For example, if you focus on all of the things that are going wrong in your life, you will definitely find them and that is all you will see.

So instead of focusing on your hardships, you can change your mood and improve your mental wellbeing instantly by focusing on things that make you laugh and feel happy.

Science shows that laughter helps you to stay mentally healthy, whilst humour lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.  It also helps you release anger and to forgive sooner.

So if you want more laughter in your life, start my setting an intention that you will make it happen.

You can start by smiling. Smiling is the beginning of laughter, and like laughter, it’s contagious. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. Notice the effect it has on others.

Make a list of things you are grateful for.  The simple act of considering the positive aspects of your life will distance you from negative thoughts that block humour and laughter.

When you hear laughter, move toward it.

Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily, both at themselves and at life’s absurdities, and who routinely find the humour in everyday life. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.

Bring humour into conversations. Ask people, “What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?”

And enjoy the benefits that your laughter will bring!
Laughter is an instant vaction! ~ Milton Berle ~

Laugh

To express mirth, pleasure, derision, or nervousness with an audible, vocal expulsion of air from the lungs that can range from a loud burst of sound to a series of quiet chuckles and is usually accompanied by characteristic facial and bodily movements.

The link between laughter and mental health

Laughter stops distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing.  Laughter helps you relax and recharge. It reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.

Laughter shifts perspective, allowing you to see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light. A humorous perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and diffuse conflict. Laughter draws you closer to others, which can have a profound effect on all aspects of your mental and emotional health.

“Laughter is, and will always be, the best form of therapy.”

~ Dau Voire ~

‘I laugh all the time and it makes me feel good.’

Empower Newsletter – July 2020

we are attracted to our ‘familiar’

In terms of the way you express yourself, do you ever wonder why you are with the person you are with or why you were attracted to them in the first place when you express yourself so differently?

My theory is that because we have grown up with our parents being and acting a certain way, that has become familiar and our ‘normal’ and because it is our normal we unconsciously feel great comfort in it, almost like eating our favorite comfort food.

We are attracted to our familiar

For example you might have grown up with a parent who handled their frustrations inwardly whilst keeping calm on the outside.  This behaviour would have been your ‘normal’ everyday existence.  After spending your adolescence surrounded by this it became your ‘normal’ and in that normality comes the comfort.  Now imagine if you were in a relationship with someone who handled their frustrations out loud in an angry manner!  That would definitely not be ‘normal’ for you hence you would not find any comfort in that behaviour.  In fact you would feel uncomfortable with it.

Let me articulate by saying that there is no right or wrong behaviour.  What I am pointing out is that there is comfort in what we are used to!  And what we are used to may not necessarily be serving us.

Imagine if you grew up with a parent that expressed themselves by talking about their feelings to sort something out, but have found yourself in a relationship where that person does not want to talk about feelings.  You would definitely be outside of your comfort zone because it’s not your ‘normal’.

We are attracted to what feels ‘normal’ to us!  That is, we feel comfort in what we are used to.  And because it feels normal to us, our normal gives us comfort.

Comfort in normality

Our ‘normal’ is not necessarily right or wrong, it is just what we are used to and are comfortable with.

Hopefully this article has given you a better understanding about where your ‘normal’ came from.

Familiar

A form of remembering in which a situation, event, place, person, or the like provokes a subjective feeling of recognition and is therefore believed to be in memory, although it is not specifically recalled.

“So familiarity is, for instance, ‘I have this pair of shoes and they are spoiled. They are dangerous and they don’t fit well, but I am used to them. So I feel safe in them but actually I could fall and they could kill me.’

We have a tendency to repeat situations that feel familiar. For example, if someone grew up with a verbally abusive parent for whom nothing they did was ever good enough, they may then subconsciously seek out romantic relationships with angry, dismissive people.”

~ businessinsider.com.au ~

“Just because something is familiar, doesn’t mean it’s safe. And just because something feels safe, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.”

~ Brittany Burgunder ~

‘I feel comfortable expressing myself in a way that serves me.’

Empower Newsletter – June 2020

‘you can decide your own ‘normal’’

Now that the Covid-19 restrictions have started to ease a little our lives are beginning to go back to what we used to call ‘normal’.  But what if instead of unconsciously going back to ‘your old normal’, I wonder what your future will be like if you consciously decided how you wanted ‘your new normal’ life to be.

What would ‘your new normal’ look like?

What I mean is, what sort of things haven’t you been doing since the epidemic started that you haven’t missed?  Or what have you missed that you will do more of when the restrictions are fully lifted?

You may have a new perspective on somethings and have decided that what you didn’t think were important in the past are now mega important to you now.

No doubt during this time you were exposed to a different way of being in some form or another.  It may have opened up new ways of existing that have become something you want more of moving forward.  On the other side of the coin, you may have realised that you had been taking for granted ‘your old normal’ and want some parts of it back.

Do you ever remember deciding what was really important to you?  For example, did you ever sit down and decide what was really important to you and how you would implement them into your life or did you just let life happen around you.

For example, what sort of friends you want in your life, their qualities and values.  What about how much time you will spend on your own, with family, doing what you love and working.

You may decide that you want to make sure you see your family more and work less.  Whatever you decide you want, it will be fulfilling and rewarding because it will be a conscious decision based on what you want.

Once you have decided what ‘your new normal’ will look like, it’s time to work out how you will make it happen to stop yourself falling back into ‘your old normal’.

For example, what plans will you put in place to make sure they happen and keep happening? If you want to see your family more, you may organise a weekly or monthly set time that you see them or if they are not local to you, you may organise some holidays at the same time each year.

It doesn’t matter what you decide, the most import thing is that you consciously make the decision about how you want your life to be moving forward.

Normal

• Conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern.

• According with, constituting, or not deviating from a norm, rule, or principle.

The matter of what is “normal” in the sense that so many people use the word must not be a mere statistical nicety.

It can’t be and must not be “normal” to be a Christian just because 95% of your community is Christian. It can’t be and must not be “normal” to be attracted to someone of the opposite sex just because 90% of the general population is heterosexual. It can’t be and must not be “normal” to own slaves just because all the landowners in your state own slaves.

~ psychologytoday.com.au ~

“Trust your instincts, and make judgements on what your heart tells you. The heart will not betray you.”

~ David Gemmell, Fall of Kings ~

“It’s not about making the right choice.  It’s about making a choice and making it right.”

~ J.R. Rim, Better to be able to love than to be loveable ~

‘My ‘new normal’ serves me in every aspect of my life.’

Empower Newsletter – May 2020

‘routine is crucial’

In this very surreal time the whole world is experiencing at the moment it has created a time of great uncertainty. Uncertainty about how it will affect us moving forward and if we will ever get back to what we used to call normal.

Covid-19 has affected us all differently and unfortunately no one can predict what will happen.

The one thing that I keep coming back to is ‘routine’, and how important it is for our wellbeing.  For many of you your routine has either changed or completely ended.

Fortunately creating a good routine is something you can control!

Your new routine may have to be entirely different to the daily routine you used to call normal or it may just have small differences depending on how your life has been impacted by the virus.

Your new daily routine may include things like:-

• Exercise

• Social time (on the phone or exercising with a friend)

• Work (looking for work, adapting what you do, retraining or enhancing your skills).

• Family time

Once you have decided what your routine will include, the next step is to schedule what you will do and when you will do it. A routine is something that you do at the same time each day.

For example, you may start your day with exercise before breakfast, followed by the time you have allocated to work. During your lunch break you may ring and talk with a friend. At the end of the day you might enjoy a beautiful meal and a chat with your immediate family. If you live on your own you could decide to face time with a family member or friend.

Whatever your schedule is, it is not set in stone; you can change or adjust it to suit your situation.

By establishing and maintaining a routine it will help to bring some normality and certainty back into your life which will make all the difference to your wellbeing moving forward.

Routine

• A sequence of actions regularly followed.

• Performed as part of a regular procedure rather than for a special reason.

Reasons routine is important: -

ü  Makes us more efficient

ü  Reduces our need to plan

ü  Creates structure in our lives

ü  Saves time, our most valuable resource

ü  Instils good habits

ü  Breaks bad habits

ü  Helps us become more proficient

ü  Helps us get the most important tasks done

ü  Prioritization

ü  Reduces the need for determination and willpower

ü  Reduces procrastination

ü  Builds momentum

ü  Builds self confidence

ü  Helps reduce stress and facilitate relaxation

ü  Frees up our time

ü  Helps us achieve our goals

“A daily routine built on good habits and disciplines separates the most successful among us from everyone else. The routine is exceptionally powerful.”

~ Darren Hardy ~

‘I have a healthy daily routine and I focus on all the good that is happening around me.’