Thinking positive is important, but it is also important to not allow negativity to invade your thoughts. But if this happens, get rid of those thoughts as quickly as possible. Imagine you are getting ready to go on a first date after being set up by a friend. She tells you that he is the most amazing man and that he will surely fall for you. You try on your little black dress and it’s too tight. You look at yourself in the mirror and negative thoughts start creeping in. STOP! What just happened? You allowed negative thoughts to penetrate your inner sanctum, that precious place where positivity dwells: your positive mind. The negative thoughts you have throughout the day might not be about those extra pounds you put on or how you look. They might be about how well you think you did at work, how capable you think you are doing things at home, or even how good a friend you think you are. For some reason this happens a lot. We tend to allow negative thoughts in when there is no place, or reason, for them.

Why do we do this?

• We overgeneralise
• We think too much about the past
• We are too focused on the future
• We can’t see that there is a positive in pretty much everything

Did any of those resonate with you?I have been guilty of doing at least some of these several times a day. That was until I realised how important thinking positive was. Positive thinking is focusing on the positive, rather than the negative, aspects of a situation. This definition makes thinking positive seem pretty simple, but if that’s the case, why can’t we do it more often? Well, we can. We just need to teach ourselves how to get rid of negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. I have found 5 different ways, that are backed by research, to help you get rid of negativity and start thinking positively. Recognise What You Have Going for you You are amazing. You are capable of doing whatever you put your mind to. Focus on that. Recognise the talents and abilities that you have. Notice your strengths, as well as your weaknesses, for any given situation. Figure out how you can improve the abilities that you have. As part of this, incorporate positive self-talk. Whatever you say to yourself, either when you’re alone, or in your head so no one else can hear, make it positive. This absolutely goes hand-in-hand with recognising what you have going for you. The more you can recognise what you have going for you by incorporating positive self-talk, the more positively you will feel. A study conducted in 2015 discovered that using this positive thinking strategy can reduce negative thoughts by almost 30%. That’s a pretty big jump. What’s more important is that the women who participated in this study started having stronger positive relationships with themselves and with others. It improved their self-esteem and they began to enjoy life more.

Think About Hope

  Hope can be used to decrease negative thinking and increase positive thinking. It’s amazing how much hope can actually do. A recent study on positive thinking and depression indicated that having hope was very important for positive thinking.When a person begins to hope, they are more likely to see things positively, reduce any kind of sadness or depression they might be feeling, and increase the positive thinking they have about the future. What this does is help decrease any worry a person has about the future and helps them think more positively in the present. Starting your day with a sense of calm is a great way to shape your day in a positive way. To do this, start with meditating, or thinking, for only five minutes while focusing on a positive affirmation (positive self-talk). You could do this before you get out of bed, while you’re showering, or even while you’re getting dressed. What this technique does is help you start your day in a positive way. Positive affirmations are amazing and if you focus on those during the first moments of the day, just imaging how your day will unfold. The woman who studied using this techniques realised that starting the day with a sense of calm really cemented the day. The positive affirmations were things to think of during the day, and even use if a negative thought began to creep in. The One-Breath Technique   The one-breath technique was devised by Terry Orlick as a way to maintain positive thinking when negative thoughts creep in. This technique is pretty cool. Basically, all you do is breathe in slowly and deeply and out even slower, whenever a negative thought starts to come into your space. The one breath that you take is enough to move past that negative thought and into a positive one.

Write it down

Keeping a journal about the ups and downs you have during the day is a good way to gain perspective on your thought processes. When you have a negative thought, write it down, and then write down at least three positive things that you could have thought instead. If the negative thought you have is about your ability to do your job, write down three ways you have excelled or succeeded in your job. This is a great way to get you on track to thinking more positively, because you are changing your negative thoughts into positive ones. This technique was studied and determined to be effective in changing thought processes, as well as behaviors. But what’s more is that it doesn’t take a lot of effort and you will be happy with the results. Positive thinking is very important to how we view ourselves and the world. You aren’t alone if you have difficulty with positive thinking, but the more you practice the techniques discussed earlier the more likely you will be able to leave negative thinking behind and embrace positive thinking. You can do it! After all, you are amazing; you are wonderful, and you can do anything you set your mind to.

If I could offer just one bit of advice to all my clients it would be to meditate. Easy to say, especially coming from the girl who would leave immediately at the end of the yoga class because she ‘didn’t have time’ to stay for the 5-minute meditation afterwards. Well, there was dinner to cook and things to do…. Does that sound a bit like you? Thinking that because you aren’t actually doing something, you are not using your time well? Well I want you to think about hurrying up to slow down! For those of you that have never meditated before, think of meditation as focused thought, usually on your breathe or something you are visualising. It’s as simple as that. Meditation means ‘a cessation of the thought process’, it is a state of consciousness or awareness, where our minds become free of scattered thoughts and various patterns. You don’t have to be on the top of a hill with crossed legs, facing the sun as it rises. You just have to be in a place where you can centre yourself, take some deep breathes and stop for a moment. My thinking has changed substantially over the last few years and now I find time for 15 minutes of meditation every day. Well, OK, most days. Life does get in the way, but I do make a conscious effort to include a type of meditation or at least some focused, positive thought into my day. Meditation stops the momentum of our negative thoughts and this has been the most significant change it has made in my life. When we quieten our mind and stop the natter we allow what we want to start to flow. It also helps to remember what Gandhi is believed to have said: “I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of one.” Now we don’t want you to think that in order for meditation to be effective, it must be long. In fact just 5-15 minutes a day is suffice. The idea is, of course, that the time spent in meditation pays off in so many ways. The changes that meditation has made in my own life are amazing. And I have seen huge changes in my clients’ lives, too.

How do I meditate?

This is a question I am nearly always asked, when I suggest meditation to clients. The answer is that are many different types of meditation: active or passive, guided meditation, visualisations, chants, heart or light meditation. Obviously I have my own personal ways to meditate. Some people take classes, some have personal ‘instructors’, and some find their way alone. You might benefit most by trying a few different methods. I believe that it’s important to find your own way into meditation, but here are just a few suggestions to get you started.

• Heart Meditation

An awake heart is like a sky that pours light – Hafez

This is one of the more passive and gentle forms of meditation. The idea is to close your eyes, take deep breaths, and reach a state of calm or stillness, where your focus moves away from ‘thinking’ and towards ‘feeling’. It is a relaxing experience, especially if you are stressed or you are normally aware of having a busy and ‘noisy’ mind. The emphasis is on feeling the energy of your heart, not just as the beating centre of your physical body, but because it is the centre of who you feel yourself to be, and the symbol of your relationship with other people. Try it… Infinity Imagine an infinity symbol which joins your head and your heart. As you take long, deep breathes, imagine your energy (or your oxygen) running through your nose, into your head then back around, down and into your heart and out again, into your head and then into your heart. Imagine the passing of this energy is creating an infinity symbol. This is a great anchor to have especially to balance your feminine and masculine energies or to get centred, anywhere, anytime.

• Light Meditation

Meditation is a way for nourishing and blossoming the divinity within you ― Amit Ray

Light is energy, and this type of meditation is one that some people find useful as an energy charge. You might like to try it when you are feeling exhausted, or at the start of a particularly challenging day. You need only a relaxing environment and the power of your own mind. The starting point is usually to concentrate on the light that appears on the dark ‘screen’ behind your closed eyes, although some people also use candles to help them to focus. Light is also a purifying force, and ‘white light healing’, as it is sometimes called, is a form of meditation you could consider as a method of ‘cleansing’ – using your body’s natural ‘light’ or positive energy to remove stress and negative feelings. Try it….

Body Cleanse

Imagine a doughnut shape of white light hovering about your head. Bring it down around your head so that it fits tightly and smoothly around your head. And gradually imagine that this is moving down your body. It splits into two doughnuts as it goes down your arms and then one down the trunk of your body and down your legs. As it moves down the body, it is cutting and cleansing any energy away from your body that you don’t want. It cleanses your body and removes ties that you don’t want.

Cleansing Shower

You simply imagine a shower made of golden light. And you stand underneath it for up to 5 minutes. Shut you eyes and feel the light energy rush over you like you would the water in the shower. You can also do this in the shower to help you feel the full effect! Love it!

• Guided Meditation

… that is the whole art of meditation; becoming conscious of consciousness itself – Osho

If you are trying meditation for the first time, you might find it difficult to stay focused. Or you might not even know exactly what could be the right type of meditation for you. In that case, it’s a good idea to find some guided meditations. Why not experiment with a range of different types? You can access guided meditations in various forms. The most common is the audio-version, but if you prefer silence, there are also versions with printed instructions that you can read and then practise alone. Some meditations are designed for specific purposes. They are also of various lengths – to suit your experience and the time you have decided to allow for each of your meditation sessions. And don’t worry, if you are asked to see things that you can’t yet imagine, you will get better. Our imagination has been stifled over the years so it is normal for this to take a while to kick back in. For example… in my first guided meditation I was asked to see a forest, I saw a tree. One tree! Now I can see the details on the trees… it takes time however your imagination will return. Try it…. Our guided meditation takes you through a process of relaxation techniques, affirmations to build your self image and finishes with a beautiful visualisation of your current goals. This is great to start to get your vibration in the right place to bring in those desired goals! INSITE MIND – guided meditation

Why would I meditate?

There are endless benefits to meditation, and they could transform your personal life and your work performance. Meditation

• helps to relax your mind and body and to restore and refresh your energies
• opens up greater possibilities for clear thinking and creativity
• creates and helps to sustain contentment and a sense of well being

Three major pluses that you (and the people around you) will appreciate.

What is a life coach?

INSITE MIND believes that having goals, strategies and actions are the key to a proactive mental health plan. With 1 in 5 people diagnosed with Mental Illness (1) and the World Health Organisation predicting it to be the #1 Health Concern by 2030(2), INSITE MIND works with individuals to create a positive life perspective through life coaching.

What is a Life Coach?

A life coach assists a person to make positive changes in one or more areas of their life over a period of time. These life areas fall within the categories of Business/Career, Health, Finance, Relationships, Emotions and Spirituality.

Does it help mental health?

Yes. Life coaching is a proactive approach to mental health. It helps clients actively look at all areas of their lives, identifying areas which they would like to make a change in, helping them move forward in a positive direction.

Who would I see a life coach?

People use life coaches for a wide variety of reasons. If you or your client needs help to:

• Manage stress better
• Become healthier (lose weight, stop smoking)
• Balance their work and personal lives better
• Kick start or rejuvenate a career
• Redesign or find a direction in life
• Enhance workplace effectiveness
• Increased motivation & focus
• Become more organised and manage life better
• Increase their confidence in particular area
• Achieve the best of their ability and potential
• Set and obtain wanted goals
• Communicate better with people

What is the difference between a life coach and a psychologist?

Both life coaches and psychologists occupy a professional helper role and both have structured, regular sessions, assign homework and work through an agenda. Whilst there are some similarities, there are also many important differences including:

• Life coaching focuses on the future, not the past
• People seek coaching because they want to change, not because they need to
• Life coaching is based on facilitating rather than advising a client
• A life coaching client is accountable for their actions and thus responsible for their success
• Life coaching focuses on the paradigm of possibility not pathology
• Life coaching use a ‘whole-person’ approach, focusing on the person rather than the condition
• Life coaching can be delivered face-face, phone or via Skype

What is the difference in the cost a life coach and a psychologist?

The recommended Psychologist charges are $235 an hour with potential Medicare and Private Health Rebates. Life Coaching ranges from $100-$125 an hour with affordable 6 week action plans around $249.

What is the process a life coach uses?

• Use diagnostic tools to identify areas of concern;
• Align client with their purpose;
• Consciously setting goals that are desired;
• Setting strategies to achieve those goals;
• Setting milestones to ensure client is on track;
• Setting action steps;
• Uncovering what’s in the way of achieving a goal and what has to be done differently in the future to achieve that goal; and
• Helping the client motivated o their journey of success.

INSITE MIND helps people get excited about life. If you are looking for a change in your life, you have lost direction, you may be stuck making a decision, you are unhappy in your life or are looking for stress management, contact Alisa at INSITE MIND on 0408 220 944 or send an email to alisa@insitemind.com.au (1) Australian Bureau of Statistics (2009). National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 4326.0, 2007. ABS: Canberra. (2) World Health Organisation (2008). The global burden of disease: 2004 update.

What is Emotional Intelligence and why does it matter? What is Emotional Intelligence? Emotional Intelligence is our ability to understand, manage, and effectively express our feelings, as well as to understand, engage and navigate successfully with the feelings of others. According to Talent Smart, 90% of high performers in the work place possess high Emotional Intelligence whilst a staggering 80% of low performers have low emotional intelligence. Therefore having a high emotional intelligence is key to our performance. Unlike intellectual intelligence, which does not change significantly over a lifetime, our emotional intelligence can evolve and increase with our desire to learn and grow.

Why does Emotional Intelligence Matter?

Some of our basic brain functions are a result of two brain areas working together at all times. They consult each other to determine our behavioural response. These systems are our Prefrontal Lobe which houses our rational brain and our Limbic System where or emotions are produced. Everything we see, feel, smell, taste, hear and touch travels through our body in the form of electric signals, to end up at the prefrontal lobe where rational thinking takes place. They pass through the Limbic System along the way, the place where emotions are produced. This journey ensures we experience things emotionally before our reason can kick into gear. The rational area of our brain can’t stop the emotion it felt by the Limbic System but the areas influence each other and maintain constant communication. The communication between the two brains is the physical source of emotional intelligence. As we are wired to be emotional beings, our first reaction to an event is always going to be an emotional one. We can’t control this, however we do have control over the thoughts that follow an emotion and we have a great deal of say in how we react to an emotion once we are aware of it.

Understanding the 4 skills

Emotional intelligence is our ability to recognise our emotions in ourselves and others and our ability to use this awareness to manage our behaviour in relationships. There are four skills to master in Emotional Intelligence and these skills are summarised into two categories. These categories are Self Competence and Social Competence. Self competence houses our self awareness and self management. These focus on us individually and is our ability to stay aware of our emotions and manage our behaviour and tendencies. Emotions always serve a purpose. They are the reactions to our own life experience and they always come from somewhere. Understanding why they arise and why they get a reaction can keep us from doing things we will regret. Self awareness is about developing an honest understanding of what makes us tick. People high in self awareness are remarkably clear in their understanding of what they do well. What motivates and satisfies them and which people in situations push their buttons. Our self management is what happens when we act or do not act. It is dependent on our self awareness. When we are aware of our emotions we can stay flexible and direct our behaviour positively. The second category of Emotional Intelligence is Social Competence. This houses our social awareness and relationship management. It is our ability to accurately pick up emotions in other people and really understand what is going on with them. This often means perceiving what other people are thinking and feeling even if we do not feel the same way. Our relationship management is our ability to use our awareness of our own emotions and those of others to manage our actions successfully. This ensures clear communication and effective handling of conflict. It is also the bond we build with others over time. People who manage relationships well are able to see the benefit of connecting with many different people, even those they are not fond of. INSITE MIND offers a program designed to improve your emotional intelligence through mentoring sessions and online education topics. Call us today to find out if you qualify for this course.

Today we share an article written by Life Coach Alisa Petitt from INSITE MIND on the ART of Relaxation. How to let go and relax…. Even when you feel you have 10,000 things you could be doing…. Phew! Here it is. I have reached the holiday. The honeymoon. The long awaited time to do some much needed relaxation! Something I have been looking forward to and working towards for the last three months. Ever since our wedding, my husband and I have been working very hard to take one month off. With us both owning our own businesses there is a lot to consider and plan to be away for so long. So as I sit on the beach of Fiji, on my honeymoon and feel a sense of worry and overwhelm overcome me, I wonder… being exactly where I want to be and where I had planned to be, why do I still think of the 10,000 things that I could, should or want to be doing and worry that it will not get done. This is all part of the ART of relaxing. As a task focused doer, this can be exceptionally hard to master not only on holiday, but in our everyday lives… So how do we do it? I believe there are 5 keys to the ART of relaxation and I discuss them here.

Relaxation 101: Let go of control! Go with the flow!

There is a sense of relief waking up knowing that all I need to do is to get onto a plane and relax. I love the feeling of traveling on an airplane. There is literally nothing else you could be doing except sitting in a seat, watching movies, reading, writing or sleeping. You are confined to a space and know that you have a certain amount of time until your destination. I spend the time watching the movie Concussion (I LOVE movies based on true events that have inspiring stories). Something I have been wanting to do for a long time however had not had the opportunity due to recent technology glitches (the patience and letting go is a blog all on its own!) and time constraints! As I reflect on this moment, how come I was happy in this moment? I had no option of what I could do. I had relinquished control. I had let go and I had surrendered to the aircraft crew. They were now in control of what was to come. We need to take a lesson in this, to relinquish control and go with the flow… wherever we are. As I sit on the beach in Fiji – I have options. I have my computer with me however I know this is the week to be unplugged. I shouldn’t be logging online on my honeymoon. As I sit and relax, the flash of my ‘to-do’ list catches my breath and I have now ignited the worry thoughts. I should be writing the next blog… when will I get the time if not now? I should be editing my new journal; I have to get it out to my members Isn’t the BAS due? Am I late? I probably don’t have connection to the internet here…

Relaxation 102: Worry is an unhelpful emotion

As the sense of worry and overwhelm come over me, I understand and feel this in my body immediately. Through my work on my own emotional intelligence I feel my stomach tense, my thoughts get cloudy, I go distant and I need quiet. It may sound weird, but knowing this about myself helps me to change the emotion quickly instead of entertaining it and the feeling getting worse. My emotional awareness helps me to recognise that I am feeling worried and I know if I entertain this emotion with the same thoughts that have created my worry, such as focusing on what I am worried about I will get on the train of worry and most likely catch the train all the way to fear. Often we have an unhelpful emotion, like worry or overwhelm it is proceeded by unhelpful thoughts. Therefore, I need to understand what I am saying to myself in these moments and switch up the self-talk. The quicker I can do this, the faster I stop the train and have the opportunity to move in the other direction. The easiest thing to do here is to pivot on your worry. If you know what you don’t want to happen then you know what you don’t want to happen. This is called ‘what-if’ing in the positive and is such a valuable tool to use when you are drowning in your own thoughts. Think about all the things you would like to happen, what if it goes right. I also use deliberate thinking to change up the thoughts. This is focused positive thoughts, or affirmations. My sayings of choice are (italics are why this makes me feel better – don’t say these!):

• Life is always working out for me (gives me a sense of trust and relinquishes the need to strangle every moment through control)
• Something good comes from everything (eases the worry)
• I am not sure what, but something good is coming (moves me up to positive expectation)

Relaxation 103: You will never get it done

One of the things I innately know is that we will never get it done! Never. This may sound negative but it is not meant to be. We are creative, goal setting beings and even if I had completed what I needed to or thought I should have, there is always something else that I am working on therefore, it will never be done. If we are done, we are dead. This helps me to put into context my feelings of worry. I know that there will always be another blog to write, another dish to wash, another journal to write, another workout to do. Just remembering that I will never get it done, gives me a sense of relief and ease and softens the worry thoughts.

Relaxation 104: We are human beings not human doings

This is one of my favourite mantras. I am very task focused and I am always doing something. When I am doing, I feel productive, I feel useful. However, this is not our natural state of existence. As stated… we are human beings. To be. Not to do. For an obsessive doer, even the 5 minutes of meditation at the end of a yoga class used to give me anxiety thinking I could be making a head start to dinner! These days I can relax into meditation however it has taken me a great understanding of where my anxiety comes from. Over time our sense of worth has been defined by the action we take. We define our existence by how much we have achieved. If we have not ticked off our list, achieved that goal or done that thing we promised our boss, our sense of worth takes a kick. However, our sense of worth need not come from our action. Our sense of worth is born from the person we just are, not from the action we take. If we dig down, there is often an underlying fear that without our doing, things will not be as they need to be and we will lose a person’s trust, respect or love. We need to start to trust that everything is as it should be. Always. And that taking time out to just ‘be’ is at our core. That is why we crave holidays. Crave the feeling of ‘nothing to do’. We need to understand that “being” is just as important as “doing”. To break our default doing, we need to build up our sense of “being”. Ease yourself into it. It can feel strange at first, so schedule in some time not doing anything. Know that this is just your BE time. Then by the time you are on a holiday, this will feel like more a natural state for yourself.

Relaxation 105: Have positive expectation

The biggest lesson in my life to date has been to just let it be. And this is the key to finding the relaxation state we are searching for. I cannot control everything and everyone to make things turn out the way I would like it. In fact, I innately believe that the universe is conspiring with me (this has been something I have had to work on!) and that everything will always work out. I know that through my positive thinking I can get myself to a state of positive expectation. This is a state where you just know… no matter what reality is showing up for you… that things are going to work out. Even in the ugly moments, there is always something good to come out of it. I generally have a sense of positive expectation and if I don’t, like the worry that overcame me recently, I know I can pivot myself to focus on what I want to happen, instead of focusing on what I don’t want to happen. Here are some more affirmations which help me to improve my sense of positive expectation:

• Everything is as it should be
• I trust in the process of life
• I am perfect whole and complete, just the way it is

As I sit here and write this, I am filled with gratitude to have had the overwhelm and worry so that I can bring you a blog which helps you to overcome it when you are faced with the same! To summarise… here are some tips to help you with The ART of Relaxation:

• Use positive affirmations or deliberate thinking to slow your worry thoughts and send you on a more positive thinking path
• Schedule in some BE Time. This is more than just ME time. All you need is fifteen minutes a day to improve the way you feel. This is scheduling in time for you to relax, meditate, journal, say affirmations, listen to an audio… something that may have no apparent outcome, just a positive way to give back to yourself positively even if only for a short space of time.
• Let go! Trust. Surrender.

Author, Alisa Petitt, INSITE MIND

Our minds are a powerful tool. We drive it with our thoughts. We set goals with the intent to achieve them however the fear of failure can creep in. Even small amounts of these emotions can breed a variety of negative emotions that hinder our success.  Nervousness, intimidation, worrying, and jealousy can cripple us. Our mismanagement of these emotions causes us to falter and can decrease performance. So how do we counteract such thoughts? The key is visualisation. The principles behind visualisation, is to imagine ourselves successfully performing the important task. Our brains have a difficult time distinguishing between what we see with our eyes verses what we see with our mind. In fact, MRI scans of people’s brain taken whilst they are watching the sunset are virtually indistinguishable from scans taken when the same people visualise a sunset in their mind. The same brain regions are active in both scenarios. Therefore visualising ourselves managing our emotions and behaviour effectively when completing important tasks is a great way to practice our skills and make them into habits. Visualisation is the perfect solution, but it involves more than just imagining ourselves succeed. We must engage our senses while envisioning performing the task successfully. We must imagine what we will see, hear, what we will smell, what we will be wearing and any more detail that will help us to really be there. Our past programming makes it very easy to visualise ourselves failing. We need to get clear on what success looks like to us. In order to do this we must draw upon other successes. It’s important to be as relaxed as possible when you visualise. You can visualise lying down in bed or in a comfy chair. A great time to visualise is before you go to bed at night. Just close your eyes and visualise yourself in situations where you have the most difficulty managing yourself. Focus on the details of each situation that make it so hard for you to remain in control. Concentrate on the sights and sounds you would experience until you literally feel the same emotions. Next picture yourself acting the way you would like to, that is, calming your nerves and proceeding confidently during the presentation. Dealing with someone who pushes your buttons without losing your cool etc. Imagine yourself doing and saying the right things and allow yourself to feel the satisfaction and positive emotions that come with this. See yourself as a confident, successful person – in as much detail as possible.

Keys to Visualisation:

• Write your visualisation down
• Relax – put on some soothing music
• Make your visualisation VIVID!
• Act ideally, in the way that you would like to see the situation play out
• Engage your feelings and emotions
• Get a role model – if you find it hard to think about what this picture looks like, think of someone you admire… how would they act?
• Draw upon previous successes
• Practice, Practice, Practice

Author, Alisa Petitt, Insite Mind Insite Mind offers life coaching workshops, one on one consultations and online learning. Call Live Well Currambine to book in to see Alisa or attend a workshop on 9304 1000. Check out their website here.

The lead up to Christmas can be stressful and the simple joys of Christmas can often be overlooked in the chaos of Christmas shopping, parties and menu planning for Christmas Day. We’d like to help you enjoy a happy, healthy Christmas this year – one with less stress, more enjoyment and that impacts less on our health. Firstly, here are some ways to help our body and mind manage the stress of the busy month of December:

• Physical exercise – try to keep up your normal exercise regime, get out in nature and get some fresh air every day.
• Keep up your healthy habits – look at what you do now that is healthy and commit to sticking to that no matter what.
• Plan some relaxing time – book in a day spa or massage, sometimes just mentally knowing that you will get some time out can make you feel better.
• Get organised – buy gifts early, plan, plan, plan! Make lots of lists!
• Mindset – it’s all about the way you look at the situation and what you view as stressful. Try to change your perspective on things and don’t sweat the small stuff!

I want a healthy, happy Christmas – how do I get the family to want one too?

For most people their biggest wish for Christmas Day is to have a fun, enjoyable day with their family. Focus on enjoying the ‘experience of Christmas’ – going to the beach, preparing food to share with people we love, and the happiness that can be found in giving, rather than receiving. To help kids appreciate what they have, by way of food and gifts, consider a donation to charities such as the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal every year and explain to children how this helps other people. This is also a perfect time of year to go through the kid’s toys and put aside some toys to donate to those less fortunate. When choosing gifts, focus on activities that can be done together as a family, so it is more about the enjoyment you will have together rather than acquiring more toy. Garden games such as ring toss, badminton and croquet are great examples. What about Christmas Day? There is always so much to do and always so much to eat. In what ways can I make the day a little more healthy?

• Practice Mindfulness of Eating. Start with gratitude. Thank the person who is hosting, for everyone being there and for where the food came from. This will allow you to pause before you dig in. Then slowly eat your food, tasting every bite, feeling the sensations on your tongue and smelling the different aromas. Be present when eating. Look up and engage with others and pace yourself. It will be over in a short while so savour every minute.
• Make sure you drink plenty of water! Drink and eat mindfully – make sure you want it and are enjoying it, don’t just eat or drink because it’s there.
• Be active – get up and join in games with the kids or go for a walk. The beach is a great place to spend some time on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day seems like the start of the “left over meal” diet. What are your top tips for a recovery plan after Christmas?

Don’t let Christmas Day derail your health goals. We often catastrophise the event, thinking we may as well throw the clean eating out the window but this isn’t the case. One day of eating will not derail you from your goals. Only your thinking will. Pass off some of the leftovers to guests and plan ahead so you have some healthy food available for Boxing Day. Start the day with hot water and lemon. Drink lots of water, do some exercise, go to the beach, eat lots of fruit and vegetables. One easy way to get some good nutrition back into your body is to have a green or berry smoothie for breakfast. Christmas, New Years, the end of the School year …with so many holidays how can I plan for myself, friends and family to be healthy Planning is key! Set your intention of what you want for this period. Write down your intention, write down your goals and your family’s goals and try to get a balance of down time as well as activities. Once you have set a goal for yourself, read it everyday. Understand how that goal helps you to achieve your other family goals. Get your kids to set their 2017 goals too. Be prepared – keep healthy snacks on hand, buy healthy food and don’t buy unhealthy food (if it’s not in the house you won’t eat it!). Get active – enjoy the summer – visit parks, the beach and get some exercise walking, cycling, swimming or running.

How and what do I set as my New Year’s resolution? How do I stick to it?

Start with the end in mind. Think about what you want. Think about this time next year. What does your picture look like? Create a vision board. Then set specific goals and break that goal into manageable goals with short-term milestones. Keep it simple and achievable but remember you can dream as big as you like!

Some simple examples may be:

To be the very best version of myself, To live simply, declutter, To be grateful, To have more energy and get more sleep Focus on it, remember, set intent, and work on forming good habits (less willpower, more habit). But remember to be kind to yourself, keep your mindset in check and don’t sweat the small stuff. Planning is one of the keys to success – schedule into your daily/weekly routines the things that you value and are important to you. We hope this advice leads you on the path towards a happier, healthier Christmas this year. The Live Well Physio team wish you are Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We all know that voice in our heads that likes to have an opinion about absolutely everything. Whether good or bad, it just seems to chat all the time. While this voice is certainly helpful in making decisions, learning and analysing it can also be very unhelpful if our voice says hurtful, self destructive and condescending things. I recently read a great book by Michael A Singer called The Untethered Soul. I highly recommend this read! The book helps to put a face to the voice by asking you to picture that voice as a guest in our house, sitting on the couch having a conversation with you. The interesting thing is, if this was a real person, saying these things we would be unlikely to just roll over and take it. We would most likely, some more politely than others, tell that person to stop what they are saying and get out of our house! So why do we take the negative self talk from our own voice? Well most times we are not mindful enough of this voice and the self talk continues without challenge. Negative thoughts arise and we let them go by without contemplating if this is true or not. We have sixty to eighty thousand thoughts a day and most of these go by without our awareness. Time to get control of this self talk with some helpful tips:

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

We can only change what we are aware of. In a fast-paced world, it is easy to be doing five things at once, not really focusing on any one task and losing connection with the present moment, with what we are doing and how we are feeling. Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing our attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgement. Mindfulness is being absolutely present in this very moment. Not thinking about yesterday or tomorrow but focusing on what is happening right here, right now. Mindfulness is always being mindful of something. We can practice mindfulness when we walk, when we eat, when we breathe… at anytime. It is all about stopping, really focusing on what you are doing in that present moment and allowing yourself to find your centre throughout whatever activity you are partaking in. This will help you to observe your thoughts and emotions as they come up as you won’t be preoccupied with every other thing you need to do in that moment.

THE HOUSE MATE APPROACH

I want you to think of the voice in your head as a housemate, visitor or guest in your house – whatever the image is of a person that you could challenge or ask to leave if you were not happy with how they were talking to you. Imagine yourself having a conversation with this person on the couch. If what they are saying becomes hurtful, threatening, negative or guilt ridden, challenge them. Take control of the situation by challenging what is being said or asking them to leave. Then invite a nicer, happier and supportive friend over and see what they have to say! To do this we can use the CRAFT approach:

CRAFT Your Mind

If you find yourself having negative thoughts or saying harmful words to yourself, there are some simple steps you can follow to turn your mind around. At your first negative thought, just remember the word CRAFT: C – CANCEL the thought, it’s not logical. R – REPLACE it with rational new information. A – AFFIRM a new thought with a new imagine; think about a time of success from the past or create a vision of one in the future. F – FOCUS on an image of a successful you for 30 seconds. T – TRAIN by continually repeating the steps every time you have a negative thought… the more the better.

KNOW YOUR UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS

There are unhelpful negative thoughts that go round in our mind, and a lot of them we all commonly share! Know what yours are. Becoming mindful of what you are likely to say to yourself helps in the mindfulness process as you are more likely to pick it up when it is happening because you have previously identified this as your pattern.

Here are some common unhelpful thoughts:

• I am not good enough.
• I’m not smart or strong enough.
• I’ll never reach my goal.
• I don’t like being different from other people.
• No one cares about me.
• There’s nothing I can do to make things better.
• Others have better luck than I do.
• This is the worst thing that could possibly happen.
• Everything is my fault.
• Bad things always happen to me.

Replace your unhelpful thoughts with some positive affirmations. Say these to yourself everyday. Out aloud helps too, don’t just read them. Really feel them and say them until you feel differently. If the unhelpful thoughts swirl around in your head more than once or on repeat, then we must do the same with our selective helpful thoughts.

Helpful Thoughts

• Something good comes out of everything.
• I am worthy of other people’s love.
• I can recover and learn from my mistakes.
• I have a lot of opportunities to succeed every day.
• I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to.
• With time and effort, anyone can improve.
• Every situation has positive aspects.
• I have skills and knowledge that benefit others and myself.
• I can make a positive difference in peoples’ lives.
• I have control over my thoughts, emotions, and decisions in life.

For help with your positive affirmation process, check out Insite Mind’s Oh Happy Day Cards! These cards have 52 affirmations that you can use to create your practice of helpful thinking

Do you struggle to get going in the morning? Here’s some tips, courtesy of Food Matters, for how to kick start your day and make it a productive, happy and healthy one.

• Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up

A glass of water rehydrates your body, revs up your digestive system, and gets things flowing. If you can stomach it, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to really kick start your digestion and help flush out the toxins.

• Don’t check your email or phone straight away

To keep your mind clear, focused and happy, resist the temptation to check your email and Facebook feed until at least an hour after waking up.

• Think of one thing to be grateful for

Get the good vibes going and set the stage for positivity throughout the day with a quick gratitude exercise. If you come up with three or five things, even better.

• Get a breath of fresh air

Step outside and fill your lungs with fresh air. Even if it’s cold outside. A quick 10 seconds is all it takes to remind you that you are alive and breathing!

• Move your body

This doesn’t have to mean completing an intense workout before breakfast. Moving your body even a little is a great way to get the blood flowing and shake the body awake. You could start with a few simple stretches.

• Take time to eat a healthy breakfast

Eating real food for breakfast – eggs, soaked oats, and smoothies are all great options. (And they really don’t take that much time to prepare.) Skip the processed cereal and try it out.

• Practice saying some affirmations

Look into the mirror and say something positive to yourself. Some ideas:

• I radiate beauty, confidence and grace.
• Every cell in my body is healthy and vibrant
• I feel great when I take care of myself

Try incorporating a few of these healthy habits to change up your morning.  For more great health tips and recipes, check out the Food Matters blog – a fantastic resource for health and nutrition related topics.