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Quick Tips for a Healthier and Happier Life
Plot Your Course
There seems to be a general belief among many who seek assistance from me as a therapist that they are in some way 'broken' and need to be fixed. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are creatures with an incredible capacity for learning and as a result we become really good at doing the things we do. That is what habits are - a behaviour that we have learned to do so competently and skillfully that we just do it automatically. The problems occur when those things we do so well do not get us the results we want. Being anxious, smoking, comfort eating, being phobic - we do these things brilliantly and to perfection, but the path they lead us on ends up in unhappiness and/or poor health.
So, BE CLEAR on what you want your new destination to be. Imagine it as vividly and in as much detail as possible and WRITE IT DOWN so that you have something to refer to in order to guage your progress. When you have your destination established you can begin to plot your route to it in terms of developing new habits.
Give Your Feet a Treat
Revitalise tired and aching feet with a DIY hands-free massage. Simply get a rolling pin and roll your bare foot backwards and forwards over it, paying particular attention to the area between the ball of the foot and the heel. It will break down fibrous areas in the muscle and other fascia, and stimulate blood flow, and feel rather good into the bargain.
Spice up Your Life
Did you know that there are foods that actually help you to burn fat more effectively? Spices such as Cayenne and chillie pepper contain a substance called capsaicin that has been shown to increase lipid oxydation by anything up to 25%. As if this wasn't enough, it has been shown to have other health benefits, including prevention of some cancers and helping to maintain a healthy heart. Make this little miracle worker a regular part of your diet to boost more than just your tastebuds!
Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away Now...
(with apologies to The Red Hot Chillie Peppers)
When we are unhappy, how many of us sit around waiting for someone/something else to come along and make us feel better? And then feeling even more miserable when they don't? Try this instead: be what you want to have around you. Do something nice for someone else with no expectation of getting anything back; do it for the sake of being kind, full stop. There are opportunities all around you: hold a door open for somebody; let that person in the car who has been waiting at the junction to pull out go in front of you; call a friend to see how they are. Such small things that require so little effort and yet you could make a big difference to somebody's day. And notice how much better you feel when you focus on doing this instead of your own worries or troubles.
Baby Steps
When making changes in one's life, for example a push to increase fitness or eat more healthily, there is commonly held belief that it is necessary to change everything in one go. This is rarely a successful strategy, as it can increase the feeling that the obstacles between you and your goals are just too big and insurmountable, leading to overwhelm and giving up after a short space of time.
It is useful to remember that change is an unfolding process and as such it's better to pace yourself. One step at a time, no matter how small, in the direction of your goal is more likely to get you there. Effort is still required, but it needn't be hard work. It is also more likely to be an enjoyable experience, which will boost your motivation too.
Anything more than nothing is good!
Deal, Don't Rant
Next time you find yourself faced with a situation that didn't go the way you wanted, instead of saying "Oh <insert appropriate expletive here>!", take a deep breath and say, "Oh well". It's amazing how quickly you can put yourself in a more useful state of mind to deal with what is facing you. Notice that I haven't promised that it will automatically make the world a less stressful place! What this very simple little exercise can do is start the process of helping you develop more effective coping stretegies for life's challenges, be they large or small.
Turn Off to Drop Off
If you are having trouble falling asleep at night, you can help your brain to switch off by first doing the same thing to the TV. Studies show that watching television close to bed time can over-stimulate the brain and prevent the usual relaxation mechanisms from kicking in. Try turning off the TV half an hour before bed and spend that time doing quiet, relaxing activities to prepare your mind as well as your bedy for sleep. Have a warm bath, listen to some relaxing music, meditate or stretch your body gently and see the difference it makes to your ability to fall asleep effortlessly.
Take a Deep Breath...
The majority of 'negative' emotional states such as anger, panic and anxiety can be alleviated, if not eliminated completely simply by slowing down the breathing. Studies show that breathing at the rate of 6 breaths a minute also significantly lowers blood pressure and heart rate.
Give it a try. Set aside a few minutes for yourself today without distractions and focus on breathing deep and slow. Aim for each inhale and exhale to last as long as it takes you to say 'one thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four thousand, five thousand.' (if this is too much to begin with, count to four thousand instead). After a few days of doing this you may find that you're feeling much more calm and focused as you go about your day.