Who wants to talk about pain? Not really a subject we gravitate towards.But what if it could be our health and happiness golden ticket?
What if it could be converted into the rocket fuel that leads to your evolution and a fuller expression of your potentiality? I know it is possible. I have experienced it time and again.
But here is the problem…
Reason 1. It has lasted over 3,000 years. I think that definitely rules it out of the ‘fad’ category. How can something survive 3,000 years? My guess is because it is a ‘difference maker’. It works – on so many levels.
When I talk Optimum Health (physical and mental) I talk about the 6 essential pillars: physical activity, nutrition, detoxification, rest, mindfulness and wholeheartedness. I also talk about choosing activities or habits which have the biggest ROI (return on investment). It turns out that a single yoga session ticks 5 out of 6 optimum health boxes – which makes it a SUPERFOOD for the mind and body.
In 1999 I started doing yoga. It was an important part of the biggest course correction in my life. It was – LIFE CHANGING.
I have been doing a number of presentations and workshops of late and asking people how much sleep they get a night.
The current research suggests that 7.5hrs to 9hrs is ideal for about 80% of the population. Some can get a way with less, and some need more.Far too many people put their hands up for less than 7hrs sleep and many of these have less than 6hrs sleep a night – consistently. You just cannot sustain optimal living on limited sleep.
The real cost
Many people ‘think’ they can function on less sleep, but may be unaware of the real consequences. For instance many may have less positive health, reduced resilience to illness, and slow recovery from sickness.
But one of the worst consequences, I suspect, is they are achieving less than they are capable of. I think if they had more sleep of a night-time they would be able to perform more effectively, efficiently and creatively. One of the many results of getting more shut-eye of a night-time.
As I already said. The first thing to realise is we all have doubts. We are not broken, or a loser, or a failure, or damaged goods because we have doubts. We are human. We all have doubts sometimes. It is when we have too much doubt, for too long, which paralyses or stresses us, that it is time to do something about it.
My recent experience with doubt was before I delivered the presentation the other day. It is normal to feel some nerves before a talk. I always do. But those I can breathe through. This was doubt with a capital D. I started second guessing my ability to make an impact, to connect with the audience, to keep the energy going in the room, to teach and to entertain. And this doubt followed me for 30 mins into the presentation. The doubt I experienced left me when I did some of the following:
Our life is shaped by our choices – conscious and unconscious. The things we choose to do or choose not to do (with our willpower muscles) are shaping your future and those around you. What follows are three of the best things I think you can do for yourself, if you want to have a really successful last quarter.
1. Slow down It might sound counter intuitive, if you want to achieve ‘more’, but slowing down is the first step to making better decisions. Picture a wise person or sage. Do you imagine them running around like a headless chicken? No. Calm. Collected. Slow. Purposeful thought, preceding a decision and decisive action.
When you slow down you get the chance to breathe. When you breathe you energize your body. You rejuvenate it. It allows you to build up energy for when you most need it.
These Tips are in no specific order, and drawn from The Guidebook to Optimum Health, which I am strongly suggesting you check out.
By the way. You do know there is a cure for cancer, right? 1000’s of people every year cure themselves of cancer – and not through radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. They make radical changes (and choices) in their thinking, their lifestyles, their emotions, their mindsets, their internal beliefs and how they manage stress. But that is a bigger topic for another day…
Calcium
1. Did you know that the calcium found in dark green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach is processed by the body better than the calcium in dairy products (which you know I am not a fan of anyway)? Eat more green leafy vegetables.
These lessons came as a result of the recent MindBody Detox Retreat.
I love how I never stop learning and I learn off every new person and experience I have. So don’t stay in the comfort zone, or your learning and growth will miss out – plus your sense of personal fulfillment. Step into the unknown and experience what the best of you is truly capable of achieving.
I was doing a session this week with a client on the MindBody retreat and as we were spending time delving into attachment, vulnerability, basic human needs, and a bunch of other topics; it became very clear to me that projecting an image of what you want others to think of you is not only energy consuming, but it erodes your authenticity and therefore LIKEABILITY. Not so cool…
Facebook crimes
Have you ever had (or still have) a Facebook ‘friend’ who always posts about how fabulous their life is? How fabulous their relationship is. How fabulous their holidays are. How happy they are (all the time). And even how great their pets, children, job, etc., etc., etc. are.
What are your real thoughts when you read their stuff? Not the stuff you ‘like’ or the comments you post on Facebook; but what you really think.
Stress is a bigger subject than I have time to fully cover this morning, so I am going to concentrate on two particular aspects – SURVIVING Vs THRIVING. I want to show you how to move from survival to thriving; and what is necessary.
Setting the context
Many people ‘think’ they work best under stress…
And the truth is that stress is useful up to a certain point. In fact it was the ‘stress response’ that allowed us to survive as a species over 10’s of 1000’s of years. The stress response is great for avoiding danger. The physical responses it elicits in our bodies allows us to physically perform at a generally higher level – IN
Have you ever stopped to think whether the guilt you have felt, or do feel, serves you?
And did you know that in the Tibetan language there is no word for ‘guilty’. Apparently the closest translation is “intelligent regret that decides to do things differently”. Guilt has come up a lot with a client I am working with at the moment and so I wanted to share with you what I have learned and what I am teaching them.
Understanding ‘it’
What is guilt and where does it come from?
As I pondered this I came up with two different themes.
1. The guilt that someone directs at us
2. The guilt we direct at ourselves