Retreat Yourself
I started the year off with the intention to find more balance in my life, and I was doing so well but somehow that intention has slipped off the radar a little recently with life just “getting in the way”.
Life can be stressful. There is no doubt about that. From the minute we wake up until the moment we fall asleep we are constantly go, go, go!
The pressure of leading these incredibly busy and fast paced lives, juggling children, work pressures, husbands, social lives and everything that makes up life really can take it’s toll. And I don’t know about you, but by this stage in the year I’m in need of a little me time!
I want that feeling I have when I come home from retreat. Refreshed, renewed, rejuvenated (and all of the other yummy R words you can think of).
And the thing is I know how to make this happen, I preach to my students all the time the easy steps they could take to find a little more balance and calm in their day to day lives, so here is a list of things I’m going to take my own advice about right now…
GET IN THE KITCHEN
I have to admit cooking isn’t really my passion, and I don’t even have the excuse of being time poor I am fully aware that I could make the time to get more inventive in the kitchen. Even though I don’t like to spend a lot of time cooking, hubby and I have set the goal to eat out less and cook at home more often. It doesn’t have to be a master chef dish, both of us are quite happy settling for a simple veggie dish or healthy salad. We have been whipping up some amazing dishes from a book my sister in law gave me for Christmas too called Community, its aaaamazing highly recommend it. You know the saying “you are what you eat” and I know I feel a whole lot better on the inside when I’m eating home cooked fresh produce.
MAKE SWEAT DATES
One thing I know for certain is that sweating every day is so important to my mental health and state of mind. Even 20 minutes a day can make a massive different to your outlook in life and how you feel about yourself.
And you don’t necessarily have to smash yourself in a workout either, it would be simply walking to the store instead of driving, using the stairs instead of the lift or taking your pup for a walk.
My favorite huffy puffy (aka cardio) exercise at the moment is boxing, I usually try and rope one of my friends or family into coming along with me so it becomes a social event and much more fun.
Getting out and getting active can make such a difference to your overall happiness and wellbeing.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
I’ve always been very good at sleeping, any place any time I can shut my eyes and drift off into a little nanna nap, but in saying that I am guilty of sitting on my phone a little too long or just not getting to bed as early as I should. I’ve recently been making a conscious effort to meditate for ten minutes before bed and then stopping myself from getting back onto any form of social media after that, and honestly, it makes me feel amazing! Instead, I actually say goodnight to my husband and have started getting through a few novels I’ve been meaning to read instead of spending endless hours scrolling through my news feed. Going to sleep in a technology-free zone and getting enough Z’s makes you feel so good. I promise.
BOOK A HOLIDAY
Now of coarse I’m going to recommend our retreat for you in Bali this year (cause it’s going to be amazing and I make sure you get all of the above included in your week for the perfect amount of balance) but in all honesty having a holiday to look forward to can sometimes make all the difference when feeling overwhelmed by the immediate stresses you are facing. Studies show that people anticipating a vacation or holiday feel an increase in their happiness. So if you feel like you’re out of balance and life is all too much at the moment why not book yourself into a week long retreat focusing on getting that much needed rest you need, moving and nourishing your body, having all your healthy organic meals cooked for you, and not lifting a finger for an entire week while you get back to YOU!
It’s all these little steps combined that make for a happier healthier you.
