Tag:

Balance

A Road Map to your Healthiest & Happiest Life

In last week’s post I spoke about the difference between surviving versus thriving, with ‘balance’ being the main component distinguishing which one from the other. I also suggested that whilst it may be challenging, transitioning from surviving to thriving is entirely possible, by taking deliberate and consistent action towards your new life.

So, assuming that you have made the choice to thrive, then what more specifically is the pathway for actually achieving it? Well, it starts with taking a ‘holistic’ approach. Unfortunately the word holistic has become a bit of a buzz word in recent times and as such, is too often used with little substance. Sure, there are plenty of holistic based practices around like yoga or osteopathy for example, but whilst these are holistic disciplines in and upon themselves, in relation to the health and well-being of the whole of you, then they are only a small part. And so, a genuine holistic approach is one which takes into consideration the health of the whole of you. This is essential because changes in any one area of your life affect every other area, either directly or indirectly.

Therefore your health and happiness are dependent on the harmony of this whole. If one part isn’t in balance, then it can throw everything else out too. This is important when you consider that most problems in your life right now are the result of putting too much of your energy into one area of your life and not enough into another. Something that so few of us actually realise, or truly understand.

This is why conventional medicine is very limited in its results, when it comes to both the prevention and reversal of the vast majority of mental and physical health conditions so prevalent today.

In-fact the only way to more permanently overcome these conditions is to live a more balanced lifestyle. This is important because, if you’re reading this post and looking for some tips to lose weight, get fit, find happiness, become healthier or anything else, then the most important thing you can do to achieve it is to have greater balance.

So, the question then becomes, what does a genuine holistic approach (that takes into consideration the health of the whole of you) really look like? Well, it involves investing your time and energy equally on 3 key areas;

What You Chew,

What You Do and

Living True.

Don’t worry – they’re not about doing endless sit-ups, counting calories or strengthening your willpower muscles. Nor are they about retreating to a cave and chanting mantras all day long – although you can do that if you like. Instead put together, these 3 keys are simply a lifestyle; a way of being and a way of living in the world, and one which I myself live and breathe every day. So, let’s explore what each of these 3 key areas entails…

What You Chew…

If there is one standalone practice that greatly influences your ability to live a long and healthy life, it’s what you chew. In-fact, your stomach is very much your second brain and greatly affects every other system in your body, including most importantly your immune system.

Unfortunately, very few of us really eat a healthy diet. And it’s a sad indictment of society when processed foods are considered the norm and whole foods become an alternative way of eating, or just another trend.

So, it is essential to watch What You Chew – this includes your diet and day-to-day eating habits. In-fact, a good diet can be the difference between just getting through the day, versus feeling energised and amazing.

Some of the important attributes of this key area that you should be doing include; avoiding processed foods whenever possible, eating lots of whole foods – especially fresh fruit and vegetables, looking after your gut health, staying organised in the kitchen by planning and preparing meals in advance, reducing toxins and much more.

What You Do…

The second key involves What You Do and includes doing all of the things you should and need to be ‘doing’, in order to achieve and maintain balance.

Some of the important attributes of this key area that you should be doing include; setting and attaining regular goals, de-cluttering and simplifying your life, doing regular exercise, having a meditation practice, getting quality sleep, socializing and much more.

Living True…

The third and final key to living a healthier and happier life involves living true and, has to do mostly with your heart. This is the key which is far too often misunderstood and even neglected. It is also often the most challenging of the 3 keys, especially if we are fearful off and resistant to change. However, it is also the same key which has the greatest overall influence on your ability to achieve balance and live a healthier and happier life. Simply because by doing so, you can eliminate the vast majority of stress in your life (as opposed to managing stress which is what most of us have been taught to do).

For too long we have focused far too much attention on the inner workings of the mind when it comes to such things as mental and physical health, behaviour change, resilience, motivation and the pursuit of happiness. But what about the heart? Where is its place in all of this?

Well, it is the heart which has the power and capacity to heal and to transform the world and ourselves. It is the heart that feels not the head, and it is for this reason that it is of paramount importance when it comes to these matters. Take for example something as simple as motivation. If your hearts not in it, then there’s very little chance that you will stick to whatever it is you are doing – your exercise routine, your marriage, your career or anything else. This is just one example of the importance of living true to yourself in everything that you do.

The truth is that the balance that you seek in your life can only ever really be achieved by knowing and living true to who you really are (which affects everything you think, say and do). And so, the most important thing about living true to yourself, is that is has a self-balancing effect on your whole entire life. If you have little self-awareness and/or don’t live true to yourself, then all of the things which you should be chewing and doing to maintain balance simply don’t happen. It’s the glue that sticks everything else together.

Some of the important attributes of this key area that you should be doing include; keeping your beliefs open, loving and being yourself, writing your own story – not someone else’s, living in the present instead of the past, taking responsibility for yourself and much more.

It’s a Choice

Let me guess… you’re probably thinking ‘how could I possibly incorporate all of these things into my already busy life?’ If so, then don’t, because remember it’s a way of being and a way of living in the world – one which is actually about doing less, not more.

If there is just one point that I want you to take from this post, it’s to realize that anything but a holistic approach to your health and wellbeing is merely a band-aid solution. And equally as important, that if you do not equally focus on all 3 of the key areas (what you chew, what you do and living true), then you’re not really taking a holistic approach at all.

Ultimately it’s up to you. You can either choose to live a more holistic life by focusing on all 3 of these key areas and, in doing so achieve balance and live a healthier and happier life. Or, you can choose not to, and in doing so, continue to pre-dispose yourself to all of the typical physical and mental health problems plaguing society today.

At the end of the day, nothing matters more in your life than your health and happiness. And despite what you may have been led to believe, no one has more influence and control over it than you. So, ensure to never give your power away to external influence, you’ll become powerless to change your situation. It doesn’t matter where you are at, or how old you are, it is never too late to start. But it won’t just happen, you have to be intentional about it, and make it happen.

Holistic 360 (H360)

If you want to improve and even master these 3 key areas in the shortest possible time, along with the expert guidance and support from both myself and our community, then you can do so by joining the H360 program. In the program we focus on improving just one attribute from each of the 3 key areas per week.

The H360 Program provides you with a clear roadmap on how to achieve balance by enabling you to join the dots between where you are, and where you want to go. So, if this is something that interests you, then we will be launching the online version of H360 for the very first time shortly, so be sure to look out for the next email which will have further details of when the doors open including how you can join.

If you’re not on my newsletter contact list and would like to be, then you can subscribe at www.H360.online

So let me know, do you take a holistic approach to your health and well-being? And, do you have a clear pathway for achieving balance and living your healthiest and happiest life?

Rob

May 19, 2021 0 comment

Blog

Why I love Covid-19….

Yep, I know what you’re thinking, why the hell would you love something like the Coronavirus? ARE YOU INSANE?? And sure, I totally get that. And while I don’t love the Coronavirus, or, Covid-19, what I do love is how Covid is beginning to shift our mindset.

If you’re someone who misses the old world, or if you still find yourself clinging on to reality pre-Covid, then let me take a brief moment to remind you what that looked like in Australia as far as our health is concerned anyway… When it came to our physical health, around 17 million out of the total population of 26 million of us were overweight, or obese. About 300 of us were developing Type II Diabetes every single day. Around 2.5 million of us had Cardio-Vascular Disease – making it the nation’s biggest killer. Around 150,000 of us were being diagnosed with Cancer each year with 50,000 of us not making it to see the next year. Around 4 million of us were living with some form of chronic pain every day. And over half of us weren’t sleeping properly. When it comes to our bodies and drug use, 300,000 of us were using Methamphetamine’s like Ice and 4 million of us had a drinking problem.

Apart from all of the physical disease, how were we doing in regards to our mental health before Covid? Around 17 million of us indicated that stress was seriously affecting both our physical and mental health. Around 1 million of us had been diagnosed with Depression, and over 2 million of us had severe Anxiety. A staggering 60,000 of us were attempting Suicide each year (think Marvel Stadium in Melbourne at full capacity). Around 1 million of us were calling Lifeline each year. Well over 4 million of us had an eating disorder and close to 7 million of us had Body Image and Self-Esteem Problems. And many of these conditions were being found in not only adults, but also kids too.

Looking at these figures, it’s clear that even before Covid arrived, most of us were struggling to maintain a sense of balance and well-being in our lives. Do we really want to go back to a pre-Covid world? A system which never really worked in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that since Covid everything has gotten better – far from it. In-fact, most of these problems and statistics have gotten far worse.

But in saying that, sometimes things need to get worse before they start getting better. And I truly believe that for many, Covid has helped us to create a paradigm shift in the right direction. You could think of it more simply as a course correction if you like. It has done this by providing an ‘opportunity’ for us to pause, reflect and create a better and more balanced life for ourselves. So, if you haven’t already done so, here are some of the important lessons that we should take from Covid if we want to create a healthier and happier life for ourselves…

To live in and enjoy the present

Covid has reminded us that everything around us is so temporary and everything can be taken away from you in an instant – your health, your life, your loved ones, your job, your house, your finances, and anything else. All that you have is the present moment. So, we need to ensure that we don’t waste time crying over the past or worrying about the future, but rather living fully in the only moment that we have – the present moment, and making sure that what we do with that moment counts in life.

To not have so much stuff

Covid has reminded us that we really don’t need all of the stuff we once thought we did, and that we can still be happy without it. That less is more, because the free stuff is the best stuff – love and kindness, being together, etc. So, moving forward, remember to only buy what you absolutely need, not what you think you need, or want, and also to declutter and ditch the excess stuff you already have. That includes the 300 toilet rolls that you’ve stockpiled too.

On this note there’s also something to be said for doing less stuff too. I say that because I’ve spoken to countless people who have now streamlined their routines because they now realise that they don’t really need to be doing so many of the things they thought they once had to do, or at least not as often anyway. Things like needing their morning café coffee, putting on makeup, getting monthly haircuts, keeping up with the latest fashion, going on expensive holidays, and so forth.

To appreciate the small things

Forced lockdowns took away most of our freedoms to do the things we enjoyed, but which we often also took for granted too. Things like going to a restaurant with friends, to our kid’s basketball match and taking our dog for a walk. Covid has reminded us to reflect upon the simple things which are of value to us, which makes us much happier when we do so. So, remember that there is much joy to be found in even the simplest of things, so never take anything for granted ever again.

To slow down

Covid has reminded us that we very often rush too fast to go nowhere important. Putting a halt to the rat race taught us that by slowing down, we not only have much less stress in our lives, but also that we have an opportunity to stop and smell the roses. Whether its baking bread, growing vegetables, or reading a good book, taking the time to slow down and enjoy whatever we are doing gives everything much more meaning in life. So next time you find yourself rushing through life at a million miles per hour, don’t forget to pull the breaks and slow down. Focus on being a human being, rather than a human doing, and you’ll be much healthier and happier in the process.

To improve our work-life balance

Covid has taught many of us that not only can we work from home, but we can be more productive in doing so. This has been a real gamechanger in the way we do our work and organise our day. It has equated to less time wasted on getting ready for and commuting to work, and more time to do the things we want to do. So, if you are lucky enough to have more flexible working arrangements, including the ability to do some of your work from home, then ensure to spend your time in a way which enhances your wellbeing, such as using that additional time to prepare healthy meals and exercise.

To look after our health

Covid has taught us that our number 1 asset in life is our health. It has taught us that in order to be well, we need to eat well, exercise often, stress less and keep our immune system strong. In other words, it has reminded us that taking a holistic approach to our physical and mental health and wellbeing is super important, if we are to survive and thrive.

So, as you can see, Covid isn’t all doom and gloom after all. And there are lots of other valuable lessons which Covid has taught us, lessons which have already begun to shift how many of us are living our lives. But if there’s just one thing that I want you to take from Covid, it’s that having balance is crucial if you really want to live a healthier and happier life. Which is why I am strongly encouraging you to ensure that you’re making the most of this opportunity to create a better life for yourself and your loved ones.

So, my question to you is, what lessons have you learnt from Covid, and more importantly, what have you changed to ensure that you have increased balance in your life? Leave me a comment to let me know.

Rob

May 5, 2021 0 comment

Blog WHAT YOU DO

Take Regular Holidays

Read This Post: 3 minutes

Who doesn’t love a holiday? It’s something that most of us really look forward to, and for good reason too…

Why are holidays important?

Holidays play an essential role in our physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being. Some of the ways in which holidays do this include…

Help us to de-stress: It’s amazing how much stress we carry with us day to day without even noticing. All of us have our own version of stress. It could include job related stress, such as the burden of meeting tight deadlines, work place politics, or, even being unemployed. It may be financial stress, including paying bills and planning for your future. It may be stress from managing the complexities of household demands, growing a family and having to make making crucial decisions. It may be stress related to physical or mental illness – either your own or others. Or it may be stress related to anything else in your life.

Regardless of the type, stress can have negative effects on both our physical and mental health and well-being. From supressing our immune system, increasing our weight, making us depressed and significantly shortening our life expectancy. Even people who claim to thrive of a high-pressured and somewhat stressful lifestyle often admit, that there are times when they just need to get away from it all.

And that’s because holidays enable us to break the stress cycle by allowing us to become human-beings, instead of human-doings, once again. This includes not having any commitments/feeling any obligation that you need to be here, or, there trying to do 15 things at once – rushing from one thing to another. Being allows the constant inner chatter, and never ending mental ‘to do’ list to quiet down. Being allows us to shift from constant thinking and living in our head, to being more grounded and centred in our own physical body and surrounds. This is a big deal, especially when you consider that most of the negative stress we experience in life is a result of thinking. So, the more we can simply ‘be’ and connect to the present, the more we destress and recharge our batteries. And the more you do this, the happier you become!

Gain perspective & move forward: Within the rush of life today, it is very easy to lose sight of the big picture, which can often leave us feeling flat. Holidays however, allow us to step back from life and form another perspective outside the bubble of routine and work. Holidays can help us to refocus and reconnect with what is real and of true importance, and enable us to make key decisions that ensure that we keep moving forward with our life.

Boost creativity & solve problems: Think about when you are the most creative – it’s usually when you are doing things like taking a shower, going for a walk, and of course when you are on holidays. In-fact, Einstein walked one and a half miles to Princeton and back each day – a walk he considered precious when it came to finding solutions to some of life’s most challenging questions. Why? Because any time you are not thinking, you’re in alignment with the present moment, which is creation itself. Holidays can boost creativity, and help us to find solutions to our problems.

Helps you to grow as a person: Holidays, and in particular traveling abroad meeting different people, learning a new language, experiencing different cultures and seeing different scenery, all help to broaden your knowledge base, and can help you to grow and better yourself as a person. In this way, travelling is so much more than enjoyment – it’s an investment in self-development. The more you travel, the more worldly you become.

Pull you out of a rut: Whilst routine is important for adding structure and organisation, too much of it can feel like ground-hog day, and before you know it, you’ve gotten yourself into a rut. Especially if you haven’t been on a holiday in a long time – you get stuck on auto pilot and become stale. We know that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” So what better way to escape the work routine than with a holiday? Even a short holiday can be enough to give you back your mojo and begin enjoying life again.

Bring family and friends together: What is life really about? More so than anything else, it’s about sharing good times and creating positive memories with family and friends. Just think of some of your best memories – I bet some involve being on holidays. But in today’s culture of speed, the little time that we do get to spend with family and friends feels rushed between the daily grind of school, work and everything else. Holidays provide an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, without the commitments/obligations. This enables you to really be present, and enjoy your time more fully with those whom you love the most. This contributes positively to family bonding, communication and solidarity.

Rejuvenate your body: Whether its sitting or standing in the same spot for prolonged periods using a computer, or whether it’s being on the tools doing hard physical labour, what we do each day can and does have an impact on our body. In-fact, most of us carry some level of tension in our body – some of us carry it through our shoulders, neck and chest, some in the lower back, hips or wherever else. Most of the time we are not even aware of how much tension we carry, because we have lived with it for so long, that we think it’s normal. However, like all good athletes, sometimes we just need to stop and rest. A holiday forces us to stop and give our bodies much needed rest and recovery. The more replenished and healthier you become, the easier everything in life becomes.

Tips towards planning a holiday:

So now that you know why going on a holiday is so important, if you would like to learn my top tips towards planning holidays to ensure that you get away, then join my 3 keys holistic health and fitness program at www.h360.online

May 23, 2019 0 comment

Blog

Love Yourself

READ this post (5min)

Why is loving yourself important?

Tell me, do you love yourself? Or, does the whole notion of loving yourself make you feel uncomfortable? Many of us believe that loving ourselves is not only vein and selfish, but also weak. So much so that we actually use self-criticism as a motivating force to drive ourselves towards success.

However, nothing could be further from the truth. This is because well-being has more to do with your relationship with yourself, or the lack of it, more so than anything else. A huge part of which requires that you love and accept yourself for who you are, in each and every moment. And that’s because its self-love that gives you emotional resilience and makes you really strong. Its self-love that allows you to feel worthy and that gives you unwavering confidence – allowing you to be the best you. This includes allowing yourself to dream and chase your dreams. Its self-love that provides you with the desire and long-term motivation to treat yourself including your body, with the respect, love and attention that you deserve, as opposed to relying on willpower which is fleeting. Its self-love that enables you to feel whole and complete, instead of remaining eternally unsatisfied – as if something is always missing.

And so, the more you value and love yourself, the more you are able to make better choices and therefore create abundance in every area, including your relationships, your career, your finances and your entire sense of meaning and purpose in life. In other words, loving yourself allows you to honour your truth/worthiness of what you want. And so, unless you really love yourself, then you will never achieve true successful in life.

What is loving yourself?

To love yourself means to fully accept, to trust, to honour, and to be at complete peace with yourself in each and every moment. To love yourself unconditionally means just that – to love and support yourself without any conditions attached. This doesn’t mean that you have to like everything about yourself – think about all of the people in your life like your kids or your partner – they have aspects which you don’t like but you still love them. It’s about doing the same for yourself. It’s about recognizing/seeing your perfection amongst your imperfections. In this way, loving yourself is about feeling empowered, by bringing forward your wholeness, in order to be the best you and live your best life.

How do we love ourselves?

Let me ask you this… What if the very source of the unconditional love and gratitude comes from within? Well it does, and in order to truly love and honour who you are, then there are two main ways you can do this. One way usually results in a lifetime of self-sabotage and never ever leads you to greater self-love even thought it may fool you that you do love yourself. The other, is a fast track to loving yourself like no other, and it results in 100% full and unconditional love for not only yourself, but also towards all others also. To learn what this is, and to begin loving yourself unconditionally, then join my 3 keys holistic health and fitness program at www.h360.online

February 26, 2019 1 comment

Put Yourself First

READ this post (7min):

What does putting yourself first really mean?

Putting yourself first has nothing to do with being selfish. Instead, it is about living your life in a way which enables you to achieve and maintain balance and well-being.

Many of us are really bad at putting ourselves first

Every day in every way, I see examples of people not putting themselves first – and mum’s are especially like this, because of their nurturing and caring role for the family.

Why is it important to put yourself first?

By putting yourself first, it is possible to achieve and maintain balance and well-being in your life. If you don’t put yourself first, you will put others ahead of you, and this will detract from your own balance.

There are lots of ways to put yourself first – and if you are serious on doing so, then join my 3 keys holistic health and fitness program at www.h360.online

March 10, 2018 2 comments