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gratitude

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

Empower Yourself

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What is motivation and why is it so important?

Motivation means having a reason to act or behave in a particular way. We can have the best of intentions but without motivation nothing happens. Being motivated is integral for taking action and facilitating change in any area of your life, including towards your health and well-being, which is the focus of this post.

Very few of us are really motivated:

Most of us struggle to not only find motivation, but also to keep it too. Just think about how many times you have said to yourself either ‘I can’t find the motivation,’ ‘I can’t stay motivated,’ or ‘I was motivated but then I lost it.’

Why we find it hard to maintain motivation:

So why do we find it so difficult to become and stay motivated? The reason is because we are not in alignment with who we are (our true-self). As a result, we tend to go about motivation in the wrong way, including by having an over-reliance on external goals, as well as through constant self-criticism.

*An over-reliance on external goals – This includes things like doing a fun run, or getting in shape before summer or for a birthday. The problem with being motivated by such goals, is that even if you do eventually reach them, at some point or another, your mind will no longer see a reason to continue the behaviour, and so the motivation stops. This occurs because your behaviour is often merely a means to an end, and never truly the reward itself. The result being that you need to find something else to motivate yourself, and also continuously try to summon up enough will power to stay motivated with it again. Don’t get me wrong, having external goals is not the problem. They only become a problem when you use them as your main source of motivation, as opposed to being motivated from within.

*Constant self-criticism – This is the carrot and stick approach – the carrot is ‘I want to feel good about myself’ and the stick is ‘I don’t want to feel bad about myself.’ This is a fear-based type of motivation – I am not ok if I fail, therefore I must try harder and succeed so I will be ok.

Many of us think we need self-criticism to motivate and keep ourselves in line. And whilst some amount of constructive criticism is useful in motivating ourselves to change, most of us do this in a non-constructive way. This is the nasty, harsh, belittling, you’re worthless, you’re bad, you’re no good type of criticism. This language may sound extreme, but if you were to actually write down (especially on a bad day) some of the things you say to yourself, you would be surprised at both how nasty and how frequent it really can be, eg. I’m fat, I look ugly, I can’t do that, etc.

The problem with this approach is that whilst it may initially motivate us, it often leaves us feeling stressed out and even depressed which is not exactly the most conducive mood for motivation. It also makes us lose faith in ourselves. If we constantly tell ourselves ‘I’m no good, I’m not worthy, I can’t do it,’ then we don’t feel confident to take on new tasks. The more we do it the more we become aware of failure – ‘I’m not even going to try because the consequences of failing are just too devastating – it’s better just not to go there.’ And so, we become less inclined to try and to keep on trying.

So why do we do it then? Well one of the main reasons why we are so attached to our self-criticism is that even though it is so painful, it’s because it gives us the Illusion of control. Think about it, how often have you said to yourself things like ‘I shouldn’t have failed.’ This implies that while it is theoretically possible that you will never fail… it’s because you have done something wrong… you shouldn’t have done this, you shouldn’t have been that, etc. We love the illusion that it is theoretically possible to be perfect. To never have things go wrong, and do anything we want to do. However, the reality is that we don’t have full control over everything, but yet we still criticize ourselves for it. We think if, ‘well maybe if I just tried that little bit harder, I could be perfect’ and that is not reality.

In order to learn where real motivation should come from, and in particular empowering yourself towards achieving anything you desire, then join my 3 keys holistic health and fitness program at www.h360.online

September 9, 2018 0 comment

Be Grateful

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What does being grateful really mean?

Gratitude is the feeling we have when we experience and reflect upon something that is of value to us. This could be something which is given to us or simply a feeling which spontaneously rises in our heart when we recognise the love and blessings in our life.

Why is it important to be grateful?

Gratitude is the basis of everything. Being grateful…

*Reduces Dis-Stress/Anxiety:

All emotions stem from either love or fear. Gratitude or appreciation is of the same vibration as love, therefore when you feel grateful it makes it harder to feel distress, anxiety or any other negative emotion. Try it; think of a stressor in your life, and just sit with it for a moment. Notice what this feels like in your mind and in your body. Now think of something which you are really grateful for, and completely focus your attention upon it. Notice the shift not only in your thinking, but also in how you feel. In this way, gratitude helps further to create a more positive mindset, meaning that you are more likely to seek solutions and opportunities as opposed to giving up.

*Makes you happier:

Many of us have been led to believe that when you are happy then you are grateful. However if this were to be the case, then why are there so many people who have everything that it would take to be happy, but they are not happy? And why are there people who have very little or much misfortune, but whom radiate happiness. Why? Because they are grateful. If you’ve been to some 3^rd world countries you would have seen people with very little with glowing smiles on their faces. So it is not happiness that makes us grateful, its gratefulness that makes us happy. If you want to be happy in life, then you must be grateful.

*Helps you to live life to the fullest:

When we don’t feel grateful, through our dissatisfaction we close off to and miss out on all of the good things life has to offer. In contrast, when we open our hearts and become more grateful, then we are able to experience all of the joy and gifts available to us in each and every moment, and in this way we are able to live our life to the fullest.

*Helps you to focus on what’s really important:

‘To be content with what we possess is the greatest and most secure of riches.’ Marcus Tullius Cicero

The more you practice gratitude, the more ‘content’ you become and the more you come to understand that what you really need to fulfil yourself has very little to do with the external world. In this way, gratitude helps to free yourself from having to be, do or have anything in particular – and with it much of the stress caused by chasing all things external. This doesn’t mean that you will sell all of your possessions and shift to Byron Bay. It simply means that instead of being fixated on and ‘wanting’ all of the ‘unnecessary stuff,’ you will instead by your very nature, find yourself desiring to live a much ‘simpler’ life. A life which allows more time and energy to adopt positive lifestyle behaviours, and restore balance and well-being.

*Helps you to be the best version of yourself:

Gratitude helps to deepen the connection with your authentic self by helping you to like and even love yourself more. This allows you to become more focused, more calm, more resilient, more motivated, more compassionate and much more. In short, gratitude helps you to become the best version of yourself.

If you would like to find out how to become extremely grateful in every way, then join my 3 keys holistic health and fitness program at www.h360.online

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April 20, 2018 4 comments