Take time for you.
This is the world that we live in, snooze buttons, rushed breakfast (if any at all) stressed out in traffic, worried we will be late for work. Working at your highest potential all day to achieve your goals in your career. Working overtime to impress your boss, striving for that promotion. Eating on the go, because you have deadlines to meet. Returning home to chill on the couch put your feet up because they are so tired from standing all day. Ordering a take away because you just don’t have the energy to make a meal for yourself, and you deserve it right?
Any of this sound familiar?
I'm not suggesting everyone who has a rough day in work, packs it in and swans off to India. But what I would like to offer is, that taking care of your self is the most important thing. Finding tools that help you stay in a happy place, is invaluable. For me it is Yoga, the time I spend on my mat learning, breathing techniques, doing physically challenging posture, meditating, these all show me the way to be when I’m off my mat. But Yoga is not just breathing, doing poses, meditating. Yoga is looking after yourself, everyday. Taking time to prepare meals to nourish your body, reading to educate your mind, journaling to explore who you are, showing kindness to yourself, and then when you have done that, kindness towards others naturally comes, the calmness naturally comes, the peace of mind naturally come. It doesn’t always stay, there are times when I loose the head, or eat a bag of chips, so we just have to try our best and practice these things every day.
At this time, I had been practicing a lot of Yoga, it seemed to be the only thing that could wash the stress of the day away for me. I needed a change in my life so I planned a trip to India to study Yoga. I spent a few months saving money, and practicing more and more yoga, so I would be fit enough to do 4 hours of physical yoga every day on my course. The more I did yoga, the healthier I was eating, because it is just not possible to sustain a strong practice with no nourishment, I was sleeping better, I was taking time to read and study more about yoga so I would be prepared for my course, and slowly things were starting to get better in my work life.
So after 4 weeks of intense training, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I finally came back to Ireland. I returned to the same job, which I was very nervous about. How could I go back to the same place and let them take away my happiness again. But I did, and guess what, I loved it. It was a job I always loved, but the stress got too much for me. The difference was I took time for me. I made sure I got up early to do my Yoga practice everyday, and had a good breakfast, I had learned to eat mindfully, not just scoff food down as I ran out the door. Because I was up earlier, I didn’t have to rush to get to work, I was able to take my time and arrive in a calm state. When stressful situations arose which they did, everyday (I was dealing with the public and anyone who works with the public knows how they can make you want to pull your hair out at times) but I had developed a way of looking at people and realised they are angry just like I was, not because they had to wait in a que, but because they had a bad day in work or with their family, and they don’t have to tools to deal with that, so I was able to offer them kindness in return for their anger. This is probably the best piece of advice I can offer anyone who works with the public, it saved me time after time.
Im not suggesting everyone who has a rough day in work, packs it in and swans off to India. But what I would like to offer is, that taking care of your self is the most important thing. Finding tools that help you stay in a happy place, is invaluable. For me it is Yoga, the time I spend on my mat learning, breathing techniques, doing physically challenging posture, meditating, these all show me the way to be when I’m off my mat. But Yoga is not just breathing, doing poses, meditating. Yoga is looking after yourself, everyday. Taking time to prepare meals to nourish your body, reading to educate your mind, journaling to explore who you are, showing kindness to yourself, and then when you have done that, kindness towards others naturally comes, the calmness naturally comes, the peace of mind naturally come. It doesn’t always stay, there are times when I loose the head, or eat a bag of chips, so we just have to try our best and practice these things every day.
So finding time to look after yourself, might not be easy, it might not be enjoyable, but it is totally necessary, and totally worth while if you want to maintain an all round sense of wellbeing in your life.
Here is a list of my go to tools that I use on a daily basis
1. Stop and notice.
What do you feel , is your heart rate elevated? is your breath fast and shallow? ? Do you feel blood flow to your head? what is it that you feel in this moment? Are your shoulders tense, are the muscles in your face scrunched? Noticing how your body reacts in moments of stress is a great way of understanding how to prevent yourself from getting uptight and keeping calm in future situations
2. Breath.
Slow down your exhale, take a long deep inhale, repeat until you feel calm. Sounds cliché but this is a super fast way of calming your nervous system. I sometimes like to carry lavender oil in my bag and if I feel really anxious or stressed I take a few deep breaths breathing in the calming scent of the lavender oil.
3. Eat well at regular times and drink plenty of water.
Nourishing the body with food and water is a basic human need, there is no short way around this if you don’t eat right or stay hydrated you will not feel your best. Meal planning for the week is a good tip to say on track so when you are running short on tie you wont go for an easier option by binging on fast food. Carry a reusable water bottle with you at all times, try to keep it beside you at work and set yourself a target for how much you want to drink by a certain time.
4. Laugh.
Okay so some times and places can be inappropriate to just burst out laughing so if your in a library or at an interview maybe it's best to keep your composure. But in the privacy of your own home make yourself laugh out loud. A hearty, loud, big, from the belly laugh. I promise if you are feeling down or a little tired within 30 seconds it will give you a boost. You don't need to find something funny to laugh at, just Laugh!!! Forget about how you look or that you feel like if someone saw they would call the men in white coats just let go an laugh.