Year: 2016

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Throw out your air fresheners for the sake of your unborn baby!

Would you breathe this crap into your body?

2,6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol; 2-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate; butylphenyl methylpropional; c13-14 alkane; dipropylene glycol; ethyl linalool; ethyl methylphenylglycidate; hexyl cinnamal; linalool; methyldihydrojasmonate

 

For years I have shuddered with fear when I walk into a home that has plug-in style air fresheners or scented candles made by multinational corporations and sold in supermarkets all over the world. In every major shopping centre all over the country we are familiar with the scents spraying at us from the wall when we visited the loo or Parents’ room. Most people are just thankful we don’t have to smell poo or wee smells, but I can guarantee that by the end of this piece, you will wish you were smelling an organic substance rather than the chemical concoction that is filling your lungs, and then being spread to every cell in your body.

Air fresheners come in sprays, candles, sticks, plug ins and wax melts. The ads on tv will tell you that a fresh and clean home is in the way the “air” smells. We have been sold the lie that if it smells fresh then it is clean. And if it smells clean then it must be good for us.
This kind of marketing couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The chemical ingredients in your stock standard air fresheners, yes even the ones labelled “natural”, contain powerfully toxic substances that can affect your lung function, your hormones and your unborn baby. Butane is a common propellant, used for bbq cooking (we do this outside!!!!) but is being propelled into our homes every few minutes if you grab one of the time-controlled fresheners.
Fragrances or perfumes are chemical cocktails that are anything but natural, and some fragrance blends contain over 200 ingredients. Some of these ingredients are known irritants, causing headaches and dizziness– OMG this is frightening to me. We are BREATHING this straight into our lungs. But most people I know just don’t seem to care, they will say “just move into fresh air” or “you don’t feel dizzy after a few seconds pass” – but the problem is you should care!  The damage is already done, the chemicals are already in your bloodstream after just one inhalation.

Have you heard of the NRDC? The Natural Resources Defense Council was created in the 1970’s by attorneys, scientists and policy advocates “across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild.” (Check out their vid here)

In 2007 the NRDC warned of the dangers of air fresheners, as their rise to popularity meant they could be found in almost 75% of American homes. The NRCD’s publication  warns of the toxic substance called phthalates (THA-lates) – and lists 5 forms of thalates that are recognised as potentially affecting reproductive health.  The major commercial brands are still using phthalates some ten years later, despite the research showing there is a clear link to the male hormone testosterone being affected –  just through inhalation. There is also research that shows babies are being affected in utero as well. There are plenty of pregnant mamas out there who could be potentially harming their own child by having these toxic chemicals in the home! Why are we not being warned?
One unsuspecting 25yr old woman suffered a heart attack after she inhaled an air freshener with a butane propellant (which is what most “spray fresheners” contain) on a trip to the grocery store. (read more here)

Do you suffer with asthma? Apart from making sure your diet is in check, you need to be careful about many factors, including the air you are breathing. Air fresheners have been linked to triggering asmtha attacks and decreasing lung function (read more here)

But it isn’t just inhalation from a product that is sprayed that can cause problems for us humans, it is also just touching the product (such as when you are opening the wax melts or unwrapping the candles) or by having the products sitting on the counter tops and just evaporating.
Want to know more about the products you have brought into your home, with the intention of creating a fresh, clean environment? (Click here)
So why isn’t the Australian government banning the sale of these potentially life threatening products? Because money talks and big industry has power in this country and all over the world. I have to note though, that it would seem that Europe cares more for its citizens than our government does, because many banned substances in Europe are freely allowed to be used here….we can be so antiquated in that respect don’t you think?

But now that you know, you can use your own personal power by choosing NOT to buy these products that are questionable at best, and dangerous at worst.

Living a healthful, vibrant and enjoyable life comes down detoxing and cleaning out all aspects of your life.

Do it little by little so you don’t get overwhelmed. Start with freshening the home environment so you can be sure your home is a refuge and sanctuary, designed for restorating and replenishing your health, and most importantly is safe for the whole family.

So how DO you ensure you have a fresh smelling home? The old fashioned ways……

  • Open windows and allow the breeze to filter through. Create a cross breeze where possible and ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS have a window slightly open at night in the bedrooms. (If safety is an issue get a lock.)
  • Ensure cupboards are free of mould, and if they do happen to get mouldy, use a product that will draw the damp out of the air (bi-carb soda works)
  • Get a dehumidifier and leave it on all day if your home is damp in certain rooms. Turn it off at night, cos they can be noisy. Add a drop of tea tree to the water catchment area. Mould smells musty and dank, so if you can smell it, but cant see it, then you know it is there.
  • Chop trees / shrubs that overhang the house, causing sunlight to not get through, remove leaf litter from gutters and put down gutter protectors
  • Make sure there is enough room under the house for water to flow (you will need to get a professional to assess this. But believe me, I lived in a rental for years that had awful issues with rising damp. It made me and my kids sick and meant that I couldn’t use the cupboards in the part of the room which were the dampest. Anything that stayed on the floor longer than a couple days would get covered in mould, and even my doona became infested with it. Countless shoes were ruined during my 3.5yrs in that house, and my entire bedding needed replacing. A mould inspector found the issue and we put steps in place to make sure it was as healthy as possible. But I would NEVER buy or rent a house with a damp issue again. It just isn’t worth the illness it causes).
  • Use cleaning products you make yourself. I use a 1L spray bottle, fill it with 20 drops dōTERRA lemon oil, 15 drops dōTERRA tea tree and 10 drops doTERRA On Guard. Then add 5mls oconut oil and the fill to the brim with water. (I prefer not to use vinegar but many people swear by it). This combo will clean, deodorise, disinfect and remove stains from bench tops, toilets, shower screens and any other surface you would usually use a store-bought cleaner for.
  • Purify the air naturally with therapeutic grade essential oils, but ONLY in a diffuser. Diffusing is different to “oil burning”, (which is where you put a candle under the bowl of oil and water – this changes the properties of the oils). Diffusing will send the pure oil into the air via steam vapour, making it easier for your body to take in. It freshens the air, and fragrances the air with nontoxic chemicals. My favourites to use are lemon, lime, wild orange, on guard and tea tree. But dōTERRA have soooo many options, you can literally choose any oil combination you like. But please, only use therapeutic grade (higher than food grade). To read more about why dōTERRA is my choice click here.

 

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Try Working Softer, not Harder

You know the drill, it is splashed all over Facebook and instagram memes:

work-hard-1

work hard – play hard

But I am calling B******t on this, and taking a stand for women (and men) everywhere who are TIRED, BURNED OUT, FEELING LIKE A FAILURE and just want to pull the covers up over their heads and hide for a while.
For the last year I have been working harder than I ever have, and have played less than I ever have. The reason? I’m trying to “get ahead”. But how has that worked out for me? I am now reduced to a shadow of my former vibrancy because I have glandular fever / mono, and my body and mind is completely exhausted.

So what is the problem? The problem for me is that this motto of “work hard, play hard” is not actually true for me. It isn’t congruent to my values and certainly does not fit my lifestyle. It is not part of my wants, only part of my perceived “shoulds”.
From an energetic perspective “shoulds” drain my energy and always leave me feeling like I am lacking somehow.  Have you noticed that in yourself?

After falling into a heap and thinking I had the worst case of tonsilitis ever, you can imagine my surprise when I was diagnosed with an illness that doesn’t just put you on your arse, but flat on your back in bed, unable to think clearly – and without the desire to think clearly! My body had taken the years of abuse (being pushed, late nights, thinking, planning, strategies, worrying, etc) and had slammed me as a final last ditch effort to get my attention!

I used to be a single mum. I have three kids. I was told by my ex husband to “work harder” when I asked him if he would cover some extra curricular sports the kids wanted to do and I wasn’t sure my budget would stretch for. Those small words, delivered such a punch to my gut, that they then became the driving force behind my determination to work work work and earn as much money as I can.
I never started my own business for the money. I started it because I have a particular technique that works and I wanted to help as many women as I could and work my own hours around my kids. The problem was that when I was single and had three little mouths to feed, it became about the money – and that’s where the internal conflict began to show its face.
In hindsight I can see very definite stages in my decline into this tired and worn-down version of myself, but it is hard to stop the momentum gathering when you are being pushed from behind by the words “work harder”.
I used to say “I will be successful just to spite him” and so I kept on pushing, letting this bitter energy feed itself over and over again at the cost of my vital chi or prana.

Okay so the lesson is learned, but my physical body now has a long road ahead to catch up to the spiritual lesson. When will it be over? Well my impatient soul wants to get on with it now – “yes lesson learned, now can I go back and earn money again”. Me thinks there is still a few months of healing to go yet (possibly more!)

What if we were to “work softer” and allow our internal guidance to speak to us? Middle aged men have epiphanies like this all the time – we call it a Mid Life Crisis and laugh it off, but it is happening at an increasing rate to middle aged women (oh god now I have this title too) who say “ENOUGH!!!” They have reared their kids to primary school or early high school. They have taken hardly any time off when the babies were born, for fear of financial strain (me) or sabotaging their career (many of my clients). They convince themselves it is fine “women in China give birth and go straight back to the rice paddy” (NO my dear, this is not good for you!) They also convince themselves that they can do everything “I don’t need any help, I got this!” and then they wonder why their zest for life has gone (or their lust for their partner.)

It’s our chi my love. Our chi is draining away in hours at the computer, deadlines, planning and improving our career. We aren’t taking the time to water the seeds in our seasonal garden. Did you know you have seasons in your life that need to be tended to in a different way? Without acknowledging the season we are in, and giving it all the love and attention and nutrients it needs, we can find that the harvest (sometimes years later) will not be as plentiful or impressive, or just plain rotten.

And that my dears is what is happening for me right now. I didn’t give myself time to heal after my babies were born. Out of fear I went straight back to work. In my case my work involves lots of giving out of my energy. Gladly I do this, but it has drained me. When I get home I give it out to my kids and partner. If it is not returned, or nurtured or replenished then what am I left with? I will tell you – I’m left with no chi! I’m left with a draining of my energy that leaves me cranky, easily irritated, short tempered, argumentative and a bit low. (Do you recognise these early warning signs?) Then I get more coughs and colds. I get intolerant to skin care and foods. I get more headaches. I feel sicker more often. I am exhausted by the end of a moderately busy week…and so it goes on.

SO what would have happened if I recognised my warning signs before they took hold and created the symptoms for a commonly known condition called glandular fever? (Because that’s all illnesses are – a collection of symptoms). I wouldn’t be in the dramatic predicament I find myself in now. I would have slowed down and rested more. And I would have realised I was spinning out of control earlier and got some help. That’s my big thing though – I don’t ask for help (or take it easily either). So there is a learning in how I choose to recover as well. I need to ask for help more and realise I am not weak, but allowing others to be strong for me. But that is a blog for another day.

So ladies (and I guess gents, if you are reading this far), I urge you to listen to your body when it is talking to you and saying “I don’t want to work harder”. You will no doubt find that you just need a few weeks of “working softer” to then come back into balance. You won’t lose your job – your boss probably won’t even notice – because working softer is a mindset. It’s an attitude adjustment. It isn’t about slacking off, it is about honouring self.

Which brings me to another point…..honouring self….lets discuss that next.

Until then, practice working softer, rest more often and laugh more.

xx

 

 

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The Mind/Body Connection

Put simply, the Mind/Body Connection is your ability to connect the symptoms your body shows you, with the way you think.
Simple? Not really….
Our busy lifestyle disconnects most of us from the simple conversation our body is always having with us. If you are always in conflict, or always fighting for justice, or recognition, or if you feel that you are always being wronged by others, then your body will start to shows signs of the struggle to be validated / heard / vindicated. This will show up as tension, inflexibility, heartburn, back aches etc.

Alternatively if you are practicing peace, let go of the need to be right, and have accepted “what is”, your body will be softer, more flowing and have less tension.

Do you ever say any of these phrases:
 
I can’t stand that person!
I’m digging in my heels on this one!
I’m kicking myself!
 
*if you use these phrases, what are your feet, or ankles or knees like?
Do you get chronic pain or do you often injure yourself in the leg area?
 
I haven’t got the guts!
I’m sick over that.
I’m gutted.
 
*if you use these phrases, do you often have tummy issues, or IBS or nausea?
 
They drive me crazy!
I’m out of my mind.
I’m going to lose it!
 
*if you use these phrases, are you often stressed out, or feel like you can’t cope or are overwhelmed?
 
 
Your mind is always thinking, and your tongue is always giving insight to your inner world. Sometimes, we don’t even realise the power behind the words we are saying.
 
If you do say any of the above phrases (or similar) make a decision TODAY to start re-phrasing your words, and then stop saying these kinds of things altogether.
You want your mind to focus on GOOD things, on HAPPINESS, on THANKFULNESS and LOVE – right? You don’t want to focus on stress, fear, conflict or pain. So if you clean up the words your mind will begin to focus naturally on phrases that feel good. I read somewhere once that “your word is your wand, so wave it around carefully!”
The old Disney song, “If You Can’t Say Something Nice…shhhh say nothing!” is very key here. Tame the tongue and your mind will become calmer. It is not “new age” philosophy, but ancient wisdom. Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad all spoke about listening more and talking less, about the power of words and how they can wound much more than a sword.
mind body connection

Next time you are tempted to use a “feeling phrase” such as “I’m sick to death of this guy!” STOP, breathe and re-phrase (at the very least) or LET IT GO…..because we don’t want you sick, or dead…….

 

 
 
Here are a couple common examples of clients we treat at the clinic:
 
 One day you might have a subtle headache. The next day you may have constipation. You are often feeling low in your mood. Your body feels sore around the neck and shoulders. You are stressed quite often and your headaches are getting worse. Then you realise your period has come early and so you put it down to “your cycle being out of whack’, and just accept it. Then you notice that your hair is falling out, or your nails are brittle. You are finding it hard to lose weight, and you are feeling anxious and stressed and your heart races.
These are warning signs of a thryroid that is not balanced.

 

The Mind/Body Connection* of thyroid issues says = I feel humiliated. I never get to do what I want to do! When is it going to be my turn?

 

Or
 
You may experience heartburn fairly regularly, so you avoid the food you think causes the issue, but you always have a sore mid-back area so you work out a bit, because you heard that your core muscles could have something to do with it. You are always tired though, which you put down to not sleeping well because of the pain in your back,  but your partner says you snore all the time which may be causing the exhaustion?

 

The Mind/Body Connection* of Heartburn says = I am scared. I am very FEARFUL.

 

how emotions harm you
 My clients come in because of the headache or the back pain, not realising that something else much deeper than muscular is going on inside. That is why I started using Emotion Code techniques to muscle test, and to find out where imbalance lies in your body.
The way we think, the memories we have pushed down, the unchecked mental chatter that constantly runs in the back ground of our life can have a drastic effect on your physical, mental and spiritual health.
 
As a Mind/Body therapist, I can help you to piece together the symptoms to see a pattern, which you can then associate with your thought-life, and then start to work on getting healthier from there. It is a process. It is a journey, And to be honest, it is hardly ever easy. But I can promise you it is worth the commitment.
 
 
 
*taken from Louise L Hay “You Can Heal Your Life”
 
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Spinal Health Week

Spinal Health Week

291 Port Hacking Road, Miranda 2228
adminchfc@optusnet.com.au
Website

Chiropractors: Clair Hogan, Cherie McAllister &
Peter Swift

 Specialising in family care using safe, gentle and effective techniques.
 The clinic offers a warm friendly environment with modern equipment and easy on-street parking.

 

 Special Offer for Spinal Health Week:
 Free computerised spinal scan analysis worth $60.00.

Phone Clair Hogan Family Chiropractic 9525 1808 to book your appointment and mention Belle.

 Offer available throughout Spinal Health Week
23rd – 28th May 2016.

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I am living the life I want!

Can you say that you are living the life you’ve always wanted, imagined, planned for and desired? Most people cannot honestly say that they are living the life they desire. And that makes me sad. Why? Because life is too short to be living less than an exceptional life.


Sure, “things happen” I hear you say, BUT if you are not creating the life you really want, then who will? There is little point watching “everyone else” live the life they are wanting, if you are just on the sidelines wishing and dreaming. Allowing circumstances to dictate your life to you will get you nowhere except depressed. The difference between the wishers & dreamers and the ones actually living the life of their dreams, is that they have taken action!

“ACTION turns your dreams into reality”

 

 

 

Action is the one thing that is simple and yet seems so difficult at the same time. So here are my steps to taking action:

1. Start writing a list of what you want

What you do with your life if money was no problem? Imagine you have won $100 million in the lottery. Give yourself permission to dream for 2 mins (set your phone timer) and just think about what you would do with yourself if money was no option! Make the list as audacious as possible, and don’t let your rational mind (the monkey mind) start to tell you that you are being ridiculous. Then after you buy all the “stuff” that you ‘think’ you need (like cars, houses, round the world holiday, give money to family etc) – write down what you would do with your life from then on.
For example; would you sit on a beach for the rest of your life? Would you travel to third world countries and volunteer? Would you start a hobby/biz? Would you work in an industry you have always wanted to? Would you go to Uni and get that law degree you always wished you had time to do? Would you teach fitness to oldies in nursing homes? Would you bake cookies? Would you be the person who offers free sunscreen spray on the beach on the Gold Coast?

The list you write will be very revealing to what it is that is actually inside you busting to get out!

2. Vision Board Creation

This is my favourite thing to do. When I am feeling like I need a change in my life I set aside about 4 hrs to create my Vision Board and then I enjoy the process of ‘feeling’ my dreaming. This step is important because when you start to get pictures of things you want to have or do in your life, then you can tap into the feeling sensations of actually what it would be like to experience these things. You may be surprised at how strong your feelings can be when you imagine having what you are wanting. But you may also be surprised when you are imagining what you “think” you want, and realise you don’t actually like the feeling of it! This will quickly help you to realise what is truly important to you and what actually is just a low level “want”. I call this being in your Zone of Desire. That place where the internal and real you starts to bubble to the surface. You will realise your higher level “wanting” and then begin to understand what your life purpose is.

Vision-BoardSo how do you start to get into that feeling space?
My suggestion is to select images of things that you want. I prefer to use magazines but more and more I will create collages on my laptop or phone – you can search millions of images online, making it easier to get EXACTLY the right image for what you are wanting. From here you take one pic at a time look at it, take in everything you can from that pic and then close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, and then imagine what it would be like to have or do what is pictured in the image you are holding. Notice what is around you. Notice WHO is around you. Notice the emotion and see if you can name it. Then see if you can feel the area in your body you are feeling the emotion most intensely. Don’t worry if this seems difficult at first. Just keep going through the process with each image you have chosen and you will gradually start to develop this feeling sense.

3. Reinforce your Vision Board with positive affirmations

You have probably practiced affirmations before, you may have read books or been to workshops and you may have decided “they don’t work” for you. LOL! How can speaking positively over your life not work for you? Look at it from a different angle: don’t speak the words to GET something, speak the words to LIVE something. Still confused? By speaking words of LIFE over yourself, (“My future is bright”, “I create my own reality” etc), rather than DEATH (“I never get what I want”, “I am always going to be poor”, “I will never have the relationship I want” etc) you create a doorway for positivity to walk through. BUT, you are never going to get what you want while you are still speaking negatively. It just doesn’t work that way, because negativity creates a block.

So here is your mission. Place you Vision Board in a prominent position in your home/workplace. Whenever you look at your Vision Board you instantly remember how good it felt to imagine having everything you see on the board. Remember the five senses being activated, and how excited you felt when you placed yourself into receiving what you are wanting. Then repeat this: “These things, or greater I have received”.

If you do this every day when you look at the Board you will soon start to see your life changing in the smallest – and sometimes the largest – of ways.

4. Mindset:

In my opinion it is always about mindset. Your life is going the way you have chosen in your mind to perceive it, and only YOU can change how you perceive it. If you believe that there is a limited supply of happiness, or abundance in the world, then guess what? You wont be receiving what you are wanting. But if you believe that life is what you make of it, that things continually work out for you, then your perception of the world will be different. Who would you rather be: Moody Megan and Pessimistic Peter, or Optimistic Olivia and Thankful Terry? Begin repeating your affirmation every day (prob more than once a day you will see your Board) and if you have even a small doubt trying to creep in like “I am never going to have that car”, then SMASH this negativity by repeating your affirmation three times to negate it! Your focus is that you will have what you are wanting, this or greater, and that YOU get to create the life you desire – no one else!

When I first started using Vision Boards I was often disillusioned by not getting what I pasted on my board quick enough. But I soon learned that “what you focus on, you become” and if I was focusing on happiness, excitement, love, beautiful things and experiences, then my life soon gave me these things – just not necessarily in the way I had imagined. I have a pic of a BMW X5 on my Board. Do I have it? Not yet!! But I know this isn’t about the car necessarily, more about the fact that I need a car that is SAFE, can fit all my kids and drives safely and feels comfortable. I currently drive a Territory – isn’t that all these things? So I say “thank you for my Territory” knowing that I will get a new car when it is the right time financially. Learning to be appreciative in the waiting is very important.

I will be writing more about Gratitude over the coming weeks. But for now, just be thankful for the house you have, the holidays you have been on, the clothes in your cupboard, the car you drive, the jewelry you own, the money you have, the health in your body, the people who love you. The rest will come, in the way it is meant to, in perfect timing, when you learn to identify what you WANT and combine your MINDSET to line up with it.

If you are in Sydney you are invited to practice getting in to the right mindset and learn what your core values are and how to line them up with what you are wanting. This workshop will give you the tools to create the life you desire.

Saturday 9 April 2.30pm-4.30pm
Cost: $97pp
FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

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The Power of Positive Mind Set

Do you want to expand, change, move, grow – but feel stuck / scared / shy / unworthy / not good enough / not skilled enough ?

Do you have dreams you long to fulfill, but don’t know where to start? 

Do you know how to CREATE CHANGE in your life?

Here’s my top 5 tips for CREATING CHANGE in your thought-life and making 2016 the BEST year of your life:

 

 
1. Surround yourself with positive people -if you want to CHANGE your life, you need to ensure you have “change-agents” around you. Have you heard the saying “birds of a feather flock together”? Well who do you want to flock with?  Positive people INSPIRE you, want the BEST for you and they don’t get caught up in low-level vibrations like gossip or bitchiness. These people are your supporters, your cheer squad and they ALWAYS make you feel better when you leave them.
But remember that just by surrounding yourself with positive people isn’t enough, you need to practice saying and thinking positive things every day….
 
2. Speak words of encouragement over yourself for 2mins every day – find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed or feel self conscious, and set your phone timer for 2mins. Then take a deep breath in, and for the next 2 minutes ONLY speak out loud sentences that start with “I am” or “I have”. Each sentence will be positive and will take you to the next sentence, eg: “I am worthy of success”….”I have the most satisfying job in the world”….”I am a wonderful person”….”I have loyal and supportive friends”….and so on.
Be AUDACIOUS in your words. Say whatever comes to mind – even if you dont’t believe it is true (yet!). You are re-writing your subconscious thoughts, with your SPOKEN WORD (you HAVE to say it out loud.). Each day you will feel more and more comfortable doing this, so persevere and enjoy these 2mins of self love!
But simply saying these things isn’t enough, you need to get into your head all the wonderful things you ALREADY have in your life….
 
3. Keep a gratitude journal – my amazing biz coach (www.musecoaching.com.au) taught me this easy technique and it has been an awesome reminder of all the GOOD things in my life. You can write for hours or just 3 things each day that you are THANKFUL for and it will make a HUGE difference in how you view your life. If there is something you need (like a bigger car, or a house without mould) then be sure to be thankful for the car and house you do have first!). Practicing gratitude has been shown by researchers to lift mood and create a more healthful body.
It’s a Win/Win.
 
4. Celebrate small successes along the way – I think this one ties in with being THANKFUL….because when you are reminding yourself daily about the things you are grateful for, then you can see the small successes and you can see your PROGRESS more clearly. Be sure to take a moment and pat yourself on the back, or say a prayer of thanks (whatever floats your boat) and mark the occasion with a moment of silence (or a glass of champagne!)
But remember that all this movement requires a balance of stillness as well…..
 
5. Meditate daily for 3-5mins – it’s a well known (and researched) fact that meditation helps to reduce stress and overwhelm, helps to create peace from the centre of your being, and helps you view the world differelty. Enough said really. There are plenty of meditation classes / books / schools and Apps you can get to help you along the way. My favourite way to meditate is to focus on breathing in to the count of 4, and then breathing out to the count of 5. I do this as I count back from 20, or 40 or 50. If I lose track I go back to the start.
Meditation is all about taking authority over the mind (which in my opinion is like a willful 3 year old child!) and practicing with gentleness and kindness. Some days I am really good at it, other days I am not – instead of berating myself (or giving up entirely), I simply end the practice and make a choice to try again the next day.Change happens over time – rarely overnight. So be KIND, be PATIENT, be LOVING to yourself along the way.