For many of us the much awaited summer holidays are coming to a end, which means returning to work and school routines and this transition can be a little challenging for some.
I could easily give you the traditional ideas of how to pack a healthy lunch and how to get back on schedule with your fitness, but these things you already know (or if not, they have been mentioned in previous blogs). The real challenge with going back to our routines, especially after the year we just had, is how to have a healthy mindset.
Especially with starting a new year, our minds can be racing of thoughts of the past and ideas for the future, and sometimes we forget to slow down and check in with ourselves.
So how can we go into the new year with a good mindset?
- Stop. Breathe. Reflect – Take a moment, whether it be 5mins or an hour to mull over the past year. What were some highlights? low lights? learning opportunities? What would you like to do different this year?
- Write – Get a piece of paper or diary and write down all the worrying thoughts or ‘jobs’ that are on your mind. Once they are all down, we can either be overwhelmed or choose to accept and then segment. If they are ‘to-do’s) perhaps you colour code or number them into 1) high priority 2) medium 3) low priority 4) delegate 5) eliminate. Whew that feels better! If they are ‘worries’ decide whether they are real e.g. fact, or perceived e.g. feeling. Again feel empowered to take action on the facts and let the perceptions move on.
- Practice gratitude- It is easy for the mind to focus on the negatives rather than the positives, therefore, it is important to remind yourself what you are grateful for. Try setting a daily practice around the dinner table or first thing when you open your curtains.
- Prepare – Prepare yourself for the new year. Whether that be looking at recipes for lunch or buying new stationary, ease the stress and strain of rushing around by taking time to prepare.
- Find what makes you happy – It could be the simplest thing but finding what brings joy to your life will improve your mental well-being.
Now, these steps may sound simple, but channeling your thoughts and accepting how you are feeling can be a challenging concept to grasp. If you feel you can’t do it alone, why don’t you ask us about our mindfulness training. We would love to help you!
