Quality sleep, a nourishing diet and regular movement or exercise are usually at the top of wellbeing to-do lists. Whilst they’re all powerful tools you want to be using to your advantage, this year I’ve come up with an alternative list that is just as important but often overlooked.
Connect with loved ones
What? Like, talk to them? That’s the idea! Expand the time in which you connect with those nearest and dearest; you can start small like making one night a week a sacred time to connect and build from there. This will require turning off the TV, downing the devices, unplugging the headphones and making time to engage in a shared activity like a board game, an after-dinner walk, cooking a meal together or whatever takes your fancy.
Do more of, or find out, what lights you up
Do you have a solid grasp of what fills you with delight and regularly make space for it in your life? One of the most crucial steps of being responsible for your wellbeing is to keep discovering what nourishes your contentment and bliss and determinedly making the time to access this precious gift. Try brainstorming a list of activities you love and plan your week so you can make time for them. Not sure what lights you up? Think of things you used to love that have fallen by the wayside. If you’re still stumped, don’t worry; it just means it’s the perfect time to try some new things.
Soak up some silence
Information and entertainment are so readily available that it’s actually become necessary to consciously make time to remove yourself from stimulation in order to let your mind and body rebalance. So take a bath, go for a walk in nature or just sit in the garden with a cup of tea and let your nervous system recalibrate. Just don’t take your phone with you!
If, at first, you feel agitated or unsettled when you unplug from stimulation, don’t worry; it’s a sign your nervous system is detoxing from the constant noise. It can take a while for silence to feel normal. Try starting the day with a bit of quiet, get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and spend some time outside in your garden or the local park.
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