Energies4Life Newsletter - January 2009

Despite the Christmas presents, January sale bargains and New Year’s resolutions, what have you actually done for you to start off this New Year?

In terms of health and well-being, what are your plans to nourish yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually in 2009? This goes well beyond the usual resolutions to get more sleep, exercise, lose weight or have more confidence in the workplace.

The problem is that most of us are so busy being busy that we aren’t even sure that we know what we want or what would nourish us on these different levels.

Well, here are some initial strategies:

1) Practice stepping out of automatic pilot.
Stepping out of automatic pilot means paying attention to the present moment, without getting pulled into the past or future, in an open and accepting way. You can practice stepping out of automatic pilot in simple and immediate ways. For example, you might stop reading this for a moment and bring your attention to your breathing; notice the sensations of air coming into and out of your nostrils with each breath. Notice your body in this moment, notice your posture, your sense of balance, place your hands on your chest or your belly and notice any sensations. How and what are you feeling? Begin to really “listen” to what your body tells you.

2) Identify your “relapse signature”, which is to say watch out for those red flags that are your own personal precursors to stress, anxiety, negativity or depression. What are the signals that alert you that you are heading towards the pit? Knowing your relapse signature is incredibly helpful because it works like an early warning system that can prompt you to take appropriate action.

Everyone’s relapse signature is different: For instance some people notice that they are withdrawing from others, stopping genuine communication, watching too much TV or isolating themselves; whereas others do the opposite and distract themselves from stress or negative feelings by socialising more, drinking more alcohol or comfort eating. Sometimes we are completely unconscious of our relapse signature, in which case it can be especially helpful to get feedback from trusted people in your life, like your partner, a good friend or a therapist. We often use internal catch phrases, thoughts or other automatic responses that can clearly alert us that we’re heading towards the pit and being conscious of these is the first important step forward towards good health and well-being.

Once you’ve identified your relapse signature, what steps can you take that are positive to put you back on track? Well, apart from successful, structured courses of training and action, such as The Lightning Process, there are other strategies that you can learn and implement. One of my personal favourites is called “Slow Living”.

3) Slow Living is a philosophy that emphasises quality rather than quantity in every aspect of life, from work to relationships, to food and leisure.  It believes that rushing around has a negative impact on emotional, physical and spiritual life. It dampens moments of joy and pleasure and can create feelings of guilt and anxiety during those precious times when you may actually have a few hours without the pressure of a deadline or appointment.

The Slow Movement was born from the Slow Food Movement, which started in Italy as a reaction to the opening of a McDonalds on the Spanish Steps in Rome in the late 1980s. Slow food is about taking pleasure in preparing and eating food and drink, and being mindful of the quality of the ingredients used; it is an antidote to the ubiquity of fast food.

Slow Living then is a reaction to our modern day, high tech, racing against the clock; where road rage, texting, speed dating and even speed yoga and meditation are fast becoming the norms. Carl Honore, author of the best selling book “In Praise of Slow” received his wake up call when he found himself toying with the idea of buying a collection of “One Minute Bedtime Stories” for his kids. “Suddenly it hit me. Our obsession with speed means we are giving away precious times with family and friends in order to cut corners and get more things done. Imagine, classic fairy tales condensed into 60 second sound bites! Has the world gone completely insane?”

Slow Living is all about living “deliberately” rather than sailing through life on automatic pilot. By applying the appropriate time frame to the appropriate activities, you can slow down for the important moments and still get the “business” of life tasks done. “Despite the name, it’s not about slowing life down to a crawl” says Honore. “The aim is to do everything at the right speed. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes in between. Being slow means taking the time to get the most out of life. It means never hurrying for the sake of it. Speed has its place in the modern world. Often you have to move quickly, particularly at work. The problem is that speed has become a way of life. We do everything in a rush. We are stuck in fast forward and that is unhealthy.”

So, what can we do to embrace “Slow Living” and put ourselves, our physical, emotional and spiritual selves, firmly on the top of the agenda for 2009? Here are some tips for your To-Do list:

Make Free Time.
Don’t be tempted to fill every hour of every day with activity. Learn to enjoy time alone and use it to think about what it is that you really want from life.

Take Up a Hobby.
Begin a hobby that slows you down. Creative endeavours are an ideal way to slow down: Painting, pottery, drawing and writing are all activities that require time and concentration. Yoga, gardening, walking and cooking are also good ways to slow down.

Focus on One Thing at a Time.
Don’t try to do more than one thing at a time. When you try to juggle a multitude of activities, you can often end up doing none of them very well and simply become anxious and stressed. Focussing in on one activity at a time reduces stress and allows you to actually appreciate what it is you are doing and be fully involved in the process.

Value Your Leisure Time.
Feeling guilty about relaxing is not uncommon, but leisure time is just as valuable as “productive” work time. Research shows that people who make time for recreational activities are more creative and productive than those who do not. It also puts you in a happier frame of mind, improving your intimate, social and professional relationships. The work/life balance is a tough one in our consumer culture, but placing value on your leisure time is vital. Whatever you like to do to relax, make sure that you leave your work worries behind while you do it.

Make a Date.
Make a regular date with family or friends to have a leisurely meal or do something together that you all enjoy. If you make it into a regular arrangement, you’ll be less likely to cancel or postpone. A standing arrangement means just having to turn up and enjoy yourself.

Prioritise Activities.
Prioritise activities and only do those you have to. If there are activities that can be rescheduled or delegated to others to lessen your load, do it! You might often feel stressed because you seem to have an endless list of things to do which, once analysed, might not be that important or urgent at all. At the same time though, it’s important not to procrastinate. Putting things off doesn’t make them go away. Boring or difficult tasks are best dealt with immediately.

Reconsider Waiting Time.
Instead of looking at waiting time (in supermarket queues or traffic jams) as wasted time, try using this time to think and reflect about the things going on in your life or the things that you are looking forward to. This will automatically make waiting less frustrating and more productive. Keep a book in your bag and pull it out when you’re in a queue, or if you’re the sociable type, strike up a conversation. Waiting can be frustrating, but it needn’t ruin your mood.

Mindfulness.
A meditation technique from the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is about living life rather than simply existing, which is a trap many of us fall into when we’re busy. It’s about being present in the moment and experiencing the things, both good and painful, that happen to you and around you. To practise mindfulness, simply take a moment to experience all the things going on around you, without judgement. Use all your senses and take as much time as you need.

As you start this New Year, take some time to consider these suggestions and put yourself and your well-being firmly at the top of your To-Do list. The impact these techniques will have on your life will be well worth it. Not only will your physical health improve, but you’ll probably also find you have more energy and a greater interest in life. There is a lot to be said for stepping out of automatic pilot, becoming aware of negative feelings before they take hold and slowing down your life, focusing on quality instead of quantity and “taking the time to smell the roses”.