One thing that I am certain we can all stand to benefit from is making more time for our own personal self-care and wellbeing.
The way that you feel can really impact your ability to conquer each day, and to achieve the dreams and goals that you have set for yourself. Several things are likely to impact how positive your mood is on any given day, and your mental wellbeing is a huge factor.
UPS AND DOWNS
Your mental wellbeing will influence how well you feel able to cope with the natural ups and downs of life, and therefore how consistent your mood is.
If you are someone who experiences seemingly sudden fluctuations with your happiness, then you are certainly not the only one! Although this can feel like something you are experiencing alone, it isn’t uncommon for mood swings to strike, and there can be several different reasons for it.
CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM
When you are feeling good about yourself then you will usually find it much easier to be confident and to enjoy solid self-esteem. You may also be better at maintaining your relationships and building new connections with people, as well as generally being able to engage well with the world around you. You will be able to cope with the stresses of everyday life, and you will be much more inclined to enjoy your work and other obligations.
When you are not feeling good about yourself and your life, then all of the aforementioned things can seem much harder, and even sometimes totally unobtainable. You may also find it more difficult to adapt to change, or to deal with periods of negativity or uncertainty.
The following six tips are easy things that you can do to help to enhance your own wellbeing!
1. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF
Taking time for yourself is one of the best ways to reset your mind, recharge your batteries, and to really get to know yourself.
If you find that you don’t like taking this time alone, or don’t ever really enjoy being on your own at all, then it is important that you give some energy to understanding why this is.
Schedule at least 30 minutes to yourself in your diary each week, and use this time to enjoy some silence with your thoughts. You may sit comfortably with a hot drink, go for a peaceful walk, or do anything else that is conducive to being able to really hear your own mind and thoughts.
2. GET PHYSICAL
Looking after your physical health is a fantastic way to support your wellbeing on the whole. If you already enjoy getting active then try to find the time to do more of the same, or to branch out into trying something new.
If you aren’t someone who is particularly sporty then setting yourself small goals is a great way to get started. These goals could be increasing the number of steps you walk each day, doing one to two workouts a week, going along to an organised team sports session, or even just aiming to be more active during your typical everyday routine.
3. PRIORITISE POSITIVE PEOPLE
If you take a moment to consider all of the people who are in your life in a significant way, then you might come to realise that not all of these people are totally positive.
When the people that we are spending the majority of our time with are those who love us, who are kind to us, who wish to see us succeed – then it becomes near impossible to not soak up this positive energy.
Connecting with other people is something that we as humans are naturally drawn to doing. This helps us to build a sense of belonging and community, and helps to keep feelings of loneliness at bay.
Making time for the people that you love is one of the easiest and best ways that you can show your appreciation for them. This might not always be in the form of physically spending time together, and could be a phone call or a message. The important thing is to ensure that you are reaching out to those around you, and that they know that you value their friendship and support.
If you feel like you need more positive people in your life, but you’re not sure how to go about making new connections, then there are a few simple ways to reach out. You can try joining a group or club that is related to something that you are interested in, such as running, painting, or something volunteer-based. This is a great way to meet people with similar interests whilst also doing the things that bring you joy!
If you are finding it difficult to end negative relationships, then check out my previous post!
4.UNDERSTAND THE BALANCE
There are inevitably going to be moments in life where things feel harder than they usually do. You may suffer a bereavement or a relationship may come to an end. You may go through a period of feeling lonely, or financial difficulties may really start to stress you out.
Being aware that these moments can appear unexpectedly, and also being aware they they will pass and that you will be able to come out of the other side, can help to equip you to best tackle these difficult times.
Life is all about balance, and that means that sometimes there is going to be negativity upsetting the positivity that you have created for yourself.
5. EMBRACE MINDFULNESS
Living in the moment makes it much harder for your mind to hold onto negativity from the past, or to be stressed out by thoughts of the future!
When you embark upon a mindful way of living then you will consciously strive to be present in every moment. You will allow yourself to explore your thoughts and feelings as you experience them, and give greater importance to the small pleasures in your life.
6. LEARN FOR LIFE
Learning a new skill or soaking up some fresh knowledge is a fantastic way to boost your confidence and create a sense of achievement for yourself! It can do wonders for your self-esteem, and can open up your life to ongoing opportunities.
This is something that you can do alone or within a group environment. This could look like learning a new language, enrolling on a course (both online and out in the real world), or simply reading a book that is going to teach you something new.
Learning how to play an instrument is an incredible way to enhance your wellbeing whilst also enjoying a regular burst of creativity!
OVERCOMING STRESS
Being able to overcome the sources of stress in your life can go a long way to helping you enhance your own wellbeing! This is something that I aim to help you do each and every week with my Get Inspired Newsletter!
This weekly dose of inspiration will come straight to your inbox to motivate you to say NO to stress and YES to happiness!
Click here now to sign up and immediately receive my Top Ten Tried and Tested Methods to Keep Stress and Anxiety Away!
About Julie Montagu
Julie Montagu is an internationally recognized yoga instructor, nutrition expert, published author, and the creator of Whole Self. She created Whole Self after seeing a need for more modern, energetic, and uplifting self-care and yoga training that would address the needs of daily life.
“I was a burnt out mom of 4, and every day was a repeat. I was taking care of everyone else and forgot who I was, what I wanted, and who I wanted to become. Once I started to incorporate self-care into my daily life, my true, authentic self was able to breathe. From this space, this is where I re-discovered not only who I was, but my passions came alive. I started to live for me.
I became a certified yoga instructor after completing training under Baron Baptiste (founder of the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Institute and one of America’s top yoga instructors). I studied for a Certification in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University and I’m also a Certified Holistic Health Counsellor through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York City, the world’s largest nutrition school.
I’ve since had the privilege of teaching my style of yoga in multiple countries, I’ve led festivals, retreats, and London based teacher training. I’ve published 4 books, including cookbooks and most recently, a book on self-care. My 80 person London yoga classes, which serve as the foundation for Whole Self, are regularly sold out.”
Visit Whole Self Yoga HERE