100 things that you can incorporate into your life to Top up your Energy Tanks, improve your health and begin being happier. When you are constantly on the go looking after your family, you might be forgetting to top up your own energy tanks, spend the time looking after your own health or forgetting that life is here right now … you need to be enjoying it right now, living it right now and improving it right now.
Here is a list of some of the things I suggest to make sure you are recharging your batteries each night so that you can be the best mom that you can be.
Know what stress is and what it does to your body – Google Fight/flight Response:
1. Know about the flight or fight response and what that does to your physical body
2. Understand how hormone levels change and alter your physical and mental health
3. Learn how to encourage hormone balance in your everyday life – exercises, breathing, diet, mindfulness
The Voice on Your Shoulder – (The one that goes on and on about what you have done).
4. Learn how to quieten the voice on your shoulder. Who is he? Give him a name – Donald Duck – mine has a funny voice too!
5. Acknowledge the voice on your shoulder that nags you, give him a character so that you can put him in perspective.
6. Acknowledge him when he arrives …. “Oh it’s you… go away I am busy …. I want to think about this right now – so I haven’t got time to listen to you.
7. Tell him what topic you are going to think about right now. Be assertive with him. You are the boss – but you have to teach him that.
8. Each time he returns, acknowledge that he is back and tell him you are busy with important thoughts.
9. Always have a list of important thoughts that you want to think about. These should include something you really want to do today (not should – but want to do).
Mindfulness (check some exercises on you tube – there are lots to choose from)
10. Learn how to train your mind to do a full body scan
11. Learn how to control your breathing
12. Learn how to use visualisation to concentrate on you and your future
13. Learn how to concentrate on NOW not what happened in the past or what might happen in the future. When you are cooking – just cook, when you are walking, notice everything around you, fill your thoughts with everything you are doing right now. Cut out multi tasking – this is a lesson on how to do one thing. Multi tasking is easy compared to this.
Relaxation – this is self care – even the busiest person needs to put aside time for relaxation.
14. A hobby takes your whole concentration for something to do right now. Spend at least half an hour every day on a purposeful hobby
15. Continue to learn something every day – it is a really useful way to concentrate the mind on NOW – a quiz, a puzzle, a crossword, a book?
16. Time for you – whether it’s five minutes having a cup of tea or 20 minutes in the bath – make a special time for you – every single day.
17. Take time to grow relationships and friendships – it will be time well invested Exercise – exercise releases endorphins which promote health and reduce pain. It is also an opportunity to concentrate the mind on something you want to think about. (It shuts Donald Duck on your shoulder up)
18. Dance – is concentrating on on now – releasing pent up energy
19. Walking – fresh air, seeing nature, being in nature – this is the real world
20. Sport – an excellent way to enjoy being in the now – nothing else matters while you chase a ball around a field or a court!
21. Join a class – exercise with other people – enjoy burning off the fat, become competitive, raise a sweat
22. Yoga promotes health through breathing and balance. It strengthens your core and promotes well being.
Breathing
23. Learn how your breathing can alter your blood pressure
24. Learn how your breathing can trigger hormone responses
25. Learn relaxation breathing – so that it is a habit when you really need it
26. Find five breathing exercises that you can incorporate into your daily routine – start today – start whenever you go to boil the kettle – do five minutes breathing exercises – establish a new habit. (Breath for 5 – hold it for 5 – release for 5)
Know your body
27. Know your weakness’s – and make a list of any habits you would like to change.
28. Know your strengths – and embrace them – be proud of them and do something that uses them.
29. Know what foods you can eat, and which make you feel lousy. It doesn’t mean you are allergic to certain foods, just your body cannot cope with much of it. Common problem foods are: gluten, wheat, dairy, tomatoes
30. Know how much sleep you need to function, and how much you need to function well. Many people need only 4 or 5 hours a night, other need 9 or 10.
31. Know when something is wrong – no one knows your body like you do. Have the confidence to know when your body is trying to tell you something and learn to listen to your body.
32. Know what your body needs from the signals it gives you. When you have learned to listen to your body – you need to learn to act on those signals. If something is inflamed – it is saying stop what you are doing This joint needs rest! Or stop eating bread now – or drink more water, or strengthen that muscle so it can cope with gardening.
33. Know your mind. Ask yourself – what needs to change here? Listen to what your unconscious mind throws at you. Often we dismiss that thought as not important – but it came into your head for a reason. Listen to that thought, consider it.
Improve your sleep patterns
34. Are you getting 6 hours of sleep a night? Can you improve your sleep routine?
35. Do you wake up feeling refreshed? If not – why not?
36. Are you able to fall back to sleep if you wake up? – if not can you learn how to? (look at the body scan or visualisation exercises.
37. Homeopathy – various sleep remedies – natural medicine without side effects (Coffea cruda, Passiflora, Valarian)
38. Aromatherapy – Lavender helps improve sleep
39. No food or alcohol for the hours before sleep – helps reduce sugar spikes
40. Meditation or visualisation helps to concentrate the mind on now so you are not worrying about something that may or may not happen
41. Herbal tea throughout the day will promote good sleeping patterns
42. Turn the clock around so you don’t know what the time is.
43. If you are awake for more than half an hour, go and have a hot drink in a cosy chair and then go back to bed with a different frame of mind.
44. Establish your bedtime routine with a hot bath, a hot drink and at least an hour of relaxation before your go to bed.
The food you eat – is it right for you?
45. Eat a protein rich breakfast to sustain you throughout the day
46. If you have sugar cravings – what can you eat instead of sugar? Nuts, fruit? Avocado?
47. Eat a healthy lunch that doesn’t leave you sleepy – choose less carbohydrates
48. Do you have any food intolerances (bloating, uncomfortable gut, indigestion?)
49. Vitamins and minerals are needed in every cell in your body – if you experience muscle pain then your diet might not be right for you
50. Establish which isles in the supermarket are there for the health of your body and which are there to make profit for a company who doesn’t give a damn about your body. Learn which isles are your friend and which are out to trick you into buying something your body doesn’t need.
51. Learn about foods that are in season. Fresh vegetables that have not been forced (grown out of season using artificial light and heat) have a great deal more nutrients than foods that have been forced.
52. Breakfast like a king, lunch like a Knave, supper like a pauper!
53. Cut out processed foods. They contain unhelpful sugar and starch. It is not food that your body needs.
Complementary therapies
54. Massage – for stress relief
55. Osteopathy for pain management
56. Homeopathy to help you raise your optimum stress level so that you can cope with the pressures of life around you
57. Hypnotherapy – change the habit of stress and panic
58. Reiki for ultimate – no touch relaxation
59. Reflexology – to release any blockages of energy
60. Yoga for exercise, breathing strategies and balancing techniques
61. Aromatherapy to enjoy relaxation throughout your day
62. Herbal teas to spend five minutes making and drinking a healthy supplement
63. TPM to change preset reactions to events
Change your perceptions, habits or reactions TPM exercises – easy to learn and do at home
64. Learn how to see other people’s perspective
65. Learn how to acknowledge that your reaction activates other peoples reactions
66. Learn how to say no
67. Learn about your own guilt feelings and learn how to change it. Homeopathy can really help.
68. Learn how your reaction to an event is preset – might it be a appropriate to consider changing a reaction
69. Learn that the voice in your head who keeps on and on and on is there to catch you out – he is not your friend – who is he and what does he want.
70. Learn to bring your thoughts ‘back to the mat’
71. Learn that your perceptions are not necessarily true
72. Learn how to pre set your future files
Homeopathy
73. First aid remedies can help reduce stress
73.1. Arg nit – anxiety before an event
73.2. Arsenicum album – worrying about health at 2am in the morning
73.3. Pulsatilla – fear of abandonment
73.4. Phosphorus – fear of loud noises, crowds and thunderstorms.
73.5. Aconite – fear of death, hospitals – or shock after a trauma
73.6. Coffea crud- help promote sleep
73.7. Rescue Remedy – a mix of anxiety reducing remedies
73.8. Gelsemium – helps relieve exhaustion
74. Constitutional Remedies help you feel in all round better health.
Aromatherapy It’s often a matter of preference, since essential oils elicit emotional reactions unique to each person. If an essential oil uplifts your spirits, chances are it’s helpful in treating anxiety. Five of the most commonly used essential oils for anxiety include:
75. Clary sage
A 2010 research study conducted by the Department of Basic Nursing Science, Korea documented that clary sage essential oil has antidepressant-like effects useful after highly stressful situations. The same department also found that clary sage may even be more powerful than lavender for anxiety treatment in women.
76. Bergamot is part of the citrus family and is fresh and up lifting. A study conducted using bergamot essential oil concluded that even ten minutes of weekly inhalation of bergamot oil resulted in a significant reduction of blood pressure and heart rate, while balancing nerves and reducing anxiety. The study authors selected elementary school teachers known to work under significant stress as their subjects.
77. Angelica
This plant’s name comes from the word angel. Folklore claims that an angel revealed the plant’s healing properties to a monk during a time of terrible plague.
78. Sweet orange. While all citrus essential oils are uplifting and great to combat anxiety and depression, Yale Scientific cited a study from the Mie University School of Medicine that found that patients with depression needed smaller doses of antidepressant medications after citrus aromatherapy treatments like sweet orange essential oil.
79. Lavender. Perhaps the most versatile and popular of all essential oils, lavender is great for relaxation, heart health and well-being in general. There are many studies proving the effectiveness of lavender on stress, depression and anxiety.
A study showed that lavender essential oil aromatherapy reduced serum cortisol, which plays a main role in a healthy cardiovascular system and how the body responds to stress. The researchers concluded that, “These findings suggest that lavender aromatherapy has relaxation effects and may have beneficial acute effects on coronary circulation.”
Lavender essential oil is an effective substitute for anxiety medications. Researchers investigated the use of lavender for Generalised Anxiety Disorder. An oral lavender oil capsule preparation taken over six weeks was shown to effectively relieve anxiety comparable to lorazepam, a powerful anti-anxiety drug.
Self resourcing TPM Exercises (Thought Pattern Management)
80. Learn how to change your mental landscape in order to manage the stresses around you. If you have a task you keep putting off – locate it in your mental landscape and see if you can move it so that you can work on it. (examples at the end of this document)
81. Learn how to accept the resources you need in order to cope with the stresses around you. Often we are good at helping friends and family, giving them space when they need it or a hug when they need that too. but how often do we give ourselves love, understanding, acceptance, learn to accept complements in the fashion that they were intended.
82. Learn from other peoples perspectives on situations that cause you anguish… if no one else is available to give you their perspective – think of someone you respect and think what would they think? What would they say about this situation and why? It is often easier to listen to advice from someone you respect.
83. Learn how to re-align your self image to give yourself the confidence to stride through life. What do you need to do to improve your self image? Treat yourself to a professional photo session – it will really boost your confidence.
84. Learn how to take back responsibility for your health and begin to fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to be healthy. No-one knows your body like you do – you are the expert wen it comes to your body …. and therefore your health – ask yourself – what do I need to do to improve this situation?
85. Surround yourself with people that give you energy
Find Some Useful Inspiring People to Follow
86. Marissa Peer is a hypnotherapist – excellent Ted Talks on YouTube
87. If you stress about Business – find some business building groups where you can talk to ther people about business management
88. Check out Ted Talks on Health Matters – there are some great Inspirational people out there – just waiting for you to learn more
89. There are lots of supportive Facebook groups who encourage each other through times of stress – you are not alone.
Identify your Fears
90. Identify your fears and find a way to make them a fear of the past. You might do this through therapy such as hypnotherapy or homeopathy or counselling.
91. Play out “What is the Worst that Could Happen?” Then anything less than the worst wil be easier for you to cope with.
92. Realise that your fear of what will happen is probably based on an incorrect perception of something that happened in the past. Find a way to re-evaluate your perception of what happened. TRY TPM exercises
93. Ask the Universe for the resources you need to have the skill you want. Ask out loud and then imagine yourself receiving a package with the resource you need. Imagine yourself unpacking the package and feeling the resource fill your body and mind.
Work/Life Balance
94. Establish your work life balance that suits you right now – not in the future – do what you need to do now so that you can enjoy the journey through your life.
95. Live every day as if it is your last – get the most out of every moment – make sure you enjoy every aspect of what you do
96. Spend time with those that energise you. Establish new friends with energy if you want more energy
97. Laugh more – laughing releases the feel good hormone that re-energises your body
98. Take a mid afternoon nap, a power nap – revitalise your whole being.
99. Don’t waste a moment – if your chatting with friends – make sure you come away smiling and laughing, if you are working hard at closing a deal, acknowledge your efforts and determination – give yourself a pat on the back
100. If things are not going so well, be gentle to yourself – treat yourself as you would a friend, offer yourself kind, encouraging words and tell yourself you are doing ok. You are doing the best you can – so don’t beat yourself up – you need love and affection when things aren’t going so well.
My favourite one:
101. Do what you WANT to do – not what you SHOULD do – go on – treat yourself!
If you would like to know more about a personalised health plan for you or a family member please click through here and Book a FREE Chat in my diary.
