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Tonight you're in for a treat - I'm going to share with you the Five Senses Mindfulness Exercise I use in the CYK Mindfulness and Meditation Classes.
Five Senses can be used for children and adults, and provides a great way to get outside your head and ground you in the current moment.
When starting this practice, the purpose is simply to be aware of your current moment, surroundings and all of your senses.
To begin, sit quietly and close your eyes.
Take 3 slow, deep breaths to introduce some calm.
Now, keeping your head still, open your eyes and take a moment to concentrate your energy on what you can see around you. What colours can you see? What shapes? What movements? What can you see close up, and what can you see in the distance?
Now, once you have explored fully what you can see around you, close your eyes again and focus on the sounds around you. What can you hear? Are there any quiet noises? Any loud noises? Are they close by or in the distance? Sit quietly and keep listening to the sounds around you while you continue to breath deeply.
Now, take your breathing in through your nose and concentrate on any smells or aromas you might notice. Is the air fresh? Is it cool or warm? Can you smell any foods, perfumes or natural aromas?
Next we are going to take our attention to those things we can feel - firstly those things we can physically feel. What is your body resting on? Can you feel the breeze of the wind or a fan, or the warmth of the sun? Can you feel the seat on your bottom or the ground on your back? Can you feel the clothes on your body or your hair on your face? What other physical sensations can you feel?
Now, focus your attention on your inside feelings. Can you feel your heart beating, your chest moving with each breath? Are there any feelings of hunger? Can you feel anything else inside your body?
Lastly, we turn our attention to our taste. This one often comes up as blank, but it is still a good thing to think about as it is still a part of our current moment. So, turning your attention to your mouth, what is it you can taste? Can you taste the last thing you ate or drank? Can you taste the freshness of the air? Or is there a normal taste in your mouth that is not particularly noticeable?
Practice this exercise whenever you feel yourself getting carried away with thoughts, worries or concerns within your mind and re-focus on the current moment.
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I truly believe that living and being Calm is vital in living a healthy and balanced life, particularly amidst the stress and fast pace of our current world.
But tell me - how do we live a Calm life and what exactly does that mean?
If we look to the dictionary for a definition, they are not all helpful when explaining the Calm life that I aim to lead; however the synonyms peaceful, harmonious, serene, tranquil and undisturbed relate to the Calm I long for.
I have found mantras to be helpful when facing my everyday life, which is quite often the opposite of peaceful, serene and undisturbed. Repeating to myself "I will face this day with a smile on my face and kindness in my heart" goes a long way in helping me to hold on to this spirit of Calm, yet it does not entirely encompass this spirit.
So, after months of thinking, pondering, processing and meditating, I have found a way to explain to others what the Calm is that I am learning to live in each and every day. I hope this can provide you with food for thought at the very least. I am hoping that it will go further, however, and will spread my ideal and goal of Calm to others, so this wold can grow to be a Calm world.
C is for Carrying peace within my heart.
A is for Approaching life with a smile on my face.
L is for Loving all others, freely.
M is for being Mindful in and of each and every moment.
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Calm Your Kids is excited to be holding a stall at the Little Treasures Market in Menai on Sunday 1st May. For those of you who are curious about what we do, demonstration classes are organised also.
Come and check us out for some great market deals!
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I have just discovered Loving-Kindness Meditation and I must say, am in love.
I am a firm believer in practising gratefulness and recognising the good in our lives. For a while now I have been practising my gratefulness meditation whereby once I have slowed and focused on my breathing, I then choose to verbalise one thing I am grateful for with every out breath. So I breathe in and relax, breathe out and say or think "I am grateful for ..." This can continue for as long as I wish, sometimes becoming a general gratefulness for my life, my family, my health, or sometimes remaining specific such as achievements I have made throughout that particular day.
As much as I love my gratefulness meditation, this Loving-Kindness Meditation takes it to a new level by being grateful for specific individuals, both ones we love and ones we don't love. Here is my version of the loving kindness meditation - I dare you to give it a go and see how much it changes your life.
Get yourself in a comfortable position, whether lying or sitting, and practise deep breathing for 5 or 10 minutes.
Firstly, visualise yourself in your mind. Picture yourself happy, relaxed and glowing. Exactly how you want to be.
Now, as you hold that image in your mind, think of all of your strengths, your positive characteristics and things you do well.
As you picture yourself and think of these positive qualities, be grateful for every part of you.
Once you are ready to finish of your self-loving kindness meditation, choose a mantra for yourself and repeat it three times.
Now we take this loving kindness to four other individuals. It is recommended that you choose one person who is of influence to you ie. a mentor; the second person is someone who is close to you ie. a family member or close friend; the third person is someone whom you feel neither positively nor negatively towards ie. an aquaintance; and the fourth person is someone who you may not have a positive relationship with.
Practise the above steps with each of the four individuals, one at a time.
Visualise the person happy, healthy and well.
As you hold this image in your mind, think about their positive characteristics and abilities.
Now, be grateful for this person and send them thoughts of love and kindness.
Finally, choose a mantra for each person, or a general mantra for them all, and repeat this three times before moving on to the next individual.
Once you have gone through all four individuals, take a moment to be grateful for all the earth. Focus again on your breathing and finish off your meditation whenever you feel ready.
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Happy New Year to you all!
I hope 2011 is going smoothly for you so far. I'm sure preparations for the new school year have already begun and life is getting busy once more.
Well before you get too busy, I'd like to let you know about the schedule for 2011.
Classes will continue in Sutherland on Saturdays starting from the 19th February. These classes will include relaxation classes and meditation classes for children of all ages.
We are also looking at offering a Parent and Child relaxation class for children under 4 on Tuesday mornings in Sutherland.
A taster class will be organised for the Eastern Suburbs late February - keep your eye on this site for a date and time.
If you're interested in any of these classes, please email us right away on info@calmyourkids.com.au or call Melissa on 0419 715 616. |
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The 2010 school year is almost over and the six-week summer holiday is almost upon us. I can imagine the idea of this can make some parents panic - how are you going to keep your children (and yourself) happy, healthy and entertained without blowing the budget. For those of you who are not going away for the holidays this presents an even greater challenge with the familiar surroundings adding to the boredom children experience in the holidays.
There are plenty of activities you can do with your children that will assist them in relaxing and developing a calm attitude, whilst also keeping them entertained. Here are my favourites:
Colouring In. Colouring in has been proven to assist with relaxation. The backwards and forwards motion is calming, while the concentration of the mind on the task at hand develops children's attention span and enables them to disconnect from the thoughts filling their mind. Choose a fun colouring in activity the whole family can do, print off individual pictures for each of your children to colour, buy a mandala colouring book to complete or paint a canvas to hang up in your family home.
Go Outside! Such a simple thing to do yet with our heat and the temptation to just throw in another DVD, it is an option that is not often chosen. The combination of nature, sunshine, fresh air and physical activity are both calming and energising for children and parents alike. Take a walk to the corner shop to buy an ice cream. Go for a morning walk to buy the paper or enjoy a walk by the water at sunset. Go to the local park for a play and run around before the day heats up - take water and balls to add to the fun.
Build a Relaxation Space. Together as a family, choose a corner or space in your home to be dedicated to relaxing. Decorate the space appropriately with calming colours, music and cushions. Have relaxing activities available there such as colouring, to encourage the relaxing behaviours. Come up with a name for your relaxation corner that sounds both inviting and relaxing. Enjoying taking time out to relax in your new relaxing corner.
Have a Games Night. Now I'm not talking about games on your computer, iphone, ipod, Nintendo DS, X-Box or Wii but the good old board games and card games like Monopoly, Trouble, Uno and Scrabble. Invite some family friends over to enjoy a relaxed and fun evening playing some old favourites together.
Life is good. And relaxed. And fun. That's really what it should be.
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Christmas is upon us and with this festive season comes a sense of rushing... so much to do, so little time. Presents to buy and wrap and hide before children and family members see them. Negotiations to be made between family members to determine who will in fact be hosting this years Christmas lunch. Careful budgeting to be done so the New Year doesn't welcome in more debt.
So how do you maintain the attitude of calm that you have worked hard to attain and maintain during the year? By prioritising your relaxation techniques and not allowing the holiday season to override your need for personal space and silence.
I know, I know... it sound so simple, but the extra ten minutes in bed or the time available to finish up the household chores or even the spare time you need to finish preparing for Christmas do make the supposedly simple task of relaxing quite a difficult one.
So, here are my five tips to maintaining your calm throughout the Christmas season.
1. If finding five or ten minutes during your day to meditate is too difficult, practise traffic light meditation. It's as simple as it sounds. Whenever you're in your car and stuck at a red light, take the opportunity to pause, focus on your breath and breathe deeply, exhaling your stress along with your breath.
2. Whenever you feel your mind is running away with planning, organising and the rush of Christmas, practise the five senses mindfulness exercise. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and talk yourself through your five sense. What could you see before you closed your eyes? What can you hear? What can you smell? What can you taste? What can you feel? Take this opportunity to ground yourself in the present moment and not be carried away within your mind.
3. Maintain healthy sleep habits. When we don't get enough sleep, our physical, mental and emotional health are affected. With the Christmas season being physically and emotionally draining on its own, the last thing you want is for your body and mind to not get the rest you need.
4. Choose your battles. Christmas is a time of compromise as much as it is a time for family. With so many family members coming together, arguments and differences in opinion are sure to arise. When faced with an argument or a slight with a family member, take a moment to breathe and think about whether this is a battle worth fighting or one worth rising above. By minimising arguments and conflict, you are reserving your strength for other things such as baking or enjoying the time with your family.
5. Enjoy nature and sunshine. Nature has been proven to assist with reducing blood pressure and stress. Sunshine has Vitamin D which raises your serotonin levels, allowing you to be happy and more relaxed. By making the most of the summer weather and taking a walk, playing at the park or reading a book by the ocean a few times a week, you are adding another form of relaxation and wellness into your schedule for which your mind and body will be grateful.
Peace on earth will come to stay,
When we live Christmas every day.
~ Helen Rice
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Normal. What is normal? Is normal the 1950's family with the husband, wife, 2.5 kids and the picket fence? Perhaps it's a strong, independant and single woman? A young, reckless lad? Grey nomads? Blended families? Financially secure individuals? People without any form of addiction, mental health difficulties or any health difficulties for that matter? Maybe people with mental and physical health difficulties are the norm now? Whatever 'normal' is these days, I fear that in our search to be individual, unique and different, we now associate quite normal feelings as our own individual experiences that no one else has, rather than the normal experiences that they are.
Now, that can sound rather confusing so here is an example for you...
Recently a dear friend of mine was experiencing man troubles (as most females do in their lifetime) that had her confused, emotional and anxious. Her complaint was that she didn't want to feel anxious, she just wanted to be normal. But wouldn't you say it is normal at the start of a relationship to feel anxious and emotional, perhaps even confused? Isn't that the definition of the first flush of love... the up and down, the happy and sad, the confidence and the doubt? I would say the answer is yes and so I told her that. I looked her in the eye and reminded my friend that it is perfectly normal to feel these things in her situation. Most people would, which is what normal means. What a simple way to make someone feel better and overcome their difficulties... to remind them that what they are feeling is normal, and that they will be ok.
As an anxious person I am well aware of my anxieties and I am also quick to recognise the anxious feelings inside my body, but I then label them as anxiety and (cue the drumroll) start the mental conversation that is me beating myself up for being anxious. It goes something like this... I'm feeling anxious again. I can't believe I'm anxious about running late. It doesn't matter. It's really not that important. How ridiculous to be anxious about being late to work when no one will know anyway. Plus, I can always apologise if someone is there. Oh man, I hate being late. I hate getting anxious about being late. Why do I get so anxious so easily? Other people don't get anxious like this, especially about being late to work!... So the internal dialogue continues. The ironic thing is that I know dozens of people who get as anxious as me, if not more anxious than me, about being late anywhere.
So it is normal.
Whenever I remember this and remind myself that it's perfectly normal to feel anxious about being late, that other people understand, I relax. My anxiety is reduced. I can breathe again and concentrate on arriving safely, rather than focusing on my anxiety.
For those of you who still don't quite believe me... here is a definition of normal for you...
Normal (adj) usual, regular, common, typical
So, my challenge to you is this... Next time you feel upset, anxious, angry or any other emotion or feeling that you would ordinarily start berating yourself for, pause... take a deep breath... remind yourself that what you're feeling is perfectly normal and you will be ok... and see just how much better you feel.
'Accepting .. feelings and validating them can go a long way.' -Adele Faber
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Fidget
(v) to move about restlessly, nervously or impatiently
(v) to make restless or uneasy movements with something
(n) a person who fidgets, a fidgeter
Synonyms: fiddle, fret, fuss, jitter, jiggle, squirm, wiggle.
I have a confession to make... I am a chronic fidgeter.
I am rarely ever completely still, except when I'm asleep. I'm either fiddling with my nails, playing an imaginary paino with my hands or moving my fingers in patterns, bouncing my leg up and down, playing with a cardigan/scarf/item of jewellery or twisting my hair. This can be a sign of increasing anxiety, or simply a habit that I have developed... a way of getting rid of the restless energy that runs through my body. To sit completely still has to be a conscious and continuous decision. I have to choose to intentionally hold my hands and legs still, and not allow the excess energy to then send my mind on a wild journey, choosing instead to make my mind calm as well as my body.
The truth is that I am not alone in my fidgeting - this I know to be a fact.
Quite a lot of people with anxiety tend to fidget, as do people with attention difficulties, angry or impatient people, people with too much to do and too little time to do it. Fidgeting can also be a way of concentrating. By giving the hands something to do, the mind is free to concentrate on something else entirely.
The difficulty with fidgeters lies in telling them to sit still and concentrate. This is highly difficult task, particularly if we are being asked to focus on something that is uninteresting to us, but also because it takes so much brain power to stop fidgeting that there is none left for concentrating.
This is where I bring forth an option for managing fidgeting.
Fidget toys.
Sounds quite minor, slightly exciting, but altogether a wonderful alternative for fidgeters everywhere.
The idea is, the fidgeter has a particular toy that they carry with them and use when they feel the need to fidget. It is something small that keeps the hands busy and releases the mind to concentrate with all of it's strength.
Fidget toys have been used for a long time, they just haven't had such a fancy name. Think about the last time you doodled when on a phone call, or played with a ball of blu-tac, a rubber band, maybe even a marble. These are all great fidget toys, although they are not always suitable for children or the classroom. A stress ball is another alternative, although the temptation to throw the ball rather than fiddle with it can become overwhelming. A new fidget toy that I have found is a small timber disc with a sphere in the middle. It's beautiful, fits in a child's hand which means they can hide it if they are embarassed and gives them the rolling sensation without having a ball or marble to throw at someone. Best of all, it costs a grand total $4! Bargain.
Now this blog post has not been written to advertise this particular fiddle toy but to educate you on the possibility of providing your fidgeter with their own fidget toy in order to assist them in managing their fidgeting and releasing their minds for the important task of concentrating.
However, if you are interested in the timber fidget toy that I am still enamoured by, you can find them at Sue Larkey's website: www.suelarkey.com.au
No good work is ever done while the heart is hot and anxious and fretted. -Olive Schreiner
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It's the end of Term 3 classes and we've got some feedback from parents of children who have attended these classes. Thank you to the parents who have provided this feedback and to the kids who have been great to have in our classes!
My son loves to attend Calm Your Kids relaxation classes. He especially enjoys the quiet time of the class.
Very good service for the kids, the kids really enjoy coming every time. It's the best.
The class is helping my son develop his social interaction skills with his peers.
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Concepts Psychological Consultants is located in Sans Souci and provides counselling, assessments and group programs to children, adolescents, adults and families. Concepts has nine Psychologists, a Personal Trainer and on-site gym, and administrative staff.
Concepts are able to assist with mental health difficulties, behavioural difficulties and developmental disorders, including the assessment and diagnosis of Mental Health Disorders, Autism and Aspergers.
Check out their website at www.conpsych.com
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Listening is such an important and under valued skill in today's society. I mean real listening. Not half listening while typing an email or doing the dishes or thinking about tomorrow. Real 100% listening complete with body language that reflects this. I'm not sure why amongst adults it's become acceptable to listen to others only whilst continuing with other tasks. I admit, I too am a culprit of this myself, although I am aware of it and knowledge is half the battle. It seems that the temptation to multi-task and the urgency of other situations makes the task of real listening one that is very difficult to undertake (particularly if the conversation topic is not very interesting to the listener).
Now, whilst it has become acceptable among adults, it isn't with children, and for this I am glad. Trust our children to remind us of what's important - them!
Ever wonder why a child will repeat something over and over and over again? Perhaps it's because you are only half listening, and the child knows to repeat what they've said until they know it's been heard. Now have a think honestly about the last time your child was talking to you, can you honestly remember what they told you? It may not have seemed important to you but it is most definitely important to your child.
So after my seemingly pointless rant, I would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone, not just parents, to practise some real listening. Stop whatever it is you're doing (unless you're driving!), turn your body towards the person who is talking to you and make eye contact. If it is a child talking to you, get down to their level so you are showing that you are listening. Focus on what they are saying and try not to allow your mind to drift off with everything else there is to do. For this moment, your only task is to show your child that you are listening and you truly care, and the rewards you will receive for making them your highest priority in that moment are immeasurable.
'Hearing is one of the bodies five sense. But listening is an art.' -Frank Tyger
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It amazes me how often a new attitude, new approach to life or new direction in life is forgotten or left by the wayside.
Alright… I admit it… it has happened to me (again).
Last week went well, although the multi-tasking took over… bit… by bit… and the mindfulness disappeared… bit… by bit… and before I knew it I was back to my manic and fast paced life which left me insane by the end of the day.
So… now to start again. Which I must say is something that is important to do each morning for every morning is a new start. But the trick is to do it without judgement or reprieve. So often in this world when we make a mistake, we don’t do things as expected or we let others or ourselves down, there is instant judgement. But I should have done better! I’m so silly for stuffing up again! You did it.. again?? This is where mindfulness comes into play… you recognise your attention has wavered, you accept this, and you gently remind yourself to refocus. Let me say that again.
You recognise your attention has wavered, you accept this, and you gently remind yourself to refocus.
Due to the importance of this gentle reminder of my focus, I start off each morning with five or ten minutes devoted to gently reminding myself of my focus in life, in this day. I can honestly say it makes a very big difference on my attitude and composure each and every day.
‘Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.’ -Buddha
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Simplicity (n)
a) the state, quality or instance of being simple
b) freedom from complexityor intricacy
c) absence of luxury, pretentiousness
Simplicity is something that is hand in hand with living a life of calm. How better to be calm than to lead a simple life? Although the simple life can be difficult to obtain in the world as we know it, the benefits far outweigh the struggles you may face in choosing to adopt a simple lifestyle.
I tend to overcomplicate things or get into a manic mode where I get a bit carried away. Take this blog for example.. I chose a different background, albeit a simple one, but then I saw an ad for different fonts and colours and pictures and it was sooooo tempting to look at them and jazz up my blog. But the thing is, that would detract from the purpose of this blog and would also take up my valuable time doing something that is ultimately unnecessary. How much easier and simpler it is to just keep to the basics, and that is the core of living a simple and calm life. Keep to the basics. Stop doing things that are unnecessary and don’t bring you any personal fulfillment. Don’t do things simply because you believe you ‘should’. Practise your right to say no. Choose to live a simple, calm and fulfilling life.
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So… here I am.
After months of deliberation over the big question “to blog, or not to blog” I’ve obviously chosen to blog. My purpose? To assist me in living a life of calm and to hopefully inspire others in living a life of calm. I like to think of myself as an Ambassador of Calm (can’t you hear the heralding trumpets as you read that?!) although more often than not it has to be an intentional decision to be calm rather than a natural tendency to do so. Nevertheless… my journey to calm has begun and I hope you enjoy reading about my journey and perhaps, maybe one day, begin your own journey to calm as well.
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This is a good meditation to read aloud to children who may be feeling a little down about themselves. Make sure you're in a private place and your child is comfortable, then read the following in a slow, calm and clear voice.
Close your eyes and become as still as possible. Become aware of your breathing. Feel the softness of your breath going in and coming out again. Spend a few moments watching your breathing. listen to the sound of your breathing. With each breath, feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed. breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. Spend a few moments thinking about how wonderful you are. You have a fit and healthy body that allows you to work hard and play.
Think about how amazing your body is. Think about how your eyes, ears, mouth and nose work to help you experience everything around you. You body is a strong powerful machine that works perfectly to allow you to live your life to the full. As you breathe in, appreciate and thank your body for doing its job and allowing you to eat, work, dance and play.You have a powerful mind that allows you to think and come up with new thoughts and ideas. Spend a few moments thinking about your brain and your mind and thinking about how lucky you are to have such an amazing brain.You also have so many positive qualities that makes you special. Spend some time thinking about your personality and your qualities and all the things that make you special. Which of these do you have? You are strong, brave and courageous. You are clever bright and intelligent. You are fun, funny and lively. You are happy cheerful and joyful. You are kind thoughtful and caring. You are generous, giving and open hearted.
You are creative imaginative and artistic. You are poweful, great and brilliant. You are individual, unique and special. You are peaceful, quiet and thoughtful. You are appreciative, positive and inspiring.
You are incredible, magnificent and amazing. You are so great and you have so many good qualities and things that make you great. Spend some time thinking about why it is good to be you. No matter what anyone says, you know that you are amazing and have an amazing body, mind, brain and so many special qualities that make you unique and perfect. Each day feel great about yourself and what you do. Just feel great to be alive and how special you are. Repeat to yourself in your mind, I love being me and appreciate my greatness. It is good to be me. I love being me and appreciate my greatness. It is good to be me. I love being me and appreciate my greatness.
It is good to be me.
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This is a good exercise to use with a child who has some worries or concerns that they just can't let go of. You can do it anywhere - I know I've practised it with children both at work and in a social setting.
Stand or sit in an area where you and the child can be semi-alone and ask the child to close their eyes. Read the following exercise out in a voice that is calm and quiet.
Close your eyes and imagine that you're holding a balloon in your hands.
Can you see the balloon?
What colour is it?
How big is it?
Now, before we blow the balloon up we need to put inside the balloon whatever it is that's worrying you right now. Can you do that?
Once your worries are in the balloon we're going to blow it up.
So... take a deep breath in, and as you breathe out imagine that you are blowing up your balloon, nice and big.
Let's blow it up a bit more... two more breaths ok? Deep breath in... and breathe out filling your balloon. Once more... deep breath in... and breathe out filling your balloon.
Imagine that your balloon is now so full of air it could float away.
So... we picture ourselves tying a knot in the balloon and in a minute we're going to let it float away, and as it floats away it's going to take your worries away also.
Are you ready? Let's let go of the balloon and watch it float away... getting smaller... smaller... smaller... Keep watching it until it's so small you can no longer see it.
When you open your eyes, just like your balloon has disappeared, your worries will have disappeared also.
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Relax Kids provided the first relaxation classes for children in the UK and was founded by Marneta Viegas. Relax Kids creates the children's meditations used in our classes and have a whole range of helpful information listed on their website including a blog and forum for parents and teachers.
Check out their website at www.relaxkids.com.au
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Sound Success is run by Kylie Walker who is a Gifted Education Consultant. Kylie facilitates student workshops, private consultations and counselling, student assessments, advocacy and support, parent advice and support as well as curriculum development.
Sound Success also offers the Starjump Program and are primarily focused on offering a range of services to support gifted children, their family and their teachers.
Check out their website at www.soundsuccess.com.au.
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I am amazed at how often I find myself getting cranky at another driver for not indicating, when I myself often forget to indicate. Or I am disappointed in my sister for not answering her phone when I too don’t always answer my phone. How easy it is to be this way with children – we ask them to keep their rooms tidy, but ours are not. We teach them to be polite and have manners, yet we often speak to others without manners and politeness. We expect them to be calm and relaxed children, yet we ourselves are stressed and over-committed. It’s an easy trap to fall into and one we must be reminded about, as children do as they see, not as they’re told.
The easiest and most effective way to assist your child in developing an attitude of calm is to teach by example. While this may seem a difficult skill to attain, especially when you have children, work, a home and personal life to maintain, there are basic strategies you can implement in your life to develop your own attitude of calm. This attitude of calm and newfound focus on relaxation will overflow and affect your children, your partner and your extended family and friends.
So to help you on your way I have listed below a few simple strategies that have helped me to develop my own attitude of calm and will hopefully help you also.
1. Set your alarm for 5 to 10 minutes earlier than your required wake-up time and use this time to sit still, breathe, and remind yourself that you are capable of remaining calm throughout this day.
2. Prepare for the next day on the night before. This includes making lunches, packing bags, ironing clothes etc. This leaves less jobs to be done in the morning, enabling the morning to happen at a slower and less stressful pace.
3. Allow extra time (where possible) between commitments. If you would ordinarily allow 10 minutes to get to school/work, allow 15 or 20 minutes instead. Concentrate on driving just on the speed limit and use the spare time at the other end just to sit and breathe for a few more minutes before going on to your next commitment.
4. Spend the last 15 minutes before going to sleep doing something you enjoy, simply because you enjoy it. Sketch a picture, read a magazine, listen to music. Choose something that has no rhyme or reason to it, and no hidden purpose. Something that allows you to invest time and enjoyment in yourself.
5. Maintain a healthy life balance by eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly – as much as possible. Even a slight improvement (ie. one less chocolate in a week) is better than no improvement. Take this one as a long term strategy, but choose to do one thing different today to balance your life out.
‘The road to learning by precept is long, but by example, short and effective.’ Seneca
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