Wellbeing Series Part 1: Find your Natural Rhythm
The pace of modern life doesn’t allow for much downtime.
When was the last time you made space in your diary to do nothing? To stare out of the window, to daydream? Maybe there were those 5 minutes the last time you took a train, (just before you picked up your phone), maybe not even then.
Spring is the perfect time to start something new. What better time than now, to start focusing on yourself, on your actual needs (not the demands of life); to start listening to your body and your own natural wisdom.
We are used, these days, to looking for (and finding) guidance pretty much wherever you scroll: on TV, and particularly social media, everyone is telling us what to do, how to do it, how to be like (and better) than everyone else.
Modern life has lead most of us down a path of ambition, competition, striving - the need to do better, be better, look better - who hasn’t felt that pressure?
But what if there were a different way, a more natural way - a way that allowed you to realign with your natural rhythm, to feel your best self - the you that you know you are, deep inside.
And what if that way were surprisingly simple, with a little practice, a little time…
Welcome to our guide to ultimate wellbeing: a simple 3 step process to find your inner glow, whatever your age or fitness level, just one small step at a time.
STEP 1: LISTENING
This step probably sounds the simplest, but actually requires the most courage. Because, in order to start listening to your own natural wisdom, you have to be prepared to stop listening to everyone else. To not follow that latest fad diet, to not be influenced by the influencers, to risk standing on your own in a crowded room. Not literally of course, but there may come a time when you feel like you’re doing exactly that.
Because our bodies are our best guides, when it comes to emotional and physical wellbeing - they’re very good at telling us when we’re thirsty, hungry, tired or upset - and we are just as good at not listening to those prompts. How many times have we all had another coffee to keep our energy up, chocolate when we’re feeling tired, alcohol when we need a lift.
So this week is about starting to listen to your body’s natural rhythm.
Turn off your computer and put down your phone an hour before bed. Have a bath, read a book (not a Kindle!) - do something nourishing for yourself. Notice how you sleep when you do that, and when you don’t.
Try a cup of hot water with fresh lemon juice when you first wake up. If you’re feeling brave, set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to do this. Sit quietly. Sip your drink. Notice the sounds of the day starting, the shadows on your kitchen wall as the sun rises - the change in light when you don’t need to be up so early. By all means have a coffee later, but try one or two days without - you might be surprised by how much better you feel. Coffee, whilst giving us a boost from the caffeine, dehydrates; hot water is easier to metabolise, it rehydrates, and boosts energy levels naturally, whilst aiding digestion.
Start to notice how you feel as the day progresses. Tired at 11am? Try some more hot water with lemon, or take 5 minutes outside. Walk around the block, drink some water - see if you still need a coffee after that. Hungry for something sweet at 4? Find a quiet corner and close your eyes for 5 minutes. Count your breath - 4 beats on the inhale, 6 for the exhale. Drink some water, eat an apple. You may find that your energy levels stabilise much more naturally.
Tired when you get home, reaching for a glass of wine? Again, find a quiet corner and sit quietly for 5 minutes. Notice your breathing. Appreciate that you are home after a busy day, be grateful for that. Try some sparkling water or some hummus and carrot sticks while you cook. It probably won’t feel very comfortable initially, but give it a day or two and your body might thank you. Alcohol can be a pleasure to be enjoyed, it doesn’t have to be the crutch you hang your day on.
These short ‘time-outs’ throughout your day allow you to begin to tune in to how your feeling. You will start to get a sense of your inner state - whether that’s calm, tired or agitated in some way - and you will learn to adjust your behaviour accordingly. Wellbeing is about really knowing yourself, and that starts with gently listening to what’s going on inside.
And - if you’re worrying that you’re going to have to live like a saint for the rest of your life, to find that inner glow, these steps are suggestions to help you get in touch with your body’s natural rhythm. Once you begin to recognise your own patterns, it becomes completely possible to drink coffee and alcohol if that’s what you really want - but you will know when you are doing it for pleasure, rather than using them as crutches to avoid a bigger issue.
But be warned - if you really can’t get the quiet or the space you need in your life as it is now, these steps will likely show you what you need to change, and how soon. All you have to do, is find the courage to listen…
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