Category: mindset

Posted in goal setting, journalling, life hacks, lifestyle, meditation, Mindfulness, mindset, self care, Setting goals and intentions, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: Discovering joy in every season of the year using The Happiness Year by Tara Ward

Posted on by Laura

A few months ago, I was looking in the health and wellbeing section at Waterstones and came upon a beautifully illustrated book about finding joy throughout the year by trying out different seasonal activities. At the time, I didn’t purchase it, but I regretted my decision so I ordered it from an online retailer. When it arrived, I added it to the bookcase in my craft room as I was already in the process of reading about 8 different books which is a few too many even by my standards. I pulled it out a few days ago and there are some lovely activities inside in the section which I started with – Spring. I tried out the first exercise this morning and really enjoyed it so I thought I would give a short summary of the book and share that first prompt with you today.

The Happiness Year: How to Find Joy In Every Season by Tara Ward

In the introductory section of the book, Tara discusses the aims of The Happiness Year and also talks about the emotion of happiness and the four positive chemicals that are released into your body when you’re happy – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins (referred to as DOSE throughout the book). She then goes on to explain how to use and enjoy the book.

The remainder of the book is split into four sections – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and there are a collection of exercises provided in each which you can pick and choose from. In combination, they promise to help you in an holistic way – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Personally, I think I will probably try out all of the different activities and see which I prefer and benefit from the most.

Included within the book, there are journalling and brainstorming activities, meditations, physical exercises, goal setting and planning tasks, plus many more to explore and enjoy. You are also invited to complete them in a way that feels comfortable for you, taking into account individual differences and preferences.

So far, I’ve only read the Spring chapter in depth but I’ve had a good flick through all of the book and I can already see there are many exercises that will appeal.

Exploring your thoughts, feelings and ideas about Spring

As I said earlier, I completed the first activity this morning and I enjoyed it so much that I felt compelled to share it with you. I think this exercise would work well for each of the four seasons, not just Spring. Here’s a step by step explanation of what to do:

  • Take an A4 piece of paper and place it in front of you
  • Write the word SPRING in large letters at the bottom of the page
  • Close your eyes and take three deep, comfortable breaths to focus you in the present moment
  • Open your eyes and look at the word
  • What comes to mind when you think of Spring?
  • Write down everything which comes up for you
  • When you’ve run out of ideas, close your eyes again, breathe deeply and continue thinking about the season
  • Note down any further ideas or images which come to mind
  • When you feel you’ve finished, look over your sheet
  • What jumps out at you the most? Circle any words or phrases which particularly resonate or feel important to you. Are then any surprises?
  • What is the overriding emotion when you look at your words? Write that emotion or emotions at the top of the page.
  • Look through the words and make a list of those which generate feelings of happiness.

I hope you found this a helpful exercise and it reminded you about all of the lovely things which happen in the Springtime. I’ve included my sheet below, how does it compare to yours?

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Final words…

If you enjoy mindful activities such as journalling, setting intentions, exploring the world using your five senses, breathwork, meditation and appreciating the simple things in life, I would definitely recommend checking out The Happiness Year. The book will help you find ways to appreciate and make the most of all of the things that each season has to offer you. You’ll also find a range of self care activities to increase your happiness levels by releasing a good ‘DOSE’ of positive chemicals. Let me know if you try the exercise outlined above and how it made you feel.

Posted in fitness, goal setting, lifestyle, mindset, Planning and journaling, wellbeing

Monday Matters: 4 tips for getting started on your fitness journey and staying motivated

Posted on by Laura
Image from Pixabay

Many of us, as part of our new year’s resolutions each year, set goals to get fit. We start off with good intentions, joining the gym or attending exercise classes but oftentimes, our motivation isn’t maintained and by February, our workouts have dwindled and other priorities have come to the fore. As someone who has been a member of a local gym for over a year and a half, with a routine that includes at least seven workouts per week, I thought I’d share a small number of tips to help you get started with your fitness journey and maintain the motivation to keep going. So, let’s get started…

Set clear goals

Some people set the vague goal ‘get fit’ without considering what that statement means to them, how they’re going to do it and why. A much better approach is to use the S.M.A.R.T. goals system. I wrote a really comprehensive blog post on this quite a while ago which includes some useful questions to consider to get you thinking about why the goal is important, what your life will look like when you reach your goal and how you will go about working towards it. I also provide an example, which, whilst not fitness related, should help you with goal setting and goal getting.

Using your bullet journal or a dedicated notebook for the particular goal or goal getting in general can provide a useful record of your intentions, how far you’ve come so far or a space to record your experiences, successes and difficulties along the way. It can also help with accountability.

Creating a vision board which focuses on your fitness goals and includes motivational images and positive phrases or quotes can also help towards manifesting the fitness lifestyle you desire. This can be created digitally and used as your screensaver on your computer or can be paper-based and maybe created using images and words cut out of health, fitness and wellbeing magazines.

Consider any clothing and equipment required

If you’re serious about increasing your fitness levels, purchasing some dedicated workout gear and some basic equipment can really help in terms of motivation. I got a number of outfits for my gym sessions and my weekend walks and I spent quite a while choosing items in my favourite colours which fit beautifully and make me feel confident and well supported. This included sports bras for my aerobic sessions, moisture wicking tops which don’t expose my skin during downward facing dog and leggings which are fitted but not too tight as to feel uncomfortable or roll down during my exercise routines. I also got several pairs of hiking shoes for winter walks and lots of layers for warmth whilst out in the countryside. I didn’t get everything straightaway but have built up my collection based on my changing needs as I try and love different forms of exercise.

As I practise Iyengar yoga, I’ve invested in a mat, blocks, bricks and a belt for my practice. I also use some of this equipment in my Pilates and legs, bums and tums classes too so figured it was a good investment. Although the gym provides bits and pieces for the sessions, I find having my own things beneficial and it also means, if I miss a class, I can find a workout on YouTube to do some exercise at home.

Create an active lifestyle

If getting fit and staying fit are important to you, you’ll need to create an active lifestyle where exercise becomes a key part of your daily routine and something which you enjoy and thrive on. Yes, there will be days when you don’t feel like it and have to push yourself to get your exercise gear on and do a session, or times when you recognise the need to have a rest if you feel under the weather or think you might have over-exerted yourself, but on the whole, you’ll feel motivated and ready to go. A huge part of this involves choosing forms of exercise that you love and make you feel good. For example, when I started exercising, I would go to the gym at least 3 times a week to work on the cardio machines and the resistance training machines. My routine gave me a good full body workout, but I much preferred the social element of going to classes, getting chatting to various others who enjoyed exercise and fitness and developing friendships over the weeks. I now go to at least one class everyday and use the gym occasionally. I still do activities which work my whole body and I have maintained my motivation for different forms of exercise over several years now.

Sometimes, on busy days, when I’m working at the university or I have other plans, I have to cancel one or more of my classes. However, I will always make time to fit in exercise, even if it’s just 20 minutes of stretching at home or a face paced walk in nature or around the block.

Having a back-up plan for when you haven’t got time to do an hour long class or your usual hour and a half in the gym can really help and writing it down in the aforementioned notebook or journal can keep you consistent. This could include having a bank of videos saved on YouTube that you dip into or a selection of infographics showing stretch routines on Pinterest. You might also schedule in an early morning walk as part of your routine for that day or plan a long hike for the weekend when you don’t have so many other commitments.

Cultivate a positive mindset

A positive mindset can help you celebrate your progress and achievements, assess and overcome any setbacks and maintain motivation. Rather than focusing on what you didn’t achieve in a given week, celebrate the workouts you did do and how you felt afterwards. Look for signs of improved strength, flexibility and stamina and write down these wins in your notebook or journal. Draw up a list of rewards such as new fitness gear, a fun activity that you haven’t done for ages or have been meaning to try e.g. canoeing, surfing, bowling, kite flying, frisbee etc. or a pretty decorative item for your home.

“Studies have shown that if you have a ‘growth mindset’ – the belief that your abilities and skills can be improved – then you will have more effective workouts.

Put simply – it’s positive thinking. Believe you can, and you will.” (Why your mindset matters article on Metro.co.uk.)

Final words…

I hope you’ve found today’s blog post beneficial and it has given you some beginner friendly ideas for starting out on your fitness journey and keeping up the good work. When you begin, you might like to try out lots of different exercise options and then modify your routine based on your preferences. I’ve found I love dance based aerobic classes like zumba and clubbercise, but also enjoy more mindful practices like yoga and Pilates too. In the future, I would like to include more targeted upper body exercises to increase my strength in this area, but for now, I’m happy with the way things are progressing in terms of my general fitness and core strength.

Let me know in the comments if you plan on working on fitness and exercise related goals for 2024 and what you’ve taken away from today’s article to help you on your journey. Alongside your plans, you might like to consider dietary tweaks too in a way which compliments your fitness lifestyle and ensures better physical and mental health overall, for now and in the future.