Winter

Strategies for a winter well lived is the focus of today’s message.

We are the conductor of our lives. We consciously and unconsciously attract and create health and joy by the way we think and treat others and ourselves.

We get to decide what kind of a life theme we create and orchestrate.
if we’ve had a history of upsetting outcomes in the past winters then this article is potentially perfect for you.
If we have unresolved grief and loss these emotions tend to surface around the anniversary of the original pain.
If you have someone to support you and walk you through your losses stay in contact with them, if your still packing that hurt or loss, it’s a great opportunity to unpack it, bury it, say goodbye and refill that space with self-acceptance, self-forgiveness and a Win-Win relationship with yourself.
I used to get incredibly depressed and medicate my feelings with food, sleep television shows. I would binge on anything that helped to keep the pain underground.

I made a decision to change what winter and the holidays mean to me years ago, I invested in a yearly winter vacation to get sun and renew my health with zero stress. My quality of health and happiness has improved as a result of taking responsibility for this part of my life.

My biological family didn’t give me what many people get, a positive loving welcoming “ I matter “ message. Instead of letting their dysfunction define me I created other options.

Key components of living well are to create a multifaceted self-care plan.
* I go to sleep early and I’ve turned my bedroom into a cozy warm little sanctuary. A special place where I disconnect from my phone and the internet as much as possible. If I need a nap during the day I have a nap, it’s unbelievable at how much calmer I am for the rest of the day…
* I reflect and journal in the mornings making a point of staying conscious of how lucky and privileged I truly am.
* My health is good ( not perfect ) yet I have a high functioning body and I say “ thank you “ for it on a daily basis.
* I’ll also send friends, adopted family, and clients a note about how much I appreciate their presence in my life… it opens up my ❤️ heart.
They often tell me how much that little gesture made their day.
* Then I’ll do my cardio for the day shower eat breakfast and start my workday which starts at 6 or 7 am.
* Midday I do 30 minutes of weight training and enjoy a meal.
The days vary as to if I’m coaching, doing online or in-person personal training or stress management with someone. I treat each person as I want to be treated, with compassion, honesty, and curiosity.

How do we create the possibility of a better life?
We need to take care of ourselves first. I can only give away what I give to myself, you are no different.

When we get stressed the most helpful thing we can do is tell the truth, look for healthy options that reduce stress ( is the problem a story we’re making up in our head ?) or is it a fact? “This self-inquiry can change your life”
If it’s a fact – then we can look at how to categorize it in our list of priorities.
Is it someone else’s problem or is it our problem? If it’s someone else’s problem it’s ok to step away from it and let them manage it. If we step in to be helpful understand that helping is ok provided it does you no harm.

Brainstorm: Are we taking time out for fun for ourselves? Recall what you enjoyed as a child and if your willing to do that activity again.
Simple things can be a lot of fun.

Are you going out on a date with a friend? It could be a movie night or a tea and walk visit, or baking something? I love baking, It’s fun to make something and share it with others. It’s one way I say “ I care about you “ I know that we live in a very different world today, people are shut down and often in some form of self-avoidance or distraction. Getting back to what we need to be healthy emotionally and physically is critical to living a good life.

Take time to recharge yourself.

* Drink enough water to feel refreshed.

* Say “ No” when your body is low.

* Prepare food for meals in advance.

Schedule exercise into your life strength training creates a higher functioning body as it preserves lean muscle mass and when spring arrives and you drop that 5-15 pounds you’ll have a nicely shaped body verse what’s termed “ skinny fat”

Let the people in your life know that they matter to you. We all matter and were all impacted to some degree by the fear and negativity of these times. Learn how to create a Win-Win relationship with yourself and then help others do the same!