We're nearly halfway through the year. Already. I don't know about you, but that's kind of scary to me! It's been a strange old time for everyone, and with Omicron doing it's thing it can lead to uncertainty, anxiety and stress.
Maybe you felt like you just started getting into your groove, things were going well, then BAM – into isolation. Or BAM – you're forced to work from home again.
All of this topsy-turvy way of living can lead to making choices that don't necessarily help you feel your best. When everything feels like it's getting too much, life is getting on top of you, the basics often go, but in actual fact – they count the most.
April was all over the place. Public holidays, school holiday, a lack of routine for you maybe? Now that we're through that time, it's a great opportunity to reflect on the past few months, while looking ahead to the next few months too. Ask yourself:
• What are the small wins I can be proud of for the year so far?
• What are some situations I faced that if faced again, I'd handle differently?
• What's a healthier way to deal with that tantrum or argument? *Emotionally charged eating or drinking isn't a long-term solution.
• What do I want the next few months to look like?
We can all take steps to get to where we want to go. But that can be hard! So, I encourage you to look at some of the smallest steps you can take first:
• Increase your water intake. We can all do with drinking more water. And increasing it is easy! Just start by having a glass of water when you wake up every morning.
• Move your body. You don't need to go and thrash your body for it to be effective. Head out the door for a 10-minute walk – it's better than no walk at all!
• Nourish your body. Make the best choice you can with every meal. Increase your vegetable and fruit intake as a start. And if you love a sweet treat, see if you can reduce that.
• Sleep. We all need sleep, and a lot of us could do with more. Look at your evening routine, how can you wind down, reduce screentime and prepare your body in the best way for a restful night's sleep?
Autumn is well and truly here. Whanganui is looking beautiful. Take some time to get outside and admire the colourful leaves. Making one good choice will lead to another, and we all know how good we feel when we make healthy choices. But also, how not-so-good we feel when we have too much of a not-so-good thing!
