It’s undeniable, we are living in weird times right now. 2020 has turned out to be a year that none of us expected, and it’s brought with it some anxiety and stress for most people the world over. So today I’m sharing 5 Positive Changes I’ve Made Recently to bring more positivity and even joy into my life…
It’s truly amazing to me how a few small shifts in our actions and thinking can have such a powerful impact on how we feel.
With the right tools, in a single moment we can go from being anxious, emotional and overwhelmed to experiencing a presence of ease.
This is something we all want. A sense of peace.
It’s human nature to worry and fret, but there is a deep longing in all of us to be free of those negative emotions and find complete contentment.
Is anyone completely content 100% of the time? I doubt it.
But being able to recognise when you’re spinning out and having tools in your back pocket that you know work for YOU is the trick to bringing yourself back to your “happy place”, to your place of balance.
These 5 Positive Changes I’ve Made Recently may not all resonate with you, which is totally fine.
But maybe you’ll identify with one or two and be inspired to find more things that make you feel well, alive and free.
So here we go!
5 Positive Changes I’ve Made Recently (in no particular order):
1. I’ve started Skipping!
It’s so much fun, there’s something childlike about it that makes me feel happy and energised for the whole day!
It’s fair to say I’m a little obsessed. Skipping is serious cardio, similar to running but much lighter on the knees and ankles and you can get a really decent workout in fairly quickly.
I’ve been loving The Phoenix Movement skipping workouts. Be sure to stretch properly afterwards – I love this stretch video, or any yin yoga.
2. Meditation
Somehow I drifted out of the habit of daily meditation. Coming back to a 10 – 15 minute meditation practice before or after my morning exercise is a way for me to tune out the world and get back in touch with my true-self.
Too airy fairy for you? That’s ok, I get it! But there is scientific evidence that meditating can reduces stress and anxiety. Read more here -> Harvard meditation study.
If you’re looking for a cognitive boost made with natural, mostly plant-based ingredients, check out this post from Nutrition Insider.
3. Mindful eating
I’ve been taking the time to arrange my food in an appealing way, sitting down at the table for at least one meal a day.
Taking in what’s on my plate before I eat, recognising that there is enough food there for me, and then savouring each bite, noticing the flavours and textures, and putting my fork down between mouthfuls – this is key.
All these things help me to eat mindfully – taking a little more time to ENJOY my food. And not surprisingly, when I eat like this I feel far more satisfied and satiated than when I gobble my food in the kitchen.
Try it! You’ll be amazed.
4. Accepting what is
This weekend a build-up of repressed anxiety and negative emotions bubbled to the surface for me.
I felt out of control and fearful of what I should or shouldn’t be doing, I was worried about decisions I’ve made and decisions I need to make in the future. What, for that matter, does the future even hold? I was overwhelmed.
Luckily for me, I’ve been in that state quite a few times before, and unlike when I was in my twenties, I now have a few methods that I know will bring me back to equilibrium.
So I had a good melt-down and let the tears flow.
And then I came across a “prayer” or meditation from Gabby Bernstein which basically said:
“If you are trying to control it is because you have decided you are dissatisfied with something (or many things) in your life.
But NOTHING in this world happens by accident. Acceptance of WHAT IS brings peace.
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE IN THIS MOMENT.”
This had a profound impact on me. I was reminded that I need to let go of what I think I need.
Trying to control outcomes gets me nowhere. Trusting that ALL IS WELL is what will bring me all that is meant for me.
Then I did a silent meditation (my favourite kind), a long workout of skipping and yoga, followed by a gentle walk to look at the sea.
And by the time I got home, I felt renewed and calm. Our natural state.
We can all tap into this well-spring of peace and contentment once we know how. It is within all of us, all the time.
5. Castor oil
On the much lighter side of life, lol – I’ve recently started using castor oil for my skin and I am so impressed with how deeply it moisturises!
When I was about 13 my mom told me that if I started looking after my skin properly at a young age I’d reap the benefits when I got older. So I really took care of my skin from that point on!
After some trial and error I realised that my skin is at its best when I use natural oils like coconut oil, olive oil and vitamin E oil on my face at night and alternate them throughout the week. I’ve added in castor oil to this mix, and I’ve been using it on any dry parts of my body like my knees and elbows too.
You can watch Christa Orrechio’s video on castor oil to hear the amazing benefits for yourself. I highly recommend giving it a try!
Interesting fact: Something my husband has started using recently is CBD oil and he swears by it for alleviating aches and pains, plus it seems to help him sleep better!
If you’d like to get your hands on this safe and healthy remedy that is believed to have MANY benefits, take a look at the products that GoldBee.com has to offer. If you feel like you would like to learn more about CBD before you go ahead and buy it for yourself, you could check out this article for more information on Cannabidiol or CBD. Nowadays, there are lots of different CBD oil-infused products out there to try including tinctures, skincare, and edibles. With this in mind, researching brands such as Organic CBD Nugs can help you to find something that could work for you.
Hopefully this post has been helpful to you in some way, and maybe you feel excited about finding a few simple things that bring more positivity and joy into your life right now!
I’ll be back soon with a new healthy recipe! I’ve got a roast butternut squash with caramelised onions and feta lined up – it’s a show stopper so check back for that!!
Until then, thank you so much for reading this post on 5 Positive Changes I’ve Made Recently, and drop a comment below if you have any questions or just want to say hi!
Try my healthy recipes! – Garlic Mushroom Chicken Casserole, Clean Eating Carrot Turmeric Ginger Soup and my Baked Chicken Pasta With Coconut Sauce.