This is the reflective journaling exercise taken for the podcast ‘Who are you and what are you doing here ?”

If you haven’t heard the episode already, I’d recommend listening to that first. But in order to return and repeat the exercise, you can play it here:

Subscribe via iTunes or using any other podcast app using the podcast feed.

We’re so busy.

From the moment we wake up it’s go, go, go. Off to work, meetings, deadlines, more meetings, home, exercise, dinner, sleep and then do it all again.

It’s no wonder we can get a bit carried away in the constant demands of our routines. But sometimes all the busyness means we loose sight of the bigger picture. The days, whilst busy, can begin to feel empty, like we’re stuck on repeat and we loose our sense of purpose or direction.

In this podcast we reflect on the daily questions of: “who am I and what am I doing here?” We look at why it’s important the have answers to these questions and how we can begin to answer them.

We’ll also learn a reflective journaling technique, that allows us to better understand how we feel and begin to separate ‘how we feel’ from ‘who we truly are’.

The reflective journaling exercise is included at the end of the podcast, but if you’d like to return to repeat the exercise you can find it as a seperate episode on iTunes or on our website.

Where to go from here:

Overcoming Anxiety – My new ebook is out! If you want to learn ways to manage your stress and anxiety in day-to-day life, this book is for you!

Subscribe via iTunes or using any other podcast app using the podcast feed.

In this podcast we look at challenging social situations and become mindful about how we react on an emotional and physical level. This can help us to understand why we can get so angry by the things people say or do and how we can bring balance to our emotions and live happier.

We explore the SCARF model by David Rock, with references to the Google emotional intelligence training book Search Inside Yourself and a TED talk about chickens.

Where to go from here:

Overcoming Anxiety – My new ebook is out! If you want to learn ways to manage your stress and anxiety in day-to-day life, this book is for you!

Here’s 3 simple tips to avoid injury during your workouts.

Warm up

However eager you are to get working, it’s really important to warm up your body. I never see people warming up in the gym, they come out the changing room and instantly start lifting weights. Take the smart option, head to the mats and stretch it out before you get going.

Variation is key

We all have our favourite workout routines and let’s be honest it’s often because we find them easier or more comfortable than the alternatives. But variation in your exercise routine is really important to building an all-round strong body. So don’t just stick to what you know. Why not find a workout buddy, head to the gym together and work through their routine for a change. Alternatively look online, there’s plenty of free material out there.

Start slow

If you’re starting an exercise you’ve not done before or maybe just not recently, your body will need time to adapt. So start your new exercise but don’t go too heavy or for too long. If for the first few days you take it really steady, you’re body will make minor adjustments as you learn a new technique. Then after a few days you can up the intensity and make it more challenging.

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A healthy lifestyle is not only good for your body, but will benefit your mind and soul too. Because exercising regularly will help reduce stress and will release endorphins making you feel great. The simple act of taking some time every day, to do something physical and disengage your mind from your normal daily tasks is also hugely beneficial, not to mention how much better you’ll look and feel about yourself!

What can you do about it?

Ok, so we all know we should probably be taking better care of ourselves and generally living healthier, but knowing what you can do about it is the first challenge. Here at findingSanctuary, I will provide all the information you need to get started, and answer all the questions I’ve asked myself at some point. Then we will look more in-depth at the techniques you’ll need to build and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you check out the detailed articles in the sidebar, but for now here’s some quick advice on where to begin.

Start something new

Decide what your goals are and then work out how you’re going to get there. We often initially think of things we must stop doing; smoking, drinking, eating snacks etc.. But anybody who tries to make changes by stopping doing something, is just denying themselves. Don’t get me wrong – this is great, but requires a lot of effort and disapline, and often ends in failure and a person reverting back to their old ways. What I’m proposing is that you embrace something new! By getting excited about a change, you can embrace something new, re-invent yourself, and believe me; once you’ve put in all the hard work, those unhealthy snacks don’t seem half as appealing.

It’s all about two things

Getting fit and healthy is about too main things and neither works properly without the other, and of course these are exercise and nutrition. It’s no good putting all the hard work into your exercise routines, if you don’t also think about what you’re eating. Make sure you spend as much time assessing and planning what you’re eating as what workouts you’re doing.

Don’t crash!

People are always looking for a shortcut to success, a magic option, another crash diet. The desire to be healthy and look good is there, but people are mislead by advertising and marketing for new products, promising them the results they so badly want, but often failing to deliver. Why? because it’s not natural! Your body is the result of your lifestyle, the things you eat, the stresses you put it under (good and bad) all end up conditioning your body. Trying to change your body by taking drastic action may even initially seem to work, but you can’t live that way all the time, and when you go back to a normal way of life, so will your body return to it’s previous condition. Instead make changes you know you can maintain, be realistic with yourself about how you want to live and then these changes will stick, and what’s more – you’ll enjoy them!

Don’t give up

Always stay focused and work hard, when exercising push yourself, set your target and if you get there and your still fighting, go for a couple of extra reps – they’re the ones that’ll really count! It’s an amazing feeling when you do things you didn’t think you could do. Your body often tells you to quit, way before you need to, mentally pushing through is an empowering moment. What’s most important is that you do your best, give it everything you’ve got and then thank yourself. Don’t worry about what you didn’t do, or how long it took, focus on your success.

A quick change, right now?

Hopefully the articles on this site will give you lots of detailed explanations on changes you could make and inspire you in your journey to better health. But if you want one tip, right now… here it is! Apparently the two things most people can change straight away that’ll have the biggest impact on their health is to sleep more and drink more water. It’s crazy right!? But in our busy little lives we’ve often chose to neglect these two basic principles. Try and get a good 8 hours sleep each night, and drink plenty of water during the day. Drinking it regularly, in smaller amounts will help your kidneys and will stop you having to run to the toilet. Making sure you get enough water can help relieve headaches, tiredness and can increase brain activity.