Life these days is lived at a thousand miles per hour. It seems that we’ve got into the mindset that if we’re not constantly doing something, then we’re not productive, successful or popular enough. Consequently, our phones ping with unimportant notifications, we rush from one activity to another, checking off our to-do list on the way and we bust a gut, striving for future external rewards.

Sadly, our well-being is not only affected but has deteriorated as a result of today’s lifestyle. Stress, anxiety and depression have never been higher in the population. 

The great news is that by forming healthier non-negotiable habits, we can reap powerful physical and psychological benefits. 

Use Daily Affirmations to Replace Negative Thoughts

All of us have a critical inner voice. We question whether or not we can succeed at something or are we capable enough?  But we do have a choice about what we do when that voice pipes up.

Affirmations work really well in reframing negative thoughts. They’re positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome negative thought processes.  Instead of ‘I cant’s’, we reposition them as ‘I cans’. For example, ‘I can’t do this project. I’m not qualified enough.’ You could use the affirmation, ‘I have so much life experience to bring to this project.’

The real power of affirmations is harnessed through repeating them to yourself regularly. Several times a day, every day. Whenever your mind starts to engage in a negative thought pattern or behaviour, repeat the affirmation immediately. Use your Scentered FOCUS Balm prior to making your daily affirmations to enhance your practice.

Eat Better

We’re stressed, there’s an obesity crisis and frankly, many of us are undernourished, grabbing food on the go and shovelling it as fast as we can. 

The NHS advises that ‘most people in the UK eat and drink too many calories, too much saturated fat, sugar and salt and not enough fruit, vegetables and oily fish or fibre.’ Diet, nutrition and lifestyle lead to a large proportion of diseases. 

Make these changes to keep your mind and body in peak condition. (Source: NHS)

• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day 
• Base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts
• Drink plenty of fluids (at least 6 to 8 glasses a day)

People with special dietary needs or a medical condition should speak to their doctor or a registered dietician for advice.

 

Become Grateful

Believe it or not, just taking note of what most people might consider to be ‘small moments’ and feeling grateful for them can have a huge impact on your well-being.

It’s so easy to incorporate gratitude into your life. Grab yourself a notepad or journal and spend a few minutes each day noting down five moments or things for which you feel gratitude. It might be the cat sitting on your lap for a stroke. It could be one of the kids saying thank you unprompted. It could even be the heavenly cup of rich coffee you’re drinking. You get the idea. It can be a little strange to begin with but as you get more used to feeling gratitude, you’ll find it becomes easier.

Make Yourself the Top Priority 

There’s so much talk about self-care these days. What we’re referring towards is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook. Good self-care is key to improving mood and reducing anxiety.

Take time out each week to schedule in exercise, grocery shopping, meal preparation, personal time to explore, relaxation and time to be with friends and family. Scheduling it into your diary will make it happen. Remember that practicing self-care is not selfish. It’s a necessity for your well-being.

Get to Bed Earlier

According to Medicalert, sleeping less than eight hours per night "makes you unhappy, less attractive, less intelligent, more hungry, out of shape, less fertile and very vulnerable. It increases your chances of dying in a car accident and also makes it more likely that you’ll suffer from cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s." Jeez, that’s a pretty bad advert for sleep deprivation.

The bottom line is that if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re not going to feel at your best. Unfortunately, we get distracted in the evenings by tv, social media or doing chores when we should be winding down. Inevitably, we go to bed too late or find that we can’t sleep because we’re so wired.

Adopt a wind-down routine instead. Try a bath, reading or audio book, our Scentered Sleep Well Aromatherapy Candle or our Scentered Sleep Well Sleep Balm. Going to bed early enough can make a world of difference to your mental health and well-being. 

Use an on-line sleep calculator that can work out how much sleep you need for your age. Work back and this will tell you what time you need to go to bed to have enough sleep if you need to get up at a certain time.