Category: Resilience

Find Inner Peace – Get Back To Nature

Post author By Ally
Post date June 6, 2022
No Comments on Find Inner Peace – Get Back To Nature

Do you ever feel disconnected? Maybe you’re so preoccupied with everything in your daily existence that you hardly even have time to realize what’s going on around you.

Perhaps the only moment you observe nature is when the weather meddles with your to-do list. Perhaps you can’t recall the last time you were inclined to simply inhale and sit outdoors.

There is indeed a great deal of proof that spending time in nature has a considerable beneficial influence on both mental and physical health. Strolling in a green space has been demonstrated to help with mental health issues such as depression and ADHD.

According to VeryWellMind, “On days when you’re struggling with negative thoughts about your body, many different coping mechanisms can help. But new research suggests in order to soothe those feelings, you should get outside and spend time in nature. Negative body image is a risk factor for behaviors like disordered eating, which can have disastrous consequences for one’s body, mind, and relationships. Nowadays, it can be harder to avoid negative body thoughts when navigating social media.”

Time spent in nature is a wonderful way to focus oneself in addition to treating particular mental health challenges and enhancing mental and physical wellbeing.

For some of us, it is the start of a meditation practice or a heightened spiritual understanding of how we are all related. For others, it is simply a fantastic method to relieve tension.

Here are a few excellent techniques to get started bonding with the natural world around you, no matter where you want your time outside to take you.

#1 Slow down to the speed of nature

Walking slowly causes you to breathe more slowly, making you feel instantaneously more relaxed. Slow down and start seeing the environment around you. It may be a speck of lichen in a crack in the sidewalk or a tree you’ve never spotted before. Look around you carefully and deliberately to see what you discover as you sink into this more natural rhythm of being.

#2 Experiment with barefoot breathing

We people are the only animals that put a shoe between our feet and the Spirit of the Earth. The act of taking off your shoes and standing barefoot on the ground satisfies a primitive urge for connectivity.

Find a peaceful spot outside—a park nook, a quiet spot in your garden, or your favorite wild location. Shut your eyes and take 100 deep, soft breaths while feeling the sunlight on your face, the breeze on your body, and the warm heart of the ground via the soles of your feet.

#3 Dine outside

Take your lunch or a book outside to enjoy on a park seat or picnic blanket. While you dine or read, take in the fresh air and natural sunlight (or both).

#4 Give a tree a hug

Which words come to mind when you think about trees? Sturdy? High? Statuesque? Tenacious? Primitive? The world’s oldest trees have been alive for thousands of years, and we rely on them to create the oxygen we need to live.

Although the term “tree-hugger” is sometimes used ironically, hugging a tree is an easy method to boost your energy levels by mopping up all that energy and oxygen-rich deliciousness! Close your eyes and press your cheek on the trunk. Feel the bark on your flesh as you spread your arms to embrace the tree.

#5 Visit a greenhouse of a flower shop

Soak in the aroma of green vegetation and a plethora of flowers. Step into a flower shop’s refrigerated department, which is brimming with freshly cut bouquets, close your eyes and soak up the brilliant fragrance.

Give heed to the tiny weeds and wildflowers that sprout up in sidewalk cracks. Consider the persistence and perseverance of that small creature to take root and flourish in such a challenging environment whenever you observe this. Take a moment to send your best wishes and consider how you could connect to that type of strength.

It is so easy to get caught up in this fast paced world and forget to take time to smell the roses. Next time you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just plain grumpy, make a determined effort to step in God’s garden of nature to get grounded and re-energised again.

And remember – if you need some support at any time, I’d love to help. You can book a free call with me here:)

Tags barefoot breathing, get back to nature, get out in nature, inner peace, meditation, Mindset, negative thoughts, peaceful, resilience, self care

Mindset/Strenghts Resilience Self Care

5 Key Benefits Of Humor And Laughter For Your Wellbeing

Post author By Ally
Post date May 9, 2021
No Comments on 5 Key Benefits Of Humor And Laughter For Your Wellbeing

You may have heard that laughter is the best medicine. While psychologists have determined that humor is a coping mechanism for stress, additional research into the science of humor and laughter has found that they are also good for your wellbeing.

There are five key benefits of humor and laughter that can make you happier and healthier.

More Oxygen

Your body uses oxygen to create energy to move. As your cells use oxygen, they create carbon dioxide. Your lungs need to exhale or push out the carbon dioxide so you can get more oxygen. The better your breathing, the more oxygen you breathe in or inhale to circulate throughout your body.

According to the American Lung Association, when you laugh, your lungs expand to push out more carbon dioxide and let more oxygen into them. Deeper breaths mean more oxygen for energy. In a study in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, researchers found that laughing reduced trapped carbon dioxide in the lungs of people with pulmonary disease. People with lung issues often have difficulty expelling carbon dioxide, making their breathing less effective.

More oxygen can help you feel more energetic and alert. More energy improves your ability to do things and benefits your wellbeing.

Reduce Pain

In a study at the University of Oxford, researchers found that humor and laughter reduce pain sensation. Your body produces endorphins, which are natural chemicals that are responsible for making you feel happy. Endorphins also decrease the pain response. In this study, 15 minutes of watching a humorous show increased the pain threshold by 10%.

Endorphins are produced during physical activity and exercise. A typical example is a “runner’s high” or the euphoria an athlete gets while running. Scientists believe that laughter is an exercise for the abdominal muscles. When you laugh, you breathe deeper, using your muscles more. This creates endorphins that help you tolerate pain and improve your wellbeing.

Improved Immune System Function

Your immune system works to protect you against harmful germs. If you are exposed to germs, your immune system produces white blood cells to fight against germs and illness. Your immune system also creates antibodies, so if you are exposed to that germ again, your body is ready to fight it off.

In the 1970s, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine described how a patient with an autoimmune disorder, or dysfunctional immune system, used humor and laughter to treat his condition into remission. Further studies at the Loma Linda University’s Schools of Allied Health have shown that laughter boosts the production of germ-fighting cells and antibodies. Researchers also found that laughter increased cells’ ability to destroy cancer tumors.

Being sick reduces your wellbeing when you don’t feel well and cannot do what you want and need to do. Humor and laughter improve your immune system function and help your overall wellbeing.

Fights Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are linked to stress. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is the most common mental illness and affects over 40 million adults in the United States. Anxiety and depression are often diagnosed together, with over half the people with one condition also having the other. Anxiety and depression negatively affect a person’s wellbeing and quality of life.

Many studies have shown that humor and laughter relieve stress and decrease the risk for anxiety and depression. In a Plos One study, researchers found that the more a person laughed, the less stress they reported feeling.

Better Bonding

In a study at the University of North Carolina, researchers found that shared laughter signals people to believe they have the same viewpoint and boosts their sense of connection.

According to the American Psychological Association, social isolation, and lack of meaningful bonds with others decrease a person’s wellbeing by affecting their:

Sleep
Cognitive Function
Health

Humor and laughter help create and strengthen bonds, improving your wellbeing. Laughter really is the best medicine.

Personal Growth Resilience

How to Be Assertive Without Rubbing People The Wrong Way

Post author By Ally
Post date February 16, 2021
No Comments on How to Be Assertive Without Rubbing People The Wrong Way

Assertiveness is an important skill for effective communication as an adult. Assertiveness allows you to advocate for yourself and your needs in a healthy way. Some people interpret assertiveness as hostility or rudeness. Many factors can go into how assertiveness is interpreted or received. Let’s take a look at ways to advocate for yourself in an effective manner.

What Is Assertiveness?

Assertiveness is an interpersonal skill. It demonstrates your confidence and allows you to advocate for your needs, desires and boundaries while being respectful towards others. You are taking care of yourself by looking out for yourself.

Steps To Being Assertive

Ask for you want or need respectfully
It is ok to say “No”
Speak your mind
Remember you do not need to take responsibility for how the other person reacts and responds.
You have a right to your feelings
Use “I” statements when speaking
Don’t apologize for your feelings or needs.

Delivery Matters

You can definitely be assertive without being rude. Tact is a thing. So is delivery. How you advocate for your needs can make a difference in how it is received. You can be assertive without being aggressive or impolite.

Using “I” statements to convey your needs helps prevent the person you are speaking to understand that you are stating your needs, and not placing blame. At times people may take assertiveness as rudeness when it is not. This is not your responsibility. Stay calm, keep it positive and constructive, but speak your needs.

Practice Practice

Assertiveness comes easy for some and is an anxiety-inducing challenge for others. The thing is, the more you do it the easier it gets. If being assertive does not come naturally for you start small. Practice stating your opinions in lower fidelity situations first.

Gain confidence as you go. Don’t apologize for stating your wants and needs. Know your boundaries and beliefs on bigger issues and be ready to peacefully and proactively advocate for your needs.

Dont’s

Placing blame
Sharing your wants and needs in a confrontational or aggressive manner
Yelling or shouting
Being unwilling to hear the other person out

Try to be diplomatic and do your best to stay calm. Also, understand that you can’t force someone to respect your assertive requests and behaviour. You know what is best for you and only you can decide what to do if your requests are not honored. Stay true to your integrity and values.

Step Ahead Life Coaching™