30 days TO THRIVE wildorange.co
ARE YOU READY? LET’S EMBARK ON AN ADVENTURE.
2
“
Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it’s unbelievable. Roald Dahl
3
WELCOME
to 30 Days to Thrive.
It is the small things that we do every day that shape the way we live our lives. Habits creep up on us. Time is our most precious gift. Pause for a moment, are you spending your time the way you want to? We often maintain habits that no longer serve us. We become stuck and don’t know how to change them. Rather than try and change them, let’s create new habits to replace the old. 30 Days to Thrive provides 30 days of new ideas, new inspiration, new habits or rituals as I like to call them to help you become unstuck. Let’s create some habits you love. From the workbook chose one a day for 30 days. Try them all even those you think you may not enjoy, you may surprise yourself. I remember when my mum told me she didn’t like honey – so I gave her some with a dessert and she told me it was delicious… she had decided she didn’t like it when actually she hadn’t tried it – old pattern that no longer served her. You can follow them in order or chose at random. The only “rule” is you need to try them all.
We first make our habits and then our habits make us — John Dryden
Print out the beautiful card for daily inspiration. Put it somewhere you can see it.
4
One a day for 30 days – you got this! But how is it going to work? Neuroplasticity! Neuroplasticity is a term that is being talked about more and more. What does it mean? My simple explanation. It was previously thought that as we age our brains stay the same, that only babies and children could learn anything new. Research has proven this to be untrue. The term was first coined way back in the early 1990’s by Dr. Richard. J. Davidson, back then the scientific community was still not on board with the idea. He explained “repeated experience can change the brain, shaping it. We don’t have to choose between nature or nurture. They interact, molding each other.” Our brains are plastic, they can be molded and through the small things we do daily we are creating neural pathways. Think of a river that has been flowing for many years, the river started as a small trickle of water that slowly began to grow to a stream, creating grooves in the soil creating creation a river bed. As more water flowed, the river bed got deeper and deeper. Transfer this analogy to your mind, the more you do the same thing over and over, it creates a deep neural pathway, a habit. If you want to create new positive life-changing habits you can by creating a new neural pathway. It takes time to dam old neural pathways and old habits, overwriting them with new habits and rituals that you want in your life. 30 day to thrive is designed to be fun! Yes, fun. Living well doesn’t need to be boring or difficult. It will help you to build some purposeful pauses into your daily routine and try something new. “It’s the small changes we make every day that adds up to living well” Dr. Frank Lipman.
Sonja xo 5
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Revive
WARM WATER AND LEMON A simple morning ritual. Before you have breakfast or coffee, revive your digestion with a glass of warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon, giving you digestion a natural kickstart. Boil the kettle, mix the hot water with some cold then your lemon juice (feel free to throw in the actual piece of lemon). Yes it is that easy. WHY? The liver does most of its work overnight, and by drinking some warm water with fresh lemon juice in the morning, you are helping your liver flush the toxins from your body. The citrus juice kick starts the liver. The citric acid boosts the removal of toxic substances from the body collected from all the things we come into contact with daily like plastic, synthetic chemicals and pesticides from food. Lemons are a wonder fruit, the juice kills bacteria and is an excellent remedy against infections of the respiratory system, honey, and lemon anyone? High in vitamin C is an extra citrus bonus. To make it easy do this as soon as you step out of your bedroom. Try and wait 30 minutes before having breakfast (if you can).
7
Breathe THREE DEEP BREATHS
Learn to use your breath for energy, to calm your mind and slow down. Let’s bring breath awareness into your day. Chose a task you do multiple times a day, and each time you do this task pause and bring awareness to your breath. Could be every time you have a coffee or tea break, go to the bathroom, make a call or look at your phone. For the rest of today every time you do this task, take a moment, pause and take three deep breaths. What is a deep breath? As you inhale, allow your belly to expand like a balloon. The breath moves slowly up into the diaphragm expanding the ribcage outwards like an accordion and moves up into the upper chest. Like a wave of breath cascading through the body. On the exhale the breath moves down into the chest, diaphragm and then the belly deflates. Pause and practice throughout the day. Three breaths low and slow. We have 1000 opportunities every hour to pause and reset. WHY? By focusing on breathing low and slow, we increase oxygen intake, calm our nervous system and overall slow-down our body and mind.
8
Gratitude
FIVE THINGS YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR It feels like everyone is talking about gratitude. For good reason, it has so many lifegiving benefits. List five things you are grateful for before you go to bed or early in the morning. As you write, take a moment to recall each of the five things as you write them. Feel the experience, the gratitude in a heartfelt way. Don’t journal? Send yourself an email or take a note on your phone. Why not send a message to a friend? I have a daily gratitude practice with a friend who lives overseas. We message each other nightly with five things we are grateful for. Not only do I feel good reflecting on my day, but I feel closer to her than I have in many years. Even when I have had a less than stellar day, my gratitude practice allows me to find some small nugget of gratitude and helps me feel better overall. Once you have written your five things you are grateful for, take time to pause and reflect. How did it make you feel to take the time to be grateful for your day? WHY? Gratitude has been extensively researched. Research has proven that gratitude can have a dramatic and lasting effect on your life. Benefits include: • Lower blood pressure • Improved immune function • Increased happiness and wellbeing • Prolonging the enjoyment of pleasurable experiences • A greater sense of purpose • Resilience 9
Restore Sleep SLEEP, SLEEP AND SLEEP SOME MORE ZZZZ Restore Sleep, sleep and sleep some more zzzzz Our bodies recharge overnight, and most of us (there are a few rare exceptions) need between seven to eight hours of sleep each evening. Your goal is to focus on setting the environment to achieve 7-8 hours of restful sleep. I know I need seven hours of sleep, eight makes me feel groggy. You will know how much you really need (not how much you are actually getting). If you need to be awake by 6 am, aim to be in bed between 9.30 or 10 pm. You can do this! Steps to achieving a rejuvenating nights sleep – all about preparation. • Switch off all electronics an hour before your bedtime (you can do this, it’s one night, no excuses). • Set an old-school alarm clock(if you have one) or even better if you can allow yourself to wake naturally without an alarm. • Let your phone sleep outside of your bedroom. • Before bed, take a warm bath or shower or give yourself a foot massage, fabulous ways to wind down before getting between the sheets. WHY AIM FOR SEVEN TO EIGHT HOURS? Benefits include: • increased longevity • improved cognitive function • better relationships • lower levels of inflammation • decreased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease • improved skin health and • hormonal balance There are many, many, more benefits but most important of all you will feel great! Research has shown that people who get less than six hours of sleep each night increase their risk of developing a chronic illness, let’s get your sleep back on track. Happy sleeps. 10
Replenish
WITH AN ENERGIZING MORNING SMOOTHIE After a restorative night’s sleep, what better way to start the morning (after your warm water and lemon) with a delicious smoothie for breakfast or a mid-morning pick me up. Replenishing having a delicious morning pick me up. You may want to prep your ingredients the night before and blend in the morning. I use an app called Daily Blends, and this is a slightly modified version of one of their smoothies. Ingredients – it’s not an exact science: 2 handfuls cups of Spinach (or Kale) I prefer Spinach Add around 2-3 cups of almond or cashew milk 1 apple (remove the core and pips) 1 banana A handful of gluten-free or regular oats ½ teaspoon of coconut oil (try and use Virgin coconut oil) Optional: maca or baobab powder or some cinnamon to taste. Blend the spinach and the milk together first (important step) Then add all the other ingredients apart from the powder and blend until smooth. Take your powder of choice and gently blend or shake. Grab a mason jar and have it now or take it to go. Not only does this taste divine but you are getting a wide range of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Nature is so clever!
11
Reconnect WALK BAREFOOT IN NATURE
“In every walk with nature, one receives more than he seeks” — John Muir Find time in your day to kick off your shoes and socks and walk barefoot in the grass (or sand or dirt). Wander for as long as you like. Walk mindfully, taking slow, deliberate steps, walk heel-toe and then toe heel, how does it feel, can you feel the grass between your toes? Is it warm or cool? Does it bring back any memories? Pause – Breathe – Feel WHY? Walking barefoot exposes pores in the feet to absorb the earth’s electrons. Yes, this is true!! It helps to balance the nervous system and activate your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). Mountains, trees, plants, and water all contain energy that aids in the promotion of good health. A recent article in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2013) found that walking in nature with direct physical contact (known as earthing) increases the surface charge of red blood cells which can be a significant factor in heart disease. Walking barefoot in nature increases antioxidants, reduces inflammation and improves sleep. Research from the University of Queensland, Australia found that if everyone visited their local park for half an hour each week, there would be7% fewer cases of depression and 9% fewer cases of high blood pressure. If for no other reason, it feels incredible. 12
Paper Therapy REDISCOVER THE JOY OF WRITING Set aside your laptop and rediscover the joy of writing. Find 10-20 minutes today to write, find a place you are comfortable and unlikely to be interrupted. At home, a coffee shop, park, anywhere. Free write. It can be a dear diary, things you are grateful for, a poem, a haiku, short story anything, don’t overthink it just write for the sheer joy of putting pen to paper. Or use this as your sentence starter “today I want to …..” There is something meditative about putting pen to paper, feeling the weight of the pen in your hand as it glides over the paper. Try using different color pens or pencils to awaken your senses. Red is great for venting, blue to communicate feelings and green to seed ideas. Notice your breath. Any insights? What did your subconscious surrender? WHY? Writing has so many benefits, not only is it a beautiful ritual to sit quietly and take time out of the day for reflection, writing helps us to make sense of what is going on in our heads. Writing aids clarity, clarifying our feelings and aids in stress reduction. University of Texas psychologist and researcher Dr. James Pennebaker author of Opening up by Writing it Down discovered that journaling lowers depression and anxiety as well as strengthening immune cells called T-lymphocytes. Writing, slowly can open your channels of creativity.
13
Thoughts
USE THIS SPACE TO CAPTURE ANY THOUGHTS OF THE LAST 7 DAYS, DRAW, DOODLE, WRITE, PAINT A SMILEY FACE :)
14
Go Green
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PLANTS There are many health benefits to having a green environment. Don’t have any plants? Spend some time this week at your local nursery or farmers market and enjoy roaming among the plants. Chose a few for your home or office (or both). A few ideas to get you started. Aloe Vera also known as the ‘plant of immortality’ (hard to kill for those with a less than green thumb) is a beautiful plant to have in the bathroom. Aloe vera gel can be used as a topical treatment for minor cuts and burns, insect bites and also dry skin. Take a leaf, open it up and use the beautiful nature gel inside. Peace Lily loves the humidity from a steamy shower and purifies the air. Spider plants are suitable for any room but work well in the kitchen. Natural air purifiers, spider plants helping remove odor, fumes, and pollutants from the environment. Perhaps a tomato plant if you receive a lot of sun, Jasmine provides a divine aroma, a classic orchid is always a joy to look at or maybe some vibrant chili plants? Whatever you chose to enjoy and know you are creating a healthy home and office environment. WHY? Having indoor plants can help to reduce physiological and psychological stress and lower blood pressure. Many plants can also remove toxins from the air.
15
Savor
Today we are slowing down and savoring, let’s begin with making a mindful cuppa. Do you remember a time where you did just one thing? Our digital devices seem to be permanently glued to our hands. When was the last time you made a cup of tea without reading something or flicking through your messages? Focusing your mind on just one thing takes training and practice. We are more productive and creative if we do one thing at a time rather than splitting our attention between multiple elements. Let’s start training your monkey mind with something simple. The next time you make a cup of tea, coffee, chai or maybe hot chocolate whatever your beverage of choice focus on that one task making your drink. Use all your senses, your eyes to select your tea (or coffee), your nose to inhale and savor the aroma, your ears to hear the noise or silence in the room, your hands to feel the weight of your cup in your hand, the design, the smoothness. Observe your environment what do you notice that you have never seen before? Listen to the sound of the water boiling or the machine working away to deliver your beverage. Breathe deeply and slowly as you pour. Pause when your beverage is ready and really savor this moment. The gift of a few minutes of undivided attention. Resist the urge to multitask, put away your phone, walk away from your laptop. Meet the moment, training your mind to be grounded in the present. WHY? Multitasking is not productive despite what you may think. This daily ritual of mindfully making a cuppa will start to retrain you to focus on single tasking, calming our mind and over time increasing productivity. 16
Create A BEAUTIFUL DAY
Imagine you have a full 24 hours to yourself – what would you do? What brings you joy? Design your beautiful day, not a perfect day, a day filled with things that fill you up. Write, type, draw, vision board, create your beautiful day. It may be rising early, reading the newspaper (the physical paper kind) with a coffee then meeting friends with a quiet evening at home. Taking the day to finish a project you have been yearning to finish or going for a hike. Maybe staying in bed all day with your favorite book. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or busy. Take time to note what brings you joy and ask yourself the question, how often do you allow yourself time to experience this? Creating a beautiful day is about making conscious decisions, about creating not reacting. Got it, all written down or in your head? Fantastic, yes you got it, find a day in the not too distant future where you have your beautiful day. After, write about your experience. Give yourself permission to flow, things may not go exactly to plan, and that is ok, enjoy the detours and your beautiful day. WHY? Martin Seligman (founder of Positive Psychology) created the beautiful day exercise to encourage his students to schedule enjoyable events. We often get caught up in the day to day minutiae of life which isn’t always representative of what brings us joy or what is a good life. By creating a beautiful day, you get to explore and remember why you work and help to start creating new habits of building elements of your beautiful day into the everyday. 17
Be Kind
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS Five random acts of kindness. You may already do this and don’t even think about it, like buying a stranger a coffee or helping someone cross the street. Take a moment to think about some of the acts of unconditional kindness you have done for others or that others have done for you. Pause, how did you feel? Don’t know where to start, here are a few ideas • Send someone a card or a text message telling them how much they mean to you • Pay it forward, pay for an extra coffee at your local coffee place and gift it to the third person in line • Smile at a random stranger, genuinely smile, catch their eyes • Write a compliment for someone on a sticky note and leave it on their desk (anonymously) • Be spontaneous – act on something you usually wouldn’t WHY? Random Acts of Kindness have been scientifically shown to increase happiness and wellbeing. Benefits (here are a few): • Increases oxytocin which aids in lowering blood pressure • Increases self-esteem and optimism • Improves overall heart health • Experience fewer aches and pains Kindness stimulates the production of serotonin – the feelgood chemical which heals wounds, calms and makes you happy. Do you need any more reasons? Ok….according to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed — not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.” World Kindness Day is on November 13th, 2018, put it in your diary and make it a family, team, friend event. For more ideas check out www.randomactsofkindness.org. 18
Cultivate Mindfulness MINDFUL EATING
Take time to eat mindfully. Breathe, slow down, look at your food allowing your eyes to take delight at all the different colors and textures. How often do you rush through the day eating on the run, while feeling stressed? Or in front of your desk whilst reading emails or the news? How often have you finished your meal and can’t recall what you actually ate? All too often I would imagine as we are distracted by a million different things. It is important to give your body time to get ready to eat, to register you are about to eat without distraction. WHY? Digestion starts before you even put any food into your mouth. Known as the cephalic phase, the sight, sound, smell and thought of food all signals your central nervous system (via your vagus nerve) to get ready. We secrete up to 40% of the hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes needed to break down food before we eat. Yes, 40%! Smell it (feel yourself start to salivate?). Give thanks breathe again. Slowly take a bite, chew slowly and deliberately. Really taste, allow the food flavors to explode in your mouth. Pause, how different is this to taking a bite chewing a few times and taking another bite before you have even finished the first one? Keep eating and pause occasionally checking in to see if you are still hungry. Stop when you are 80% full, this allows enough room for digestion to start rather than feeling stuffed. This is a great way to start to bring mindfulness into your day, enjoy your food and start to slow down. 19
Time Out DIGITAL DEVICE PAUSE It’s time – take time away from our devices. I know this is difficult, believe me I know. It is also necessary. Steps to get started 1. Set a no phone time, commit to it and see it as a pleasure, not a punishment. Let people know you won’t be online before 10am. 2. Keep it out of reach and on silent. Don’t keep temptation sitting next to you. If you were giving up sugar you wouldn’t place a donut next to your desk, would you? 3. If you use your phone as your meditation timer make sure you have it in airplane mode. Or use another timer. Resist the temptation to do other things. 4. Turn off all notifications on your phone and other digital devices. 5. Replace the time you would have been online with something you enjoy. Take the opportunity to catch up on other work, coffee with friends, alone time, a walk outside, reading a book the possibilities are endless. 6. Set times throughout the day when you will check your phone, your online time and stick to it. 7. Spend time with people who make you forget to check your phone. I love this one! Experiment just for one day and see how you feel. WHY? In the US people spend on average five hours per day on their phones with over half this time spent on social media*. Pre-smartphone this was on average 18 minutes….18 minutes! Take back control of how you engage with the world. The ludic loop – you check your FB, IG, Twitter, and email and by the time you have gone through all this you start from the beginning again wondering what you may have missed. Crazy right but we all do it. The ludic loop is what slot machines are designed to produce. You get lulled into a state of ease and comfort, you forget all your worries. Want to be happier – try a social media hiatus. A study by the Happiness Institute in Denmark conducted in 2015 titled the Facebook experiment. The results a week away from social media made people happier. Those who stayed on Facebook were 55% more stressed. https://www.happinessresearchinstitute.com/ *(Flurry Analytics Dec 2016)
20
Simplify TIME TO DECLUTTER
Pick a drawer, cupboard, shelf, workspace or bag to simplify and declutter. A few years ago, I bought Marie Kondo’s book The Magic of Tidying Up. It lay on my shelf for about a year until one day I picked it up and read it cover to cover. I was living in a shoebox apartment and had books spilling all over the floor, stationery everywhere and enough shoes to fit a millipede. I was ready to say farewell to some of my stuff – the stuff we all have that accumulates, taking up physical and energetic space. The simple premise – if it no longer brings you joy bid it farewell. By clearing space, you are making space for the new (no not more stuff). New energy, new opportunities, renewed calmness. This is not the Marie Kondo way but lets’ start small. 1. Today chose one thing to clear out – a shelf, a drawer, a cupboard, a bag, a box, even your handbag or backpack whatever it is. 2. Empty the contents onto a table, your bed, the floor. 3. Take each item and hold it – does it bring you joy? Granted if you have chosen the kitchen drawer chances are your wooden spoon may not bring you joy but do you like it, do you use it or is it just taking up space? 4. Keep or discard – no middle ground, no “oh but maybe I will use it” when it hasn’t seen the light of day for two years! 5. Place it in a box or bag to be donated to a friend or elsewhere. Or recycle it if it had its day. WHY? • Research shows that the stress hormone cortisol is released when we are surrounded by clutter • You will find you have increased concentration and improved focus. All this stuff even if hidden in drawers, you know it is there, and it distracts you; • Tidying your desk can help you feel calm and focused if you are feeling overwhelmed; • Releasing emotional baggage associated with many items; and • Better sleep, studies have shown that sleeping in an untidy room impacts sleep.
21
Thoughts
USE THIS SPACE TO CAPTURE ANY THOUGHTS OF THE LAST 7 DAYS, DRAW, DOODLE, WRITE, PAINT A SMILEY FACE :)
22
Have Fun
STEP INTO YOUR CREATIVITY When did you last do something just for fun? You remember that thing you used to do all the time as a kid. Grab a pen and paper List 20 things that you enjoy doing, that you find fun, past or present Don’t think about it just write 20 you have 5 minutes – go. Ok, now you have your list, next to each item write the date of the last time you did this activity. Right – a long long time ago? From the list chose two that make you smile the most at the mere thought of doing them. Mine included roller skating (the four-wheel kind); playing with glitter; dancing and getting lost with my camera (yip as a kid I always had one). Yes, you got it - go do it – today, tomorrow, the weekend. Be spontaneous, find some play time. As adults, we forget to play and have fun. It becomes reserved for kids, but why? WHY? Play and having fun is an important part of life for everyone of all ages. Play often leads to laughter, leading to stress reduction and may improve vascular health. Other benefits include release of dopamine and reduced blood pressure, increased creativity and productivity. Time to Play! “Play is essential to our health, if you want to have a fun life, you can’t have a fun life without play.” — Dr. Bowen White, Physician and founder National Institute for Play
23
Hug A Tree THE JOY OF FOREST BATHING I love to hug trees, seriously, it makes me feel better. When I discovered I wasn’t crazy and that there is a whole bunch of research around this it made me want to hug more trees! The Japanese practice of “forest bathing” is scientifically proven to improve your health. Very simple, be among trees. Go to your local park, a walking trail, anywhere where you can be in nature and among trees. Mindfully walk taking your time to look at the trees, the color of the bark, the leaves, the shape of the branches. Feel free to stop, touch, smell and hug. Feel the ground underneath allow all your senses to breath in nature. WHY? Forest bathing became part of the national public health program in Japan in 1982. It is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress hormone production, boost the immune system and improve overall feelings of wellbeing. The Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences at Japan’s Chiba University measured the physiological effects on 280 subjects in their early 20s. After a 30-minute forest visit, participants showed lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure and greater parasympathetic nervous activity (rest and digest). The smell of pine trees strengthens your immune system and research by Finnish researchers found that being in nature five hours per week can make you happier overall. Try and make it part of your weekly routine to escape the city, even if just to your local park as regular contact with nature improves our immune system and our wellbeing. 24
Love Yourself SELF-CARE DATE
So often we are great at giving to others but not so great at giving to ourselves. Today love yourself more. Humans need physical touch, it is vital to our physical and mental wellbeing. With so many of us living alone and working crazy hours it is easy to go for a week without a hug, hand holding, or self-love like a foot massage as we don’t have time. Today if you can, book a massage, a manicure, a pedicure something that involves physical touch. Ask your friend, partner, parents, for a hug, a proper hug. Yes ok, I am a big hugger…ask any of my friends they will tell you. WHY? Oxytocin, often known as the love hormone because of the good feelings and emotions it brings is released during physical touch. A study by the University of Miami found that cortisol drops by up to 53% after massage therapy. The act of touch releases oxytocin said feel-good hormone. If you don’t have time for a massage, try giving yourself a foot massage. This is especially fabulous just before bed, calming the nervous system and setting the stage for an excellent night of sleep. Get some natural oil such as almond or even olive oil from the kitchen. Place a small amount into your hands and gently start to massage your feet. Close your eyes and spend five to ten minutes on each foot, massage away the tension from the day. Note how you feel, self-love a beautiful gift to you.
25
Cook
WITH WHOLE FOODS Cook…what? Yes, I want you to make something from scratch and let’s make it easy by starting with a fantastic salad the color of the rainbow. Everyone is busy, I understand, and it is effortless to grab that prepackaged meal, sandwich or salad whatever it is but chances are you have no idea where it was made or what it contains. Let’s rediscover the joy of nourishing our mind and body by making a simple salad. If you have a partner, make it a collective experience and involve them in either the shopping, preparation or both. Have a variety of colors, make it mostly vegetable based with limited protein and fat. A go-to salad for me is spinach and arugula (rocket) as the base, add tomatoes, avocado, sweet peppers, walnuts and pumpkin seeds, cilantro (coriander), roasted sweet potato, goats cheese (or halloumi), cauliflower rice all tossed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Both delicious and filling. If you want to add protein try and find grass fed protein or wild fish where possible. A perfect plate according to Dr. Frank Lipman consists of 50-70% non-starchy vegetables, 10-15% best quality protein and 20-30% healthy fats. Get creative and enjoy. Remember to eat mindfully. WHY? Eating with wholefoods, provides more nutrients including vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids and fiber. You know what you are eating. Unlike many processed foods which have added sugar, oils, colors and preservatives you know exactly what you are putting at the end of your fork. It’s fun, cooking is fun you don’t need to be good at it just enjoy and use color and texture as your guide. 26
Read
YOUR FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOK Remember those books you loved as a child or young adult that you no longer think you should be reading. I picked up the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe last year and absolutely loved it. My imagination ran amok, and it was fun. Pick a book you love and read for your own pleasure or if you have children and even teens read to or with them. Today find the book and go buy it or download and start with the first chapter. Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project fame lists her 81 favorite children and young adult books on her blog if you are looking for some inspiration. WHY on earth are you suggesting this you ask? • Aids creativity as you let your imagination run free • A wonderful way to spend quality time with your children • The simplicity of children and young adult books is terrific if you are trying to learn about a new topic, seriously, I have a children’s book on deities which I love, simple, easy to follow and fun illustrations. • We can still learn things from children’s/young adult books • It’s enjoyable
27
Music
THE HEALING POWER OF SOUND Music can transport you to another dimension, another place in time and space. Today listen to a favorite piece of music. Listening is a skill, one which we can quickly lose. Sound and music can lift your mood, help you cry when you just need to, help you focus, calm your mind and find deep relaxation. Music enables you to shake your booty and give you the momentum to push through when called upon. For music to have this impact on us, we need to choose to listen. To devote our entire attention to it to absorb the beauty, the message, the moment. Today find time to listen to your favorite piece of music, it might be in the shower or take it really slow and find a quiet place and listen through your headphones. Use noise canceling if you have them, close your eyes and listen. Notice if there is any difference in how you listened this time compared with all the times you have listed to this music before. Want more? Try a sound bath. If you want to take it a step further and feel deep healing through sound, try attending a sound bath. I know it sounds new age, but believe me, it is a fantastic experience. If you are not quite ready for a full sound bath experience, it is a step too far right now you can find resources through your favorite streaming medium like Spotify, Pandora or youtube. The important part is listening to music in an alpha frequency. WHY? Music can induce an alpha state, a relaxed state of mind between awake and asleep. When you are actively awake, you are in a beta state where the brain wave activity is between 14 and 30 Hz. Alpha slows the brain waves to between 7 and 14 Hz. The benefits of an alpha state are this relaxed state of mind allows you to recharge, increase receptiveness to ideas, creativity and even be less critical. It enhances memory and recall. Many great minds from Edison to Einstein accessed the alpha state of being on a regular basis.  
28
Quiet
FIND SOME TIME FOR SILENCE Life is full and most often noisy, our senses are overloaded from external noises on our daily commute, all our devices alerting us to incoming news, conversations of passers-by and also the internal noise of our thoughts which distract us. This not only disconnects us from our work but also from ourselves, it is so easy to get distracted but also easy to distract ourselves when we don’t want to listen. For a few hours, chose a time when you are going to be in silence, perhaps your morning or afternoon. I love silent mornings, eating breakfast in silence focusing only on my food, taking time to read a chapter of a book or journaling. Simply savoring my coffee. I often find it hard to break my silence once I have started it is so enjoyable, give yourself permission to go for as long as it remains enjoyable. Tips for success: • Chose a time that you know will work for you, a time when you are least likely to be interrupted • If you are going to be around others, let them know in advance that you are choosing to spend this time in silence (they may even want to join you) • If you need to be online, try to keep it to a minimum and turn off notifications • Eat a meal during this time and focus 100% on your food • Use the quiet time to take a mindful walk, sit quietly noticing what arises or work on a project that is more tactile in nature Notice if you are craving distraction and entertainment. The voice of your inner critic, an increase in irritability or perhaps the complete opposite a sense of complete calm, joy in the silence, a state of flow WHY? • Silence promotes psychological and emotional benefits. • A 2013 study found that two hours of silence could create new cells in the hippocampus region, the area of the brain linked to learning, remembering, and emotions. • Boost the body’s immune system • Lowers blood pressure • Aids in decreasing stress by reducing blood cortisol levels and adrenaline 29
Thoughts
USE THIS SPACE TO CAPTURE ANY THOUGHTS OF THE LAST 7 DAYS, DRAW, DOODLE, WRITE, PAINT A SMILEY FACE :)
30
Get Lost MINDFULLY
Do you take the same route to work every day? Do you go to the same supermarket for groceries, buy the same things, go to the same coffee shop, hike in the same woods? When was the last time you did not use your phone to go somewhere? With the convenience of technology, somehow we have lost the mystery and joy of getting lost. We go directly from A to B and no-longer meander. The most direct route all planned for us. Get mindfully lost! Our brains become more active when we change our surroundings. Take a different route to work, go to a different store and explore the aisles for what you need, or take a hike somewhere new and really focus on your surroundings. WHY? • Your senses will be heightened as you need to focus and be mindful of where you are; • You will pay more attention to the pathway, the buildings, the stores, the people you pass, you may be surprised by what you find; and • Provides an entirely new perspective on where you live. Depending on the challenge you chose it can increase problem-solving as you figure out how to get to where you need to go without technology. Getting lost can also increase your compassion for others. If you always know where you are going, it is difficult to understand those who are lost physically and emotionally. Most importantly be safe and have fun. Start small and increase over time – watch your sense of adventure evolve.
31
Go
ON AN ART DATE Inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artists Way today is about taking or organizing an art date. Going on an art date allows you to tap into a creative awakening, it will enable you to play. I am sure the younger you loved to be creative and play. I used to spend hours as a child making collages and throwing around glitter. Rediscover that part of you that has long ago been shelved but the younger you loved to do. The only rule is to do it solo, it is your time. Here are some ideas for your art date: • Attend a music class, I attended a harmonium lesson at my local yoga studio • Spend an hour wandering around a museum • Go to a stationary store and be inspired, maybe buy a few color pens or pencils and write in different colors or doodle • Attend a concert or find a favorite music artist online and close the door and watch them for an hour…feel the passion with which they play. • Build sand castles • Attend a pottery class – hasn’t everyone wanted to make something? • Knit or sew • Try improv! You can take spiritual artists dates, music dates, museum dates, architecture dates, play, sport, cinema, design, writing artist’s dates. The possibilities are endless. As Julia puts it “think of the artist’s date as one half “artist” and one half “date.” You are wooing your own consciousness. Commit to giving yourself one artist’s date this week if not today then this week. Studies have found that crafting can boost your wellbeing and imagination. Need more ideas – check out Julia’s website https://theartistswayblog.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/101-artists-date-ideas/
32
Meditate SO HUM
Meditation changed my life, a big statement I know but it did. This is a simple meditation technique that I would love for you to try. There are many types of meditation, and they all have different benefits. Today, my personal practice is primarily Vedic meditation, a mantra-based meditation. I love it and look forward to my daily practice. It wasn’t always this way trust me. If you have tried to meditate and it just hasn’t worked for you, I understand, been there! For this meditation practice, you are going to use a mantra. A Beja or seed mantra – So Hum (I am that), the sound is more important than the meaning. What is a mantra? A mantra is a sound, a sound quality that can trigger states of consciousness. Try not to concentrate on your mantra so hard that you don’t relax, the idea is to let go, you will “lose” your mantra many times through the practice. Each time your mind wanders off (and it will and that is ok) bring your attention back to your mantra and start again. Ready to try? Try to do this practice in the morning preferably before any breakfast or coffee. Let’s do this • Sit comfortably, with your back supported (but not slouching), be fully relaxed. Be as comfortable as possible. • Breath naturally and relax just letting the body settle down – let your breath be natural • Now that we have settled we are going to learn our meditation • So Hum – say it out loud, So Hum – say it out loud • So Hum (again) • Now start to get softer with each repetition, continue and say the mantra a little softer • Softer, softer • Now close your eyes and continue to repeat the mantra mentally without moving the tongue or the lips Start with 1 minute, then 5, then 7 and so on. Aim to build your practice to 20 minutes ideally twice a day.
33
Move
AS MUCH AS YOU CAN Our bodies are designed to move and need movement to maintain strength, balance, weight, fluidity. As many of our jobs today revolve around a computer screen or sitting it is important to move as often as you can. Look for opportunities to build more movement into your day. Ways to build in more movement • On your daily commute get off a stop early and walk the rest of the way • Take the stairs in every building you go into today • On the phone a lot? Get a headset or use your earphones and walk while you talk even if around in circles or take those calls outside • Talk a walk at lunch don’t sit at your desk • Find ten minutes twice today to move, could be spending 10 minutes stretching when you get out of bed or have a dance around your kitchen as you cook The possibilities are endless. WHY? Movement causes muscle tissue to produce proteins called myokines that have important disease prevention and anti-inflammatory functions. A life without movement can lead to higher risk of illness, reduced cognition, sleep disruption and a whole host of other physical and mental health challenges. I know that if I don’t get on my yoga mat, go for a walk or move in some way I will end up back at my osteopath with a list of back issues yet when I exercise and move I am completely fine. Find something you love to do and make movement a daily ritual. 34
“
Whatever you can do, or dream you can to, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. Goethe
35
Say NO TO SAY YES TO YOU
Turn saying no into your superpower. Learn to say yes to you! Practice today, if anyone asks you to do something that you either do not want to do or simply do not have the bandwidth or energy to do it say no. If you are a natural giver raise your hand in the air…yip I am with you, it is so difficult to say no to things. It is, however, one of THE most significant gifts you can give yourself. Saying no is something you learn. It does not come naturally to everyone. We try to do it all, see our friends, work extra hours, volunteer, get to the gym, shop for groceries, helping everyone and anyone who asks for it……enough, you cannot do it all! What happens, you feel exhausted, on edge, annoyed because all you wanted was you time, to read a book, lay on the grass and watch the sky or do nothing, nada, zero. I know it can be super scary to say no. You are thinking what if I am not asked again? What if I upset someone? Am I being a terrible friend? They need me….the list goes on. Whatever you tell yourself it is not true. Those who are truly your friends will respect you, and if they don’t, well that also says something. Recap - If anyone asks you to do something that you either do not want to do or simply do not have the bandwidth or energy to do it say no. But I don’t know if I want to do it or not! If it’s not a hell yes, then it’s a hell no! Try this tip I picked up from the Tim Ferris Tribe of Mentors book If you are not sure if you want to say no give it a rating from 1-10, you are not allowed to use 7. If it falls in the 1-6 range, it really isn’t something you wanted to do. Say no with grace - Keep it short, you don’t need to make excuses, be kind but firm. No thank you, I am not available but that you for thinking of me. Embrace the joy of missing out. Do Less – Be More - You can do this! 36
Be Here Right Now MINDFULNESS IN ACTION
Practice mindfulness, focus on doing one thing at a time. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is about being fully present, fully aware of what you are doing right here, right now. Not drifting off mindlessly to another activity. Multitasking is not mindfulness. It is also about being clear on our intention for doing what we are doing. Mindfulness is everywhere today, it has become part of our mainstream language yet how often are we actually mindful. How many of us even think about being mindful. All too often I see people (sometimes myself included) walking down the street trying to walk and message someone at the same time. All this means is that I am not fully present in either moment, with the friend I am messaging or paying any attention to where I am going. Today focus on doing one thing at a time, if you are working on a project, only work on that project and resist the temptation to check emails at the same time. Here are a few ideas. • Brushing your teeth mindfully • Making and eating breakfast mindfully • Washing the dishes mindfully • Speaking to your partner mindfully
• Playing with your kids • Talking to a friend or your parents • The next time you go to a gig, don’t take photos with your phone, enjoy the music!
Try it for one day. When you catch yourself trying to do more than one thing at a time, pause, and make a choice which will I focus on and finish? WHY? Research has shown that we are far more productive if we focus on one task at a time. By multitasking, we are reducing productivity by as much as 40% …40%. See how you feel at the end of the day and if you accomplish more than you thought you would. You are training your brain, creating new neural pathways learning to single-task, increase productivity and awareness…it takes time. 37
Smile ALL DAY
Look in the mirror and smile – genuinely smile at yourself, let the corners of your mouth curl up, wish yourself good morning. Smiling changes brain activity and enhances mood. Smiling has even been linked to longevity, do you need any more reasons. Today, smile at yourself, and at every opportunity offer people you know and complete strangers a genuine smile. Look into their eyes and smile. See what happens, note how you feel and how they respond. We feel happier when we smile as we activate the zygomatic major muscle which draws the mouth up and down. Our brains sense the flexion, and our neural response is – oh I’m smiling I am happy. “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile is the source of your joy.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
38
Yoga Nidra EXPLORE THE JOY OF SLEEP YOGA
Try a different type of yoga, the only thing you need to do is be still, lay down and close your eyes. 30 minutes of yoga nidra is the equivalent of two hours of restful sleep. Yes I know, amazing. Journey into the space between sleep and awake. This delightful practice often described as dynamic sleep yoga allows the body to deeply relax while the mind stays inwardly alert. Through yoga nidra, you find yourself in the place between being fully awake and asleep. Known as a “hypnagogic state” it is the threshold between alpha and theta waves on the precipice of sleep yet your mind still awake you are suspended. This space allows access to subconscious memory and repressed experiences. Theta waves are associated with concentration and meditation, dreams, hypnosis and hypnogogic imagery. Deep, deep relaxation. Head over to the website and download the yoga nidra audio, grab your earphones and get comfortable. During the practice, I will guide you using a set of verbal instructions. Spotify and Insight Timer also have a number of nidra practices. Have a blanket to cover yourself with, an eye mask for complete relaxation and make sure you won’t be disturbed. If you fall asleep, that is perfectly normal. The more you practice, the more rested you will become and the less you will fall asleep. WHY? Yoga Nidra Benefits: • Aids in stress reduction and is effective in supporting the reduction in anxiety • Calms and clears the mind aid learning and memory • Releases tension • Awake feeling refreshed • Aids creativity and anyone can practice yoga nidra
39
Love
SPEND TIME WITH SOMEONE YOU ADORE I am not talking romantic love (not this time), I am talking about the love, the adoration, the joy you have for your friends and yes, your family also counts in this group. Relationships are a key factor affecting happiness. Today spend time with a friend (or family member) you love and adore. If they are not physically close to you, then set up a time to talk, yes talk on the phone or via video. Friends are good for your health, we celebrate the good and the bad with our friends. They are always there for us, often when the rest of the world lets us down. Today celebrate a friendship or friendships. Maybe get a group of your friends together and tell them how much they mean to you. Surprise them by sending flowers. Go on a fun guys and/or girls day out, grab lunch or coffee together. Make a simple phone call and say I love you, you are so important to me, and I want you to know that. WHY? Health benefits to friendship* • Increase your sense of belonging and purpose • Boost happiness and reduce stress • Improve your self-confidence and self-worth • Hope you cope with trauma (divorce, illness, job loss) • Can support you to make changes in your life It’s never too late to build new friendships or reconnect with old friends. Investing time in making friends and strengthening your friendships can pay off in better health and a brighter outlook for years to come. My heart is bursting even writing this, and I sent messages to a bunch of my friends. *Source: Mayo Clinic
40
Thoughts
USE THIS SPACE TO CAPTURE ANY THOUGHTS OF THE LAST 7 DAYS, DRAW, DOODLE, WRITE, PAINT A SMILEY FACE :)
41
“
When you want something all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. Paulo Coelho
42
THE BEGINNING Yes, now it all begins. You have 30 fabulous life shaping rituals. Your transformation has started. Chose one or two and incorporate them into your life. Set yourself up for success by only choosing one or two every 30 days. Bring these life-giving rituals into your day, every day, this is how you change those neural pathways we talked about earlier. Daily practice, it takes time. Enjoy the journey, you will be amazed at how quickly you adopt these into your way of being. How small changes start to have a positive impact on your choices, your wellbeing, your life. Make them personal, achievable, and consistent and you will succeed. After 30 days add another, then another, choose your own. Maybe you want to run a marathon so start with running for 10 minutes every day. Use the 30 days to thrive worksheet to log your progress. Give yourself a star, smiley face, elephant stamp each and every day you incorporate your ritual.
It’s the small changes we make every day that adds up to living well. — Dr. Frank Lipman
Commit to daily practice to ensure these rituals or habits trigger positive change, become part of your life, second nature. Equally if you forget for a day or can’t do something be gentle, that is life, pick up where you left off and start again. Most important of all – have fun and enjoy!
Sonja
43
44
2
8
14
20
26
1
7
13
19
25
START DATE:
27
21
15
9
3
28
22
16
10
4
29
23
17
11
5
30 DAYS TO THRIVE CALENDAR
30
24
18
12
6
Wellbeing Made Simple
wildorange.co
Š2018 Wild Orange; Design HamDesigns
45