10 Daily Habits.
Doing things on a regular basis that increase your level of
well-being is a very effective and enjoyable way to enhance your
self-esteem and develop a firm personal foundation. Some of
these may seem quite obvious, but it's amazing what we forget in
the day to day running of our lives! The following are merely
suggestions. If necessary, find alternatives that work for you.
1.Find a few minutes for quiet time each day. Where you
consciously do nothing, just sit and relax. Some may like to
meditate, others listen to relaxing music. Mornings and evenings
are good times to do this, but the middle of the day can be
effective too. Get up slightly earlier to accommodate this. How
much time ?- 5, 10, 15, 20 mins - 1 hour. It's up to you.
2.Drink 1½ - 2 litres of water every day. Most of us are
dehydrated and many headaches could be alleviated by drinking
more water. Don't wait until you're thirsty. Just drink water
regularly throughout the day. It clears the head and gives you
energy.
3.Appreciate what you have. Most of us concentrate on what we
don't have. Even if we don't seem to have a lot, we can be
appreciative of what we do have and what we see around us. Is it
good health, a roof over our heads, a loving family, supportive
friends, the sun shining, the dawn chorus? There is always
something to appreciate. We can celebrate life every day.
4. Make someone's day. Giving someone a smile, saying "thank
you", "good morning". These are small actions that can mean a
lot to someone else. Whilst waiting on a crowded tube platform I
sneezed and a lady standing next to me said "bless you". It
cheered me up immeasurably. This was several years ago and I
still remember it.
5. Take some exercise each day. This doesn't mean sweating it
out in the gym or aerobics class (although it can, if you enjoy
it). A brisk walk might be all you need, a relaxing swim,
dancing, whatever. Alternatively, find several activities that
you like to do and rotate them so that you don't get bored.
6. Appreciate your loved ones and show that you appreciate them.
Too often we take those closest to us for granted. Small,
loving, appreciative and regular actions and words enhances the
quality of our relationships. Don't wait until that person is
gone - start now.
7. Sleep well. Like drinking water, a lot of us are sleep
derived. If the amount of sleep we got was our bank account,
we'd be in the red! So start making regular deposits. It may be
difficult to get enough sleep if you have young children, a very
active social life or work long hours, but aim for at least 3
nights per week. Learn how to nap and create spaces in the day
to do so. Create a ritual around getting to bed at a reasonable
time. Regular good sleep improves your physical and mental well
being.
8. Create an environment you love. Even if you don't like the
place you live in, small things like flowers and candles can
really brighten your environment.
9. Do more of what you enjoy. Sometimes our lives are so crowded
that we forget to make time to enjoy ourselves and wonder why
we're lacking in energy! It can be as simple as listening to
music, dancing (you can tell I like this one!) or a relaxing
bath. Do more of what you enjoy with people you love being with.
Life's too short not to!
10.When good things happen - appreciate them. You may write down
your appreciation in the form of a gratitude journal or just
acknowledge it to yourself or share it with others, who'll be
happy for you. Alternatively, if worries crop up during the day
and you don't feel able to talk about it to anyone - yet, then
write it down, ask a question about how it can be resolved and
sleep on it.
About the author:
Julie Plenty is a Personal and Business Coach who specialises in
helping people raise their self-esteem. She is currently
developing the KickStart Your Self-Esteem! self-coaching
programme for sale later next year. Subscribers to the free
e-course "5 ways to not improve your self-esteem" will benefit
from a special introductory offer on the programme.
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