"Focus on what you can control"
" You have power over your mind - not outside events.
Realize this, and you will find strength". - Marcus Aurellus.
DAY 1
Find a quote that changes your mindset, write it down and place it on your fridge. For the next 6 days repeat the quote every morning.
e.g Receive a negative, make a positive.
Remember, you need a positive mindset and you can change your life. By training your mind to see things in a new light. It's always easy to stay on the same path, but you need to challenge yourself to have a vision and goals to become a better person and to get through difficult times in your life.
Set your first challenges today.
Eat healthy food each day, no take away food or soft drinks for 6 days. Plan your meals and ensure that you have at least 2 vegetables for dinner.
A healthy body will support a healthy mind.
Be around positive people, ensure that they are not draining and unhealthy.
Exercise each day. Go for a walk for 40 minutes. Your energy levels will begin to rise.
If you have been thinking of joining a gym, do casual until you can find the right one and where you feel comfortable. a great place to meet positive people with the same goals.
No watching the news this week on television. Let's face it, the news is full of negativity, instead change to a lifestyle channel or watch a comedy that makes you laugh. We can't change the bad things happening, but we can think about improving our own lives.
Volunteering to help others can have a huge impact on how you feel about yourself. By focussing on someone else, your not thinking about your own issues. Go through your cupboard and clothes and shoes that you haven't worn for 3 years, put into a garbage bag and put into a charity bin. Or offer to help family.
At the end of the day, whether religious or not, say a prayer at night with the difficulties you are facing and ask for guidance.
DAY 2
It's a new day, SMILE and remember your own thoughts affects your moods.
Have you read your quote of the day ?
Change may be slow, but a new path will appear as your work on your mindset.
A morning mindset routine is important Make a mental list of things that are important for you to do today that are achievable.
Remember, to learn from your mistakes, anyone that has achieved success has made mistakes along their journey.
Eat a healthy breakfast to start the day.
Buy some fruit and put into a blender for a smoothie. Cut some fresh fruit up like strawberries, blackberries, watermelon, cherries and rockmelon and keep it with you to eat when you feel hungry during the day. Make sure you take a bottle of water with you.
For lunch, ensure you have a healthy option like a sandwich with chicken and salad or similar.
Dinner suggestion steak and 2 veggies, ensure the portion sizes are not too big.
Remember a 40 minute walk.
Give yourself some words of encouragement, that you are able to do the challengers and you are going to stay positive and not let any negativity surface.
Declutter a room or your office today, get rid of things you no longer need and change positions of things around and you will find you will feel better that everything is more manageable.
If your feeling overwhelmed, focus on one thing at a time. Make a list and decide which one is more important and then cross it off and move onto the next task.
Remember say a prayer before you go to sleep.
DAY 3
Say 5 things that you are grateful for this morning. Remember to say your quote.
Call your family and find out how they are going.
Help a stranger out today in some way.
Take 5 minutes of your time to look around outside, stop and listen to the birds and the sound of the leaves swaying on the trees.
There are days that you lack motivation and stressed out because of work due to the same routine every day, or maybe you haven'r been eating probably and feel sluggish. It's important to look after yourself. Take a break, go outside without your phone and just feel the breeze on your face and take deep breathes and relax your mind and brain. Close your eyes and just lower your shoulders and breath slowly.
Declutter your phone with apps you don't use anymore, delete emails no longer needed and bookmarks you no longer read.
Put your energy into something that you really care about, focus and have the determination to see it through. This may be ensuring you have a holiday once a year, planning it in advance, doing your research and putting a deposit down, making it happen. It would be something to look forward too and a reward at the end of a hard year.
Don't ever judge anyone, you never know what that person is going through in their life. Always be kind and supportive, and be there for friends in need where possible.
If you start getting negative thoughts in your mind and keep thinking about what you have been through, you need to focus on someone that you look up too as a role model and remind yourself that if they can get through anything so can you. Think positive and focus on things that you can change.
Reminder- Before you go to sleep, say a prayer.
DAY 4
Remember to say your quote this morning and to eat a healthy breakfast.
Say 1 thing you like about yourself today.
Surprise someone in a good way today, maybe pick up the phone and call someone that you haven't spoken to in a long time.
You have reached over half way of the challenge, reward yourself !!
Hope you haven't forgotten you need to walk 40 mins each day, or do some kind of exercise, which will make you feel better and give you more energy for the things you want to do in life. It's about having a balance.
Have a healthy lunch and dinner today, try something new if your getting bored of the same types of food. But remember you need 2 veggies on your plate.
Why do we think negative ? You need your mind to support you, taking away the negative thinking. Your giving those negative thoughts more attention than any other thought. If you keep thinking negative your mind will automatically condition to bring it up without your control. We can use the positive aspect and it will apply positive thoughts into your life. Try to think about the best outcome in everything you do.
Remember, to say a prayer before going to sleep.
DAY 5
Reminder to say your quote today and to eat a healthy breakfast.
Try to change your breakfast each day, cut up fruit and get some Greek Yoghurt or have it on it's own. Try muesli with it and drizzle some honey on it.
Take a friend out for breakfast, lunch or dinner today and pick up the bill showing how much they mean to you. It's about getting out of the house and spending time with people you enjoy being around.
Do a charitable act today, give a coin to a homeless person or donate things in your house you no longer need to charities like the Salvation Army.All you need to do is all them and they will organise someone to pick up the items. I had wedding presents that I hadn't used for 20 years so I donated them so someone in need could use them. Let's face it, why have things just sitting around collecting dust.
Read for 30 Minutes, but not newspapers. I want you to find an inspiration story online, someone that has been through an ordeal and read their story, an autobiography. There were 2 inspirational stories that really hit home to me, and made me realise that people go through hard times and their strength, faith and mindset got them through it. Michael Crossland is defiantly an inspirational person, today he travels the world talking about his story and encourages everyone to change their mindset to change their life. The only story was Sophie Delezio.
Remember to say a prayer tonight.
DAY 6
Repeat your quote this morning and don't forget to have a healthy breakfast.
Cut up some fruit and take it with you during the day. "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" the saying goes. An elderly lady said the secret for her was an orange a day, and my dad made sure growing up that we had a vitamin C every morning and looking back we hardly got colds. I think there is some truth in it.
Buy flowers for someone today, not in a romantic way but showing your appreciation and that they deserve it. It may be a family member or even a work friend. Or buy flowers for yourself, put them in a vase and place on your kitchen bench. Spare of the moment things really makes you feel good. Try it
Go somewhere new today, try a different coffee shop or cafe , go out of your comfort zone and explore something new. Give yourself an adventure, getting out of the house will make you feel better, a change of scenery.
If you have a beach close by, go for a walk along the sand and listen to the waves and this will destress you and encourage you to really think of any issues you may be having and allow you to come up with solutions.
Water brings peace in mind and body.
Remember, to say a prayer tonight before you go to sleep.
DAY 7
Remember to say your quote this morning and to eat a healthy breakfast.
Say 1 thing you like about yourself today.
Where are your thoughts right now ?
Are they supporting you ? or do you need to change your thinking to have more positive thoughts. You need to re-direct your mind if it's negative and make it into a positive thought. Sometimes it's easier to close your eyes and to visual a more positive outcome. Try to focus on that for a few minutes to train your mind to change your thoughts into a positive outcome.
Remember, your in control of your mind, use your energy and focus to stop your brain from thinking negative.
What am I grateful for today ? write down 10 things. Some of mine are:
Memories and Dreams, My son saying "I love you", my daughter saying "don't worry mum", the dishwasher, my cuddles with my cat, Saint Padre Pio running water, movies that make me laugh, the beach, Air Travel, my life, old letters and photos, my husband and kids, and of course my dog Marcus that is always so happy to see me when I get home, he never has a bad day.
When you start thinking of all the things n life you are grateful for, you realise that you are rich in a lot of things and that there are people out there that don't have what you have. You need to make the most of every day, as you never know what the future holds for anyone and it's important to ensure you live the life that makes you happy and think about how you can help others do the same.
Remember, to say a prayer before going to sleep.
DAY 8
Remember to say your quote this morning and have a healthy breakfast.
Where are your thought right now ? do you need to adjust your thinking?
Happiness has major benefits for your health, as it promotes a healthy lifestyle. It helps with stress and your immune system. It's also been reported that you will live a longer life.
Our lives are so busy and hectic, trying to keep up with everything can be exhausting. Today, I want you to do one less thing that you normally do on a daily basis. e.g Get someone else to do the washing up after dinner or even cook the dinner.
Stress can severely impact on your life without even knowing it. You need to take time out and SLOW down. Eat well balanced meals and limit your caffeine each day. It's important to exercise daily and remember stepping stones , you will get there, stay on the track and you will reap the benefits.
The saying goes " you can't take things with you when your gone" , spending time with family is more important, go see your children playing sport and be part of their life, as they grow up overnight and you can't bring those memories back. Even if you get to 1 of their matches per month. Don't be a workaholic, have a balanced life, try and make memories and have a stress management plan to maintain your overall health.
Have faith that you can change our life around to be more positive and to deal with things better than what you currently are. Life is too short, make everyday count.
Remember, to say a prayer before going to sleep.
DAY 9
Repeat your quote this morning and don't forget to have a healthy breakfast.
Where are your thoughts right now ? do you need to adjust your thinking?
Ensure your having a well-balanced meals for lunch and dinner today.
Don't forget to walk for 40 minutes a day, this releases stress and gives you more energy.
Today, I want you to meditate for a few minutes which can ease anxiety. There are a lot of mediation techniques online, choose one that's easy for you to practice. Meditation teaches us that change comes about by taking small steps and making them part of your life.
Committing to just 15 minutes a day in meditation and focusing on your breathing techniques is a simple step to bring benefits to your life.
Engaging in regular moderate exercises as walking, yoga or swimming have proven stress-reducing benefits. Whilst ensuring your get adequate sleep and resting your mind and body.
Today, try and read for 30 minutes, look up another inspirational story online and take away things that they did to get them through difficult times in their lives and what they needed to change to keep moving forward and staying positive.
There are certain things in one's life that you need to change to move forward. Sometimes they are difficult decisions but necessary ones to make.
Remember, to say a prayer tonight before you go to sleep.
DAY 10
Remember to say your quote this morning and to eat a healthy breakfast.
Say 3 thing you like about yourself today.
Where are your thoughts right now ? do you need to adjust your thinking?
Today I want you to read for 20 minutes, about an inspirational story of Paul de Gelder who was a diver in the Australian Navy, lost part of his arm and a leg in a shark attack. Paul is now an inspiration speaker and shares his story to inspire others. How he used all his strength and mindset to change his life around and was determined to get back up and do the physio and rehabilitation that needed to gain strength in his body again and to lead a normal life. It is such an inspirational story.
Live by your beliefs and values that influences your life. Ensure you have a clear conscience knowing that you are treating others with respect and making the right decisions.
Your inner peace and happiness is so important, surround yourself with other happy people that build you up, learn to listen to your gut and heart that will point you in the right direction.
Practise patience and let go of perfectionism. Everyone makes mistakes, but it's important to learn from those experiences and not to make the same mistake again.
Remember to walk for 40 minutes, which will clear your mind, deal with stress and let you have more energy to do the things you want to do.
Distance yourself from negative people, it's amazing how much energy is taken from you, and surround yourself with positive people.
It's important to be mentally and spiritually at peace. Don't let stress control your life.
You may not be very religious, but going into an empty church, kneeling down and pouring out all your problems, gets them off your concience and you somehow seem to be able to deal with things better and make clear decisions that was once causing anxiety.
Remember, to say a prayer before going to sleep.
DAY 11
Remember to say your quote this morning and have a healthy breakfast.
Where are your thought right now ? do you need to adjust your thinking? People don't resist change, they resist being changed.
Value your relationships over possessions, an important lesson in life. Never be jealous of someone else as true friendships are built on trust and companionship.
Aways listen to your conscience as it's always right. If your feeling uneasy about a decision then you need to re-think. Your conscience is there is protect you.
Think before you begin, never judge someone else's life from their skin colour or their looks as you never know what they have been through in life and what they are dealing with behind closed doors.
Second last day of the challenge, I want you to read for 30 minutes the story of Turia Pitt that shows how this young girl inspired the world by her determination and gives people hope and inspiration on how to overcome a horrific experience. Surviving against overwhelming odds is the least of her achievements.
You can control your destiny through good decisions. If you can see what another person has done to improve themselves so can you. It's the positive thinking and changing your mindset, staying calm and taking it day at a time and having goals and dreams that can be accomplished in life.
What matters most to you? Are your priorities in order? Set your priorities by keeping it simple, look to where you want to be in the future. Maintain your focus, accept that you can't do everything and please everyone. What's important is to please yourself and have your own goals and dreams in life. Use your strength and determination to get where you want to be, a CAN DO attitude, nothing is impossible.
Don't forget to walk for 40 minutes today, this releases stress and clears your mind and gives you more energy.
Remember, to say a prayer before going to sleep.
DAY 12
Repeat your quote this morning and don't forget to have a healthy breakfast.
Where are your thoughts right now ? do you need to adjust your thinking?
Ensure your having a well-balanced meal for lunch and dinner today.
The last day of the challenge, what an achievement, go and reward yourself. If this challenge has helped you, start from the beginning again and change your mindset. If you want a personalised program just email me and I will be happy to prepare one for you.
Keep life simple, don't overwhelm yourself with things that are not that important, you need to look after yourself.
Let things go, don't use all your energy on things that have happened in the past, don't let it bring you down and affect your life. Move forward and take opportunities.
Be yourself, don't change for someone else. Do things that are important to you, as when you look back overtime you want to have great memories and lots of laughter.
Ensure your bucket is not overflowing and things are getting too overwhelming for you. Learn to delegate, it will elliviate stress.
Stop over thinking, give your mind a rest, make a decision and stick to it. A decision is never final, you can always change it. If it is a major decision then prayer for guidance and go with your gut feeling as it's always right.
Never take things for granted in life, things happen for a reason whether or not you agree with them, our lives are mapped out for each one of us, it's how we live it that makes the difference.
Always ASK for help, never be to ashamed to ask as guardian angels are all amongst us. Sometimes you just can't get through things without help and assistance to ensure you get through those difficult situations.
Don't forget to walk for 40 minutes a day, this releases stress and gives you more energy.
Remember, to say a prayer tonight before you go to sleep.