"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 why not buy flowers for yourself and put them in a vase 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.