Once again there’s lots of talk about life getting back to normal – whatever that may mean (!) – both in the media and in conversations with those around us. It’s underwritten by the unspoken assumption that we can simply return to where we were before all the madness started a couple of years ago. Pick up our lives as if nothing happened. If only life were that simple! 

 

While it may be a comforting pipedream, sadly, the reality is rather different. And, before the Little Monster in your head gets too vocal on the subject, this doesn’t automatically mean it’s a bad thing! Rather the opposite. 

 

It may be a cliché but the only constant in life is change. And, to keep this post upbeat, we’re only going to mention in passing a couple of the other constants. Death and taxes (!). Moving swiftly on… 

With the seemingly long and wet winter we’ve “enjoyed” this year – on top of the last couple of years of madness – it’s not surprising that many people have succumbed to the lure of the sofa (!) and put exercise well down their list of priorities. If not at the bottom… 

 

While it may be a cliché, our bodies are designed to be active rather than slumped, semi comatose for hours on end. And this applies equally to home as to work! 

Sadly, despite our best efforts, many of our good intentions come to naught. Dare we say, even the vast of majority of them. And, we’re not just talking about the dreaded New Year’s resolutions, although these are the easiest to see in action – or, more accurately, in their lack of sustained action… True, they’re often fuelled more by alcohol than anything else, but they’re still a stark reminder of what all too often happens in practice. 

 

Sometimes, there’s a flurry of activity as we try to ensure that, this time, things will be different. Perhaps accompanied by gritted teeth and lots of willpower. We really will make some progress in this particular direction this time. However, all too soon, we grind to a halt with little difference to be seen. Then slip slowly back to where we started. Or, perhaps, even further back... 

 

Other times, it all seems too much. We find ourselves giving up before we’ve even started. 

 

Whichever one it is, the result is the same. At best, only marginal progress is made, giving yet more ammunition to the Little Monster in our heads to use when we next try to make changes in our lives. It’s little wonder we find making changes so difficult. 

You’ve probably heard this maxim before. You are what you eat. Or one like it. 

 

While we may prefer to ignore it, what we eat has a direct effect on our bodies and health. It really is that simple. Full stop. End of story. 

 

Sometimes in the short term, more often far down the road. Regardless of the timing, it’s still there. Perhaps the effects are not easily measurable beyond feeling less energetic or ageing less well than those around us. All too often, it can be measured – and seen – as a chronic health issue, particularly degenerative diseases such as Arthritis, Cancer or Heart Disease. Whether we’re able to join the dots is another matter, particularly when the seeds were sown many years – or decades ago – as many conversations with Clients over the years have shown… 

And, yes, we know this simple statement goes against prevailing logic. However, it’s one that seems to come up regularly with Clients, friends and family so is well worth taking a closer look at. 

 

Interestingly, the response to our simple observation is usually the same. That we couldn’t possibly know what it’s like for them, which is both true and untrue. True, no one will experience it in EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS THEY DO. Untrue, in that it doesn’t mean we can’t empathise with them, from our own unique viewpoint. 

 

Unfortunately, by focussing on how it is for them, it’s all too easy to slip into victim mode – “poor me” – with all too predictable effects. Making the whole scenario much more difficult and, dare we say it, more painful and long winded to navigate. And, before we stray too far into these potentially dangerous waters (!), we’ll stop there… 

As we’ve often heard slightly bemused Clients say, we have some rather unusual ways of describing their symptoms, as well as what may be causing them. Of course, to us, using these shorthand descriptions makes perfect sense; although it can be easy to forget they may not be so obvious to everyone else. And this may be something of an understatement! 

 

So, today, we’d like to talk about one of them and give a glimpse into our thought processes. Whether this is a good thing or not is another matter (!). Perhaps it may simply confirm some people’s suspicions about “our marbles”….. 

Traditionally, January is the time of the dreaded New Year’s resolutions – and that’s all we’re going to say on that particular topic today, thank goodness (!) – as well as a spot of spring cleaning. Partly to deal with the aftermath of all the festivities. Partly to clear away some of the things we no longer need. And, in all honesty, may never have needed – let alone used (!) – in the first place… No wonder January is such a busy month for Charity shops and recycling centres everywhere. 

 

And it’s all those things which have been snoozing away peacefully in our homes for the last few months – and, quite probably much longer – that we’d like to talk about today. 

Taking a deep breath – or, as we tend to call it, a deep, calming breath – is something we all do quite naturally and spontaneously. When events threaten to overwhelm us, or in times of high emotion, positive or negative. 

 

Sometimes it’s conscious and deliberate. It just seems like the “right” thing to do at the time and gives us a few seconds to get our emotions back under control. Other times it happens unconsciously, before we even realise we’ve done it. 

 

Whatever the reason, taking a deep, calming breath is rather like pressing the “reset” button, bringing us back to the here and now. Helping stop us being swept away on a tide of emotions. Saying - or doing (!) – something we’d later regret. And, we’ve all experienced that… 

 

So, why is taking a deep calming breath so powerful? 

With it being a shiny new year – we’re not even half way through January yet (!) – we’d like to give a completely different perspective on the world around us. The one we take for granted and think we know. 

 

As so often is the case, we have a recent conversation to thank for giving us the inspiration for this post. It’s one of those things that’s obvious when someone points it out and we can’t quite understand how we’ve never noticed it before. And there’s a very simple reason for this, it requires the joining up of several dots, which then give a completely different perspective on something we all take for granted. 

 

Have we hyped it up enough yet?!? Then here we go. 

First things first, a very happy and health New year. 

 

As Clients and regular readers of this blog know, we’re not fans of new year’s resolutions, for lots of different reasons (!) and so, each year, we suggest a lower key – and kinder – start to the new year. If you’d like a quick reminder why, click here and here. 

 

While it may seem like a bit of a cop out – after all who doesn’t like big, BIG gestures – small and steady usually wins the day. Just think of the hare and tortoise… 

 

So, what are we going to talk about this year? 

 

Well, we’ve come across another approach that can be started at any time of year and is a great alternative to new year’s resolutions. Even better, it’s very simple and easy to do. Easily becomes part of your life.