A couple of weeks ago we looked at some of the words we use every day, probably many times each day. Ones we don’t think twice about using. Hope. Believe. You can find it here. 

 

They’re both words where we think we’re saying one thing, but the meaning – and intention underpinning them – is very different. It means we’re sending out mixed messages – both to ourselves and those around us – without ever realising it. Even worse, they’re words we use many times a day, usually without giving them a second thought. 

With the lovely weather we’ve been having recently, it’s not surprising that the barbeques have been working overtime – in fact, some evenings, the smell of lighter fuel has almost been overwhelming (!)… 

 

And, like us, we’re sure you’ve experienced your fair share of “raw on the inside, burnt on the outside” offerings... All going well, you’ve survived them without any problems, although they account for a surprisingly large number of food poisonings every year. 

 

So, it seemed like a good time for a gentle reminder – or two – about how to survive the barbeque season without any ill effects. 

When we talk to Clients, it’s always interesting the words they use and, just as important, the meaning and energy – or intent – behind them. And, if that sounds like a strange thing to say, please bear with us. It’ll make sense in a minute. Yes, it will! 

 

For many of us, it’s been a long time since we were at School and Primary School at that. When we were encouraged – or made (!) – to look up words in a dictionary. Find out what they actually meant and, just as important, how to spell them. It was much easier to just use the words everyone around us was using, without ever stopping to ask what they actually meant and whether this reflected what we wanted to say. 

Well, the holiday season is well and truly underway, accompanied by one of the most pervasive summertime health myths. It’s repeated countless times every summer and goes like this: 

 

Sitting in the sun is dangerous; if you don’t use sunscreen your Skin will burn and you’ll get Skin Cancer. 

 

Now if you stop and think about it for a minute, this message doesn’t make any sense at all. 

If this sounds like a rather odd question, it isn’t meant to be. Nor is there a “right” answer. Phew, that takes the pressure off (!). As always, all we want to do is get you thinking… 

 

If you still suspect it may be a trick question, let’s put it a different way. 

 

Have you noticed how the modern world focuses on stuff? 

Hardly has the summer started than the usual dire warnings about the dangers of spending too much time in the sun have begun. And, each year, they seem to become louder and more insistent. It’s one of those annual traditions – if that’s the right word – we could well do without. And, dare we say it, be better replaced with a little common sense… 

 

As with so many things in life, it isn’t the sun that’s inherently dangerous BUT our approach to it which can be fraught with danger. This is particularly the case for those who spend the majority of their year indoors, except for their annual fortnight in the sun, when they bake themselves to a crisp in search of that elusive golden tan. 

Regular exercise is one of the cornerstones of good health and has a myriad of health benefits, both mental and physical. Despite this, it’s almost a dirty word for many people. There are many different reasons for this and we looked at those we hear most often from Clients a couple of weeks ago, you can find it here.  

 

Top of the list comes those dreaded games lessons at school, which put many people off exercise for life. And, as someone who was always last to be picked for any teams – not to mention a fully paid up member of the “two left feet” club (!) – Elaine knows all about this first hand… 

 

What’s so sad, is there are many different forms of exercise – particularly these days – which are light years away from those inflicted at school. And, even better, many of them don’t really feel like exercise at all. 

Even though these words of wisdom may date back over a hundred years, they’re as true today as when first spoken. They’re usually attributed to the great Poet, Playwright and Raconteur, Oscar Wilde; although it’s been suggested he may have “borrowed” them from elsewhere. We’ll probably never know the truth and leave it to those of a more literary persuasion to debate… 

 

Anyway, before we digress too much further (!), let’s return to the present day and one of those things that seems so hard to do. To be yourself. 

A couple of weeks ago we talked about the benefits of spending time outside in the natural world every day, if you missed it, you can find it here. 

 

With another bank holiday rapidly approaching – hurrah (!) – not to mention warmer temperatures and the lighter evenings, it’s not surprising that this time of year kick starts many people’s health regimes. Particularly those related to stripping off some of the extra winter layers – which hide a multitude of sins (!) – or their traditional fortnight in the sun… 

 

Put another way, this time of year is all about slimming and trimming. Slimming down and sending those few – or more (!) – extra pounds on their way. Trimming and toning those areas that could do with a bit more definition, to put it politely... 

As Clients and regular readers of this blog will know we like to keep things simple. That’s why we always focus on the small things you can do at home to help yourself. They’re easy to do and quickly become part of your routine, so you don’t even have to think about them. Even better, they all have lots of other benefits as well, giving you more “bang for your buck.” 

 

Despite this, all too often, we hear Clients saying they find making even the smallest change difficult to do.