With the Beast from the East upon us, I was determined to stop looking out the window & at the 24 hour RTE News snow special and actually get some work done. The snow finally hit Tipperary (about 2 days after the rest of the country!) and I’m not going to lie I was VERY excited. Most people at this stage have been going stone cracked with cabin fever, but all I really want to do is make a snowman & name him Frosty.
I hope everyone has enjoyed the last few days & spared a thought for those less fortunate without a warm home to seek comfort in. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it is for people in these ferocious conditions.
I wanted to use this little slow down in the pace of life to zone in on something I’ve been trying to do a lot more of lately – focusing on turning a feeling of Negativity into Positivity. I know I’m not talking about anything particularly new here but I’ve had a couple of life hiccups in the last few months & it’s made me think about how I view things in life and how it’s important to lower my stress levels in order to address problems or issues better. I’ve listed out a couple of the tricks that I feel are great ways to lift your mood as well as looking after your overall well being.
1. Exercise: OK, for anyone who knows me, they will know I hate going to the gym. I’ll feel proactive for about 2 days and then get bored. This it’s why it’s really important to find something you like or are interested in. I had started Ariel Yoga last year before ToeGate and LOVED it!! I was working out but it also left me feeling really calm & balanced. Winner Winner!
2. Learn to Meditate: Like anyone, I can get terribly anxious if something is worrying or bothering me. I recently started meditating at night if I can’t sleep & it’s a great way to relax your mind if you are feeling wired after the day. I was really dubious about mediation at first & just brushed it off as ‘it’s not for me’ but stick with it and I think can really help for those times you’re feeling a little down or anxious. HeadSpace is a brilliant app for this.
3. Read a book: it’s important to find things that make you feel content & calm. I know this sounds old fashioned but I’ve started reading again & really enjoying it! I’ve flew through a couple of great reads lately and will share on the blog soon.
4. Nourish your body: I have a high metabolism so have a hard time putting up weight. Yes I am aware I am so INCREDIBLY lucky. But I eat a lot & sometimes I don’t think about what I’m putting in my body and eat too much pizza, crisps and biscuits. I’ve started recently cutting down a bit on Gluten. After living in America (where, in my opinion, the food chain is destroyed), I really appreciate the quality of the food in Ireland. I have started to really think about what I’m eating & feel better for it.
5. Don’t compare yourself to others: We are all guilty of it. It’s important to remember that what you see online, whether it be Instagram or other social media outlets isn’t always what’s happening in reality. I genuinely had a wonderful past year. But if I’ve been upset about something I bet you haven’t seen it on my instagram, and that’s ok too, I’m generally a pretty private person. But what is important, is you never know what’s going on in other peoples lives or what struggles a person is going through at any given time, so I trying to go easy on both myself and others and just be kind, always.
6. Start a new hobby: I started cooking last year, but it’s really been in the last couple of months that I’ve really gotten to LOVE it. It coincides with my interest in nourishing my body, but I think once I got a few successful dishes on the table, I now literally think I’m Nigella.
I know a lot of people are getting frustrated about this Snow Storm and being couped up in our homes but I haven’t built a snowman in my garden in almost 20 years, so in fact, I feel really lucky that I got to share this special memory with my family. Remember it’s important to cherish special moments in your life as you never know the next time they might come around again!
Sending lots of warm hugs
Aoife x
