Exactly – not all challenges need to be challenging!!
The past 18 months have been very challenging for all of us. But not all challenges need to be stressful!!
Today’s blog is very short, and what I believe to be, very sweet.
Since about October 2020 there has been a significant change in the “type” of person I’ve seen in my reflexology practice. For a long time, since our dear President placed us in hard lockdown on 27 March 2020, gone were all my preggy ladies, gone were all my infertility clients, gone were all my ladies struggling with “women problems” and HELLO to stressed out corporates, men and women, who had been sent home to work remotely, not sure if their jobs were going to still be there tomorrow, working extra long hours to cover for those people who had sadly lost theirs. HELLO to burnt out mothers who had suddenly been promoted to class teacher over and above all their other motherly jobs. HELLO to women and men who were suffering from the fatigue of lying awake all night worrying about family overseas (just one example of what’s keeping us awake). HELLO to many people who could just not figure out what was “wrong” with themselves. Nearly all my clients, since about October 2020, have been men and women suffering from stress induced conditions brought on by the worldly situation we find ourselves in, a situation we have little control over.
So, to help us face these ongoing challenges I challenge you to challenge yourself with these three little challenges:
Meditation
Meditation balances the body’s systems. “The relaxation response from meditation helps decrease metabolism, lowers blood pressure, and improves heart rate, breathing, and brain waves. Tension and tightness seep from muscles as the body receives a quiet message to relax. There’s scientific evidence showing how meditation works.” [https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/transcendental-meditation]
INSIGHT TIMER is a magnificent app which offers over 95 000 free guided meditations as well as a 7 day Learn to Meditate course. My challenge to you is to download this app and, firstly, complete the 7 day Learn to Meditate course (if you need to) and, secondly, practice a guided meditation of your choice for 30 days in a row. After 30 days of meditation, reassess your stress levels and let me know how you feel.
Phone a Friend
Thank you to a very good friend of mine who challenged me to do this, and it’s been great reconnecting with friends I haven’t spoken to in years, never mind months!! I challenge you to, for the next 30 days (after your meditation), call one person who you haven’t spoken to in ages. Say hello, tell them you were thinking of them and wondering how they are. Have a little catch-up and notice how incredibly surprised and delighted they’ll be by your phone call. Now, I’m not talking whatsapp messages, voice messages, Facebook posts or emojis… I’m talking real, old fashioned phone calls. Have fun!!
Share your Rusks!!
Yip, bake your rusks and then share them!! Click on the Low GL Buttermilk Rusk recipe which you’ll find under “Healthy Recipes”, make a batch of these healthy rusks, divide your batch in half and share your rusks with a neighbor, a friend, the man begging for food at the traffic light, share your rusks with whomever you wish to share them with, but, for heaven’s sake, just share them. Watch the delight on their face as you hand them their home made rusks.
Enjoy your challenges and I truly hope they light up your days and bring delight during these trying times!!
For other ways to help reduce stress you are welcome to refer to my blog post of 15 March 2021
Dipping into Stress Bod (otherwise known as Adrenal Fatigue)
Please feel free to share this information with anyone you think may benefit from it.
Thank you and much love to you all.
Yours in Health and Wellness
Michelle Walton
#togetherstonger #reachout #youarenotalone