This post was updated on 13/05/21
Towards the end of the month, typically on the last Wednesday, I sit with no distractions and focus on my monthly goals in relation to well-being; I have a review and look to the month ahead to see what I might want to aim for. I think this is so important. If you don’t stop every now and again to take stock, how do you know you are focusing on the right things. There is no doubt that being healthy has always been important to me and it has now become a keen interest and passion.
In a previous blog post, which you can read here, I explained that I have expanded the dimensions I look at. I’ve included headings the areas I will focus on as well as a little explanation/further detail.
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I love. This means I earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links at no extra cost to you. For my full disclaimer, please click here*
Mind
Staying curious and engaged in learning new things. Read for learning, read for pleasure. Self-awareness and self-reflection.
It feels like I am reading so much at the moment, which I am so pleased about. I love escaping to another world and really getting lost in a book. An author I have always loved is Ali McNamara. So I am really pleased at a time when I was getting back into reading, it was one of her books that I was called to pick up. I read The Summer of Serendipity: The magical feel good perfect holiday read
The choice for my next novel was easy. I’m going to read Letters from Lighthouse Cottage
My self-development read for February is The Self-Love Affair: A Woman’s Guide To A Daring & Mighty Life
Physical Body
Eat healthy well-balanced meals, drinking plenty of water, exercise, get enough sleep and avoiding harmful habits
Having a Green Thickie breakfast has been going really well. Click here to find out more. It’s so much easier than working out what to eat every day! Speaking of which I have created menu plans for February and even March. I went through a list of my favourite recipes or ones I wanted to try and plotted them into days of the week. Now all I need to do is make sure I buy in the correct food to stick to that plan! (I may be guilty of not doing that in the past…)
One of my goals is to drink plenty of water and I find ensuring I always have one of my water bottles with me makes a real difference. My aim for February is to continue with 2.5 litres of water a day. I would like to up it to 3 litres for March, as it has been calculated that’s what my body needs.
Exercise hasn’t featured very highly in January. Unfortunately, my energy levels, due to my health condition have been quite low.. (click here for more details). However that’s just the way it is and I will continue to do more when I can. I am hoping in February I’ll be able to get back to the gym, but I know I can’t rush these things.
Soul
Our souls are what allow us to feel we are part of something else, something bigger than ourselves. The human soul is what tells the human brain that other people matter just as much as you do. The light force within our individual being.
As I mentioned in this post, my mantra for the year will be Simply Shine. Living simply, enjoying the simple things and being the best me. So what does that mean in practice? One of the aspects is creating and developing a morning routine which nourishes my mind, body and soul. There’ll be a separate blog post on this, which I’ll link to.
I’m pleased to say I’ve got back into journaling, which is so therapeutic and good for my soul. It helps with self-awareness and I’m able to reflect on how I’m feeling at the end of the day. I have also started asking at the beginning of the day, “what do I need today?” Giving those few minutes of thought on me at the start of the day, helps focus on ensuring I won’t get forgotten. It’s worked really well so far so will keep this up in February.
Social
The relationships we have and how we interact with others. Being socially engaged, have a strong social network
I mentioned in my January post, about my husband and I planning something fun each month. Well annoyingly that hasn’t happened, yet it is on the agenda before the end of February!
I’m meeting up with friends a couple of times this month, which I’m looking forward to. The other aspect though, is keeping in contact with friends remotely. Friends of mine reading this, I will make more effort to stay in contact. I’ve said it now, so that will keep me accountable.
Environmental
Taking care of your global environment and your physical surroundings. De-cluttering a room, recycling rubbish and selling or donating items that no longer serve you, can all help your health.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, tidy house, tidy mind. An article on Genius Intelligence, (says it all, surely?!) states “The environment around you can have a strong effect on your mind, and this is completely so in the case of your base environment: the home. If your home is a mess, then your mind will be a mess as well, because the way your home is organised is because of the way things operate in your mind” http://www.geniusintelligence.com/tidyhousetidymind.htm
My project for February is to completely re-do the office. A date is in the diary! I’ll be so glad when the office is less cluttered and looking lovely. No doubt I will write a separate post on this which will probably be live in March.
So that’s my wellbeing review update. I would love to hear your plans for the month. How will you ensure you look after your wellbeing? Comment below or contact me on social media.
[…] enjoying having more time to read, which has always been something I’ve enjoyed doing. In my last blog post in this series, I mentioned that I was going to read Letters from Lighthouse Cottage by Ali McNamara […]