4 simple things I did to get my Mojo back

I adore my kids, but boy I have really enjoyed this week with them back at school.  As a few of you may appreciate, the last week of school holidays was tricky, balancing the week with the tug of getting into my work and the exciting projects I've got on the go!  And yes, there was fallout, the vocal, energy zapping form of fallout...  Which in hindsight was actually a good thing - this along with some inspiration from my clients, made me stop and think and reminded me how important it is to continue with 'self care' that nourishes our minds and our bodies.

Here are the 4 key things I did to get my Mojo back: 

• took time for myself - guilt free.  Giving ourselves space allows creativity in and time to recharge 'flat' batteries. This is particularly important if we are very busy, or spend time caring for others which most of us do.  But rather than the first, it's often the last thing we do.
• stopped & took a breathe (or more). How we interpret situations is a matter of choice.  We have the choice to respond differently ie do we get upset, angry or frustrated and initiate a stress response in our bodies, with lots of negative energy?  Or do we stop to take a deep breath, and take time to think about what's really going on? It's not always easy to do... but so worth it, (I am still practicing this one).
• exercised.  I totally got out of my exercise routine over the past couple of months and I hadn't realised how much it had 'got to me'.  Monday morning I rode to the beach, met everyone there for a swim, home for a morning smoothie - voila!  The week and day was off to a wonderful start.  and I was a new, self improved me!
• practiced gratitude.  I got back into getting up early and journaling what I'm grateful for each day and whenever it crosses my mind during the day.  This is such a powerful practice.  The very act of taking even 30 seconds to be grateful stimulates the brain (the prefrontal cortex to be exact)!  It can change our mood instantly and strengthen those particular neurons (our 'wiring') at the same time.  Very cool!

There are many more ways to practice self care, reclaim our mojo, to recalibrate or centre ourselves, whatever we call it, it depends what works for us as individuals and what we enjoy.   If you don't already, perhaps consider 1 or 2 self care priorities you can simply add into your routine every day.   For example, stopping to breathe and see, hear or feel what's happening around you, literally can take seconds or minutes, and works wonders.

There is also a common theme with each of the above points - in some way they each help to nourish our minds.  Inspiring us to jump back in the drivers seat and drive in the direction we want to head.  We make better choices and get our lives back in synch... With that I feel my New Year resolutions are just taking shape now.  Maybe you've felt something similar recently, or even a sense of disappointment because those wonderful new resolutions we made are still packed away.  It's never too late, just make a better choice today & get started.

Let's take control of our minds, and not have our minds take control of us.  

This inspirational 3 min video will also help get you kickstarted, or keep the mind motivated - one step at a time...

What do you do, or would like to do, to nourish yourself and take time out?   Post your comments below we'd love to hear.