Overcome the black Black Dog.
Looking at things differently.
Have you noticed the minute August 31st disappears into the distance what happens? The winter gremlin descends upon us. The winter black dog starts to appear and it comes in all sorts of disguises. Chemist shop windows are adorned with the latest cold and flu remedies, shops are selling Christmas cards at bargain prices to get you into the mood. My Mother said she is stocking up on salt for the onslaught of snow to come!
But, I want to shout to the whole of Great Britain “it is only the 1st of September.”
Why don’t we change our focus onto all the wonderful things nature has to offer this time of year. lets lift our spirits, let’s celebrate it. Instead of all the impeding doom and gloom that surrounds autumn and winter we often hear.
As a writer and personal coach, my challenge is to maintain a balance in my own life and help my clients do the same. Nature is a good teacher of balance and the changing seasons are a constant reminder that nothing stays the same. That life ebbs and flows, and we cannot hold onto things as they are.
Modern day Stress
We live in a world where modern technology moves at a fast pace, a throw away society, and mobile phones are just one example, today’s model is tomorrow’s landfill. Ever increasing amounts of noise pollution, car radio’s blasting out as you settle down for a quite night in with your favourite read.
It’s not too difficult to see why Dr’s surgeries are full of patients, whose lives are out of balance, perhaps suffering with what I like to call the modern world syndrome of stress. However if we really took the time to reflect and re-evaluate on what is important to us in our lives now, we might begin to loosen the tight grip we have on how we think things should be.
Does this sound familiar? Don’t worry you are not alone. According to The Health & Safety executive It is estimated that work-related stress, depression or anxiety affected 415 000 individuals who had worked in the last 12 months of 2008/09.I have not yet examined the most up to date figures. I am not suggesting for one minute that this is not real, and that re-valuation alone will change things immediately. What I am proposing is this, let’s take things a little slower, and take time out to do the things we once enjoyed but have forgotten or lost sight of how to do.
A few mindful minutes.
Next time you are in the supermarket, and the kids are demanding, the queue is never ending.Take a moment to centre yourself, which means to bring yourself into the moment, just where you are now. Are you having a white knuckle ride with the trolley? If so relax, loosen your grip and let go. Try to focus on and be with what you are doing, in other words be mindful. If you are not familiar with this technique, mindfulness is a way of really being alive in the present moment. Don’t just save it for the supermarket though. When eating a meal, savor the flavours and textures, actually taste the food, Be with what is happening now.
