January / February 2007

Are you suffering that 'WINTER BLUES' feeling? The reality is that most of do this time of year; Christmas and New Year festivities are over; winter has arrived in one form or another. Well I do.

Sometimes I wonder if we were meant to hibernate. I look at my cat whilst she’s curled up 24-7 and wonder….if only. But then isn’t that simply wishing my life away. Think..…in all the time that she’s sleeping what a wonderful time I could be having!

When she wakes in probably March – along with the daffs and tulips I’m going to have so much to tell her she’ll begin to think she stayed in her fury den.

The key question here: What can I do this winter that will fundamentally change my outlook from negative, fed-up to an upbeat, energetic, wholesome human being?

This does not necessarily mean going to the gym!

If you can’t answer that quetion immediately, don’t worry, we have some simple tips – it’s a case of asking the right questions…

Before we do however, here are a couple of rules:

RULE #1 - Don’t worry. You’re not that ‘odd’. Most people feel like this.
RULE #2 – Be open-minded – try something new – you’ll grow and learn and may even like it.

STEPs:

1. After the excitement of Christmas and the New Year of course we experience a slow start-up, we may feel we have lost pace. This in turn causes us to lose confidence and become anxious and frustrated – even miserable. The cycle rotates and spirals, so the first thing to do is admit this and say “I’m taking control”.
2. Next grab a piece of paper and pen – or if you prefer - take a nice new note book (you may have received for Christmas) or a Dictaphone for those of you who love to hear the sound of your own voice. Find a comfy location – take yourself of to Starbucks with yourself – you’ll be amazed at how much you and yourself can talk.
2. When you're in your comfy location, start to make a list of 20 things you’d like to do that you’ve never done. It matters that you do this. Go for 20 and I’m sure you’ll get more. Think lateral, go crazy, think the obvious.
3. Put the list where you’ll see it.
4. Set your phone or watch to go off each morning at a set time.
5. When the alarm rings take one idea from your list and discover how you can achieve this. Set timescales.
6. You may want to work through the list then prioritise or you may want to pick them off one by one and you may even find that you’re doing item 20 next month or planning item two in May – IT DOESN’T MATTER – what matters it that you’re keeping yourself and yourself interested. There’s not the inner voice battling with your mind that you should be doing x, y and z. You’re in harmony!

What's in it for you? HAPPINESS and your friends will be amazed - fancy a coffee?

ENJOY!

Jay

jay@redburycoaching.com