BUSY.

How often is this your response when someone asks how you are?

It is something I have become very aware of in 2017 and wanted to share during a time of year that has us saying YES to many things! Yes to everything except our own health, wellbeing and sanity.

This year has been a big one for me! I've had many trips out of Perth for retreats, family vacations and quick weekends away (bliss!). I've been blessed with an abundance of work plus I've been studying towards my holistic counselling certificate. Despite all of these things that I fit into my schedule, I have felt calmer and more grounded than ever before. HOW? By prioritising the things that I have identified are part of my support system.

My support system:

• A weekly date with myself, usually first thing Monday morning, to journal, to move, to sit beside the ocean and breathe.
• A morning ritual that will nourish my physical body.
• Daily personal development – behavioural coaching and podcasts or revisiting lectures that blew my mind.
• Disconnecting from the outside world at night to be present at home with my family.
• A family Jujitsu session weekly to learn and connect with one another.
• Frequent and varied movement based on energy levels on that day and what I feel like doing.

As well as prioritising these 6 non-negotiables, I am also learning to say NO. This is an ongoing lesson for me, because on occasion, saying no still carries guilt. Generally, the people I surround myself with understand and accept that, but we still say yes to please others, at our own expense.

In the name of your health and wellbeing, I lovingly challenge you to lovingly challenge yourself. It IS ok to question whether spending your time here and energy over there actually aligns with your values. Ask yourself does it provide you with energy or take it away from you? You can't be everywhere, you can't do it all, and would probably benefit from doing less… more! It's okay to be off duty.

As we start to set our goals for 2018… let's first identify what are our non-negotiables. Create a support system for yourself and then set yourself goals, resolutions and challenges that fit around these crucial energy-giving rituals!

Kelly Dalby, Picture of Health PT