Beat the New Year Blues
By Dawn Mellowship
1) Forget the new-year's resolutions and faddy dieting this year. Lifestyle changes need to be made throughout the year and when you feel ready for them, not just because the date has changed! If anything, resolve to be kind to yourself and trust in your intuition, unlike your rational mind it can never be wrong! Find a quiet space where you can just drift off into your thoughts and ponder on what you really need from life as opposed to just what you physically want from life. Allow your intuition to choose where you should be heading next without berating it.
2) Stress is the bane of most people's lives. In 2004 The New Scientist reported on a study by Elissa Epel of the University of California that suggested that psychological stress could age a woman's chromosomes quite dramatically. Beyond that chronic stress can have a negative impact on many other physiological functions such as: our immune system, memory, sexual and reproductive organs, cardiovascular system and digestion. It has also been linked with the accumulation of fat around the abdominal region and vital organs. So whatever else you deal with in the new-year, stress needs to be kept at bay. www.stressbusting.co.uk has plenty of tips to keep you calm and an A-Z of stress busting therapies.
3) If there are any bold changes you want to make such as finding a new job, do your research thoroughly. There is no point making a half hearted attempt to make improvements because you will not get very far. If there is no commitment then you clearly don't have your heart in it. If you are certain about what you want to do then have faith in your abilities. So many people are always trying to please others or self-deprecating. If you are passionate about something and positive that it is right for you, then go for it. Obstacles are very often self-imposed.
4) If you are feeling washed out after all the festivities there are a plethora of complementary therapies to give you a boost. A Danish study of sufferers of migraines and tension headaches in 1993 found that reflexology helped 81% of participants. Aromatherapy massage has been utilised in hospitals to help alleviate stress and tension and Reiki is fantastic for helping a range of conditions. Dr Gillian McKeith, the nutrition virtuoso herself is a big fan of Reiki saying, "I think it's wonderful, one of the most incredible therapies we could ever have and you can learn to do it for yourself, which is so empowering." See www.embodyforyou.com and www.comptogether.co.uk for directories of UK complementary therapists.
5) Try to reflect on the positive aspects of your life and the areas that you can change rather than dwelling on what you cannot change. Seek within yourself rather than externally for answers. All too often people run to someone else to ask for guidance but we all have the answers to our most pertinent life questions if we can just acknowledge this. Learn to trust in yourself because ultimately we all have different paths and what's right for one person may not be right for you.
6) If you are keen to unleash your creative side and perhaps find potential where you never realised it existed head on a retreat to a far flung, picturesque location where you can experiment with ideas. Skyros holidays offer a trip to Atsitsa Bay in Skyros Island where unspoilt pine forests and awe inspiring views of the coast and mountains will greet you. There are a range of courses available such as: dance, massage and bodywork, music and voice, psychological, theatre and art and sailing and windsurfing. You are bound to come back inspired!
7) Resist the urge to compare yourself to others. The twenty first century is ridiculously competitive and whilst we are pitching ourselves up against others we can never truly be happy. Advertising plays a huge part in creating unattainable and unrealistic ideals. No human being is perfect, even if they may seem that way to you. Try to rise about any jealously and think about what you are good at and what you can achieve. Work with the tools you have been given.
8) If you are tired of working for 'soul less' corporations check out www.ethical-jobs.co.uk. Jason Elliott the founding director says 'There is a massive range of opportunity in the ethical jobs market, from solar engineering to sustainable development and care work. It means doing something that serves our practical needs, our personal values and our interests in a way that positively impacts upon the world.' You could end up working for Greenpeace, Oxfam, Breakthrough Breast Cancer or the Soil Association to name but a few. The website servers run on 100% solar energy and Jason the managing director, does not own a car so they take their ethics very seriously! You can also check out our February issue, which has a feature on people who have chosen to work for charitable organisations.
Dawn Mellowship is an author, journalist, Reiki practitioner and teacher and ethical stylist. Her first book Passage to Freedom is out on 28th February and available from Amazon and bookstores worldwide. For more info see www.dawnmellowship.com
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