Doing things on a regular basis that increase your level of well-being is a very effective and enjoyable way to enhance your self-esteem and develop a firm personal foundation. Some of these may seem quite obvious, but it’s amazing what we forget in the day to day running of our lives! The following are merely suggestions. If necessary, find alternatives that work for you.
1.Find a few minutes for quiet time each day. Where you consciously do nothing, just sit and relax. Some may like to meditate, others listen to relaxing music. Mornings and evenings are good times to do this, but the middle of the day can be effective too. Get up slightly earlier to accommodate this. How much time ?- 5, 10, 15, 20 mins – 1 hour. It’s up to you.
2.Drink 1½ – 2 litres of water every day. Most of us are dehydrated and many headaches could be alleviated by drinking more water. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Just drink water regularly throughout the day. It clears the head and gives you energy.
3.Appreciate what you have. Most of us concentrate on what we don’t have. Even if we don’t seem to have a lot, we can be appreciative of what we do have and what we see around us. Is it good health, a roof over our heads, a loving family, supportive friends, the sun shining, the dawn chorus? There is always something to appreciate. We can celebrate life every day.
4. Make someone’s day. Giving someone a smile, saying “thank you”, “good morning”. These are small actions that can mean a lot to someone else. Whilst waiting on a crowded tube platform I sneezed and a lady standing next to me said “bless you”. It cheered me up immeasurably. This was several years ago and I still remember it.
5. Take some exercise each day. This doesn’t mean sweating it out in the gym or aerobics class (although it can, if you enjoy it). A brisk walk might be all you need, a relaxing swim, dancing, whatever. Alternatively, find several activities that you like to do and rotate them so that you don’t get bored.
6. Appreciate your loved ones and show that you appreciate them. Too often we take those closest to us for granted. Small, loving, appreciative and regular actions and words enhances the quality of our relationships. Don’t wait until that person is gone – start now.
7. Sleep well. Like drinking water, a lot of us are sleep derived. If the amount of sleep we got was our bank account, we’d be in the red! So start making regular deposits. It may be difficult to get enough sleep if you have young children, a very active social life or work long hours, but aim for at least 3 nights per week. Learn how to nap and create spaces in the day to do so. Create a ritual around getting to bed at a reasonable time. Regular good sleep improves your physical and mental well being.
8. Create an environment you love. Even if you don’t like the place you live in, small things like flowers and candles can really brighten your environment.
9. Do more of what you enjoy. Sometimes our lives are so crowded that we forget to make time to enjoy ourselves and wonder why we’re lacking in energy! It can be as simple as listening to music, dancing (you can tell I like this one!) or a relaxing bath. Do more of what you enjoy with people you love being with. Life’s too short not to!
10.When good things happen – appreciate them. You may write down your appreciation in the form of a gratitude journal or just acknowledge it to yourself or share it with others, who’ll be happy for you. Alternatively, if worries crop up during the day and you don’t feel able to talk about it to anyone – yet, then write it down, ask a question about how it can be resolved and sleep on it.
