Habit 1 - Be ProACTIVE!

Not happy with a situation happening in your life?

Then lets change that.

Remember happiness is an inside job, but there are a few things you can do on the outside to help it out.

Winter has been cold, wet and windy - nothing unexpected, but nevertheless dreary. The stink weather hasn't deterred me from getting my 10,000 steps a day in or working hard on some physical habits, that help me regulate my thoughts and happiness on the inside though.

Here are a couple of things I started doing over the last 18 months on the outside, that have helped me SIGNIFICANTLY on the inside. Getting started on habits that help me keep things on the inside running smoothly means no matter how cold, wet and miserable it gets outside, I get to choose my own weather inside.

Wellbeing Dimension: Physical

January 2022, I weighed in at my heaviest - I was unhappy, mentally and physically and after having a baby, landing a new job and weathering through multiple lockdowns, I was over it. Something needed to change.

I learnt that working on my mental health was only half the work, if I wasn’t actively supporting my mental health, with something physical then all that work would only ever be as good as half.

7 Habits of Highly Successful People wasn’t a book I looked at and thought “yep, this book will keep me on my journey to look after my body”. But it did.

Covey talks about 7 Habits Highly Effective People use, to live a meaningful and purpose filled life. The very first habit he talks about is ‘Be Proactive’. This habit is about taking responsibility for your life, response-able as he pitches it. To become effective, you need to stop blaming circumstances, conditions or behaviour for your outcomes - rise above reacting to your physical environment or factors and stop blaming your behaviour on everyone and everything else.

It's about learning what you can control (mood, personal health, habits, choice of work, personal income, work/life balance) focus on them, grow them and expand them into your Circle of Influence - leave the factors you can’t control (weather, traffic, economics, other peoples weaknesses) to your Circle of Concern - accept them as they are and learn to live with them. Effective people focus their efforts on their Circle of Influence by working on the things they can do something about.

Taking Covey’s lesson and applying them to my desire to carry my own weather with me (feeling content on the inside) then I needed to support my mental growth by being proactive around my physical growth. While I may have done this with ease as a kid/teenager, if you know me IRL then I am willing to bet 'fitness, health and physical' are not words that would generally come to mind when you think of me haha, so in an effort to change that this is what I've done over the past 18 months:

• Invested in a Gym Membership

The gym doesn’t work for everyone, but it works for me.

Since I was 17, there were only 3 years where I didn’t own a gym membership and for the rest of the time I would call it a donation rather than a membership lol.

While I may have gone to the gym in the past for aesthetic reasons, this time round its more than getting in, lifting heavy and doing cardio. Going to the gym helps me take a break mentally - there's nothing quite like chilling out to my favourite music, and counting to 12 over and over again

• Brought a Standing Desk

I work from home full time on a computer.

Becoming more and more aware about how much sitting for hours a day can affect your health, I invested in a standing desk from Deskbird and have never looked back. Breaking up the day with periods on my feet is great for my health and my attention span - you'd be surprised how easy it is to adjust to standing for meetings instead of sitting.

(If you want the best electronic standing desk for your home too, checkout Deskbird.co.nz and use my code “6figures” for $40 off and free shipping around New Zealand)

• Brought an Under-Desk Walking Pad/Treadmill

To go with my standing desk of course.

This helps me keep my 10,000 steps a day streak, walk while I work and still get exercise in without going to the gym when I’m pressed for time. The number 1 question I get asked is, how do you walk and work on your computer?

Easy.

If you can text and walk, you can type and walk. You will not regret.

(My walking pad is from Mighty Ape - search term "Apestyle")

• Signed up to Reformer Pilates once a week

Ever felt sore in your bones?

No?

Then try reformer Pilates.

I wanted to challenge myself to something different and pilates was it - I've been going once a week for about 3 months now and the difference in my balance and tone is amazing. Again, like the gym, it offers another reprieve during a busy day to take some time out mentally, and listen to the soothing voice of my instructor.

(I go to Reform - the instructors at Ormiston are amazing, shout out to instructor Shino Ikeda)

• Walk before a coffee once a week

What better way to catch up with a friend, then to go for a walk and finish it with a coffee (sometimes breakfast ??). Not only are you getting the blood pumping, it’s a great way to catch up over things, distraction free! The only distractions we seem to have are gorgeous sunrises, interesting birdlife and the crystal still water. If you live in Auckland I suggest the Karaka waterfront walkway, Waiata Shores to Karaka and back and can’t forget the Botanical Gardens.

Do you incorporate any of these into your weeks? Let me know in the comments.

See you in a fortnight ??

Peace, Nic.