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10 daily steps to get your shine on!

'The Devil is in the details'

By sylvana lee-jonesPublished 4 years ago 12 min read
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Reflections of light by S.L.J

What does it mean to you, 'to glow'? Beyond the cliché remark people say to compliment pregnant women? of course.

For me it's a combination of being healthy and happy, as opposed to just looking that way.

But how does a mere mortal achieve such things in a world like ours?” you ask.

The recipe is simple: Eat good + Love good + Feel good = Live good.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? So why do we find it so hard? I can't answer that question. I do have a list of daily actions to help me accomplish such a feat though. They are my... secret ingredients, if you will.

'Feeling good' is probably the most difficult ingredient to gather because it is fleeting by nature, and once gained it is hard to prolong for lengthy periods of time. So, my list is mainly concerned with acquiring said ingredient by sprinkling it into my everyday routine. Because, us human beings tend to value our routines. As such, making big changes to our lifestyle, even for the benefit of a healthier 'glow', can feel like an unsurmountable obstacle. Lucky for us, the devil is in the details and simple small changes to our daily routine can make a whole lot of difference to our physical and mental well-being.

I have compiled a list of ten steps I take everyday to help ensure I get the 'feel good' ingredient mix right. Each step is extremely simple and at the most takes 5 minutes to enact.

Step zero: Intend to feel good

I call this step zero because it isn't really a step but a frame of mind.

Intent is everything.

Intent is you directing your thoughts towards a particular goal, without that direction of will no-one would get anything done.

So wake up in the morning and intend to feel good. Say to yourself out loud 'It is going to be a good day!' and try to believe it. You never know, those simple words might just change everything for you.

Step one: Wake up and breathe!

Waking up seems such a simple thing to do, I mean how can you get it wrong? All we have to do is open our eyes and get on our feet, right? Yet we all know a bad morning can drag out all day! So my advice is wake up and breathe! Such a simple concept, we breathe automatically after-all. But have you tried breathing with purpose?

Inhale deeply through your nose as you count slowly to four, then exhale as if you were blowing through a straw whilst counting backwards from four. Do this three times.

Try it and see if you can feel the difference.

So many of us are unaware that we breathe incorrectly the majority of time. The main thing we tend to forget is that we should always breathe in through our nose and not our mouths. There is a great little booklet on this called 'Science of Breath' written in 1904 and can be read for free at.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sob/index.htm

I highly recommend you have a gander, such simple knowledge can make such a big difference!

Step two: Stretch in bed!

Take a moment before you leap out of bed and start your morning routine.

Remember, your mind might be awake but your body is still in somewhat of a slumber mode. Allow time for your muscles to adjust to being awake. Stretch in bed to alleviate any tension/stiffness that has built up during the night. Personally I do a 'cat stretch'...call it my bit of morning role play!

Randi Ragan, a yoga teacher and author, offers 6 easy gentle stretches to do in bed before you get up, which you can find here:

https://www.prevention.com/fitness/g20490060/do-these-stretches-before-getting-out-of-bed/

Step three: Drink a large glass of fresh water.

Our bodies are 70 percent water, so those cells need replenishing on a regular basis to keep them healthy and energised. As we sleep our bodies go for hours without hydration. Think of yourself as a plant, sunshine and water are the main ingredients for growth.

So when you wake up be kind to your water cells and give them a top up! It will give you an instant oxygen boost to the brain and who doesn't want that?!

(If you are a big water drinker like myself, take some time to research your different options. Not all water is the same!)

Step four: Cold shower!!!

I know what you're thinking, but it will wake you up and energise your body in quick sticks! Personally I am not brave enough for a full cold shower so I cheat a little, and after my usual washing routing I blast the cold temperature for sixty seconds or so. Not only does it get your blood flowing the right way but it is also great for achieving shiny, silky hair! That's a major bonus in my book.

The official name for this is 'cold therapy' and has a lot more to it than just taking a cold shower. It is well worth looking into if you are looking for a health kick that doesn't involve diet. It is also complemented with correct breathing techniques.

You can find out more by going to

https://www.wimhofmethod.com/cold-therapy

Step five:: Moisturise!

Our skin is our protective armour and all armour needs a polish once in a while!

My favourite go to moisturiser after getting out of the shower is cold pressed raw coconut oil. It's cheap, animal cruelty free, chemical free and effective...these facts alone make me smile and feel good. It also acts as a great base for foundation by smoothing over those pesky dry spots.

But now for my secret weapon...I use this cream mostly at night before bed as it is greasier than coconut oil and can take some time for the skin to soak up but OMG when applied feels like nectar from the Gods themselves!

Ready for it....It's called Egyptian Magic. And magic it is!

I first was made aware of this product whilst flying with Ryanair and looking through their in-flight magazine. It is certainly not as cheap as coconut oil, at approximately £30 a pot, but I feel it is worth the price and a 50ml pot does go a long way. What I love most, apart from the feel of pure luxury gliding over my skin, is that it is one hundred percent natural. The ingredients are olive oil, beeswax, honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis extract .

You can find the spec here,

https://egyptianmagic.eu/

and it's available on amazon as well as other vendors.

Step six: Make a list of what makes you smile.

Sometimes life just gets you down and you feel like a grump. We all have those days where we just can't be bothered to smile, yet this is to our detriment.

To force myself to feel good even when I haven't the heart for it, I start to make a list of the things that I have in my life that make me smile. I usually do this whilst brushing my teeth in the morning and before going to bed. At first, and especially if I am already in a bad mood, it feels rather fake, as if I am forcing myself to find things I am happy about but as I continue the feeling of gratitude soon fills my heart.

In the grand scheme of things, it is the simple stuff we take for granted that we tend to be the most grateful for. I always start my sentence with, 'I am happy that I have.....'.

This is my list, I hope it inspires you to make your own.

'I am happy that I have:

• Family who love me and whom I love in return.

• A warm roof over my head

• A bed of my own to sleep in

• Food in my stomach

• Good health

• Friends who make me laugh

• Financial income to facilitate my independence

• Freedom

• A mind thirsty for knowledge

• Wisdom (sometimes!)

• A sense of humour

• A kind heart

• Compassion for others

And I add whatever comes to mind after that but those are the things that help engender a sense of warmth and happiness within my heart, the smile happens on its own after that.

Step seven: Get your groove on!

Yes I am talking about dancing! Jiggle your way to a healthy glow by putting on your favourite tune and dancing away to it once a day. It's great for the body and it's great for the mind to relieve stress.

You can turn this into a half hour exercise routine, but for those of us who can't find the time or inclination, one song is enough to change your mood and get the blood flowing through your veins. And I'm not talking about complicated dance routines here, just a simple sway and a bop of the shoulders can be enough to get those feel good vibes!

My personal favourite to get me in an energised mood is 'boom shakalaka' by Apache Indian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZzBd41NuZw

No matter how I feel, that song always gets my feet and shoulders moving, in fact I'm listening to it right now and have a massive smile on my face!

It's also my go to at festivals to wake people up when tired, hungover and have to drive home!

Go on, try it. Tell me if I'm wrong!

Step eight: Clear your head before bed.

It's great to wake up right but it's just as important to fall asleep the right way too! I have spent countless nights tossing and turning because my mind is in overdrive and refuses to switch itself off. Needless to say these nights are not productive to waking up happy!

There are various ways to clear the mind, one being meditation, but meditation does not suit everyone. So if that is not an option for you, take five minutes in bed before you go to sleep to write a few words.

This is not diary writing as such, it is called 'free writing'. Authors and the like do this to help ideas flow and it helps with the dreaded 'blank page' syndrome we writers often suffer from. It is how I know of the concept, but I have found that it helps wonders in de-cluttering the mind before entering the land of nod.

All you do is get a pen and note pad (analogue is better than digital here as is tires you out more and avoids the glare of a screen exciting your senses before sleep).

Give yourself five minutes, set a timer if you have to, and start writing.

The important thing here is not to stop writing, don't even think about what you are writing. Don't worry about grammar, punctuation or handwriting. It is not essential that you read back on what you wrote. What is essential, is to get those thoughts out of your mind and on to the page before you go to sleep.

More about this technique here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_writing

If I am having trouble sleeping and meditation is not working for me, I do this and tend to fall asleep as soon as I'm finished, which for me is almost a miracle! Give it a go, you won't know if it works until you try it!

Step 9: Don't worry!

This is probably one of the most important steps to apply in your daily life. Ignore the rest if you want. This step alone will change your life and make you not just glow, but radiate!

To not let worry fester in our minds is something we all need to make more of an effort with.

Worrying is useless.

The feeling of worry is just an indication that you fear something. But if you allow this feeling to stay with you beyond it's original purpose of internal warning, is not good for body or mind. It induces a feeling of stress, and it is now common knowledge that stress can create an avalanche of side effects, both physical and mental. Fear is like a fire alarm telling you to evacuate the building, worry is the sound it makes. As with any real life fire alarm, you can't listen to it for long without having to grind your teeth.

Do not under-estimate your mind's (and the emotions born from it) capability to influence the physiology of your own body. It's not just mumbo jumbo any more, and the fact that there is even such a thing as the Placebo Effect proves it.

The link below will send you to a study by Harvard University investigating the matter. It's truly fascinating.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mental-health/the-power-of-the-placebo-effect

To worry about something is futile. Like hate, it poisons us from the inside out. And that is no way to get your glow on!

So, in the words of Bob Marley 'Don't worry about a thing. Because every little thing is going to be alright'.

Go on, listen to the song....(Bob Marley 'Three little birds') and get your groove on with step seven while you are at it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4EZ8kpX3Os

Step ten: Laugh!

Seriously, get your giggle on.

Let us not forget our sense of humour, especially in these trying and uncertain times.

Laughter has so many benefits to the human system, but I am not goign to list any of them here because I don't need science to tell me that laughing makes me feel good.

Try to laugh once a day, and I mean really laugh. Belly heaving, raucous, can't-catch-my-breath kind of laughter! It's guaranteed to give you an instant glow!

If I haven't had a good laugh througout my working day (which can be often!) I look for a comedy show or sketch that might tickle my funny bone. (The T.V show Friends, no matter how many times I have watched them, always gives me a warm feeling inside).

Dare to be light hearted!

And that's it. Ten easy steps to incorporate into your daily routine that take no time at all!

So to quickly recap:

0. Wake up and tell yourself it's going to be a good day.

1. Take three deep breaths.

2. Strecth before putting your feet on the ground.

3. Drink a glass of water.

4. Take a cold shower.

5. Smile (about the good things in your life).

6. Moisturise.

7. Dance.

8. Empty your mind before bed.

9. Stop worrying.

10. Laugh.

And there you have it.

I hope you have enjoyed my list of 'secret ingredients' to get that feel good mix sprinkled into your everyday life.

I do hope you try some of them so that you can judge for yourself.

Happy glowing!

S.L.J

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