We all have the ability to take control of our health and our wellbeing.  Whatever we live with - virus, illness, pain, disease - we can choose empowering ways to support ourselves to feel better, and well.  Before you read a few ways I've mentioned below, I'd love for you to just take a few moments to think and see yourself as a holistic being, all parts of you, connected - your mind, body, spirit, heart, soul - physical, emotional, spiritual, energetic parts are not separate, but all functioning and supporting each other together - as you are one whole being.  Seeing ourselves in this holistic way, is one of the most empowering things we can do, to choose to support ourselves through all health issues, illness, pain and disease.   

Many of us become familiar with seeing ourselves in the same way.  Seeing our lives in the same way.  We think it's hard to make changes.  We think it takes too much effort.  It can feel easier to stay where we are, doing the same things we're doing and seeing the same view and path forward.  I wonder though, as you start this new year, or even each new day - How do you  truly see yourself?  And how do you truly long to see yourself?  How do you desire to see yourself?  Take some time, now, to write down a few things that come to you, honestly and truthfully, when you ask yourself these powerful questions.  

My journal piece yesterday was about taking things one day at a time, and doing one thing at a time - you can read this here.  It felt apt today, to share some thoughts about beginnings, new starts, and taking just one step forward.  As one action is often all it takes to switch us from feeling stuck, procrastinating in some way, and to  build our own natural momentum to just get started. Not in a rushed, hurried or pressured way.  Just in a way that creates motivation, and instills confidence and self belief as we feel we are taking action, and making choices to move forward.  This is true for anything we set our minds and hearts to - health, life, career, business, relationships, making a big change or transition of some kind - one step forward, one action, is all it takes to begin.     

I set myself just one very certain and clear intention for this year, and that has been to slowly ease myself into things - in my own way, my own time, my own rythmn, at my own pace. I'm so very pleased to have truly honoured this, as it's allowed me to thrive during this time of transition, flowing from one year into new beginnings.  I haven't had a holiday like many have, I've still been working behind the scenes, but I've taken things more slowly during this time.  As the new year rolled in, it was a natural flow for me, from just one day to the next, and I was very conscious to not get caught up in any 'hype', feel pressured,  or place any new year expectations on myself. Instead, to just to stay focussed within, connected to my own vision and plans, and to gently ease myself forward, one day at a time.  As I continue to, and deeply encourage this for you, too.  

Listening to our intuition can support us to let go, and to move forward.  There are times we can hold onto things so tightly, even when we know it's not serving or supporting us.  We can find ourselves in places or spaces where we feel a little uneasy or something's just not right. Our intuition might be speaking to us so loudly, in many ways, and yet - we still hold on, we still cling tightly, and we stay - or we choose the way that's most comfortable for someone else, and neglect our own needs.  ​

It's a new year, and whilst many have been away for a break or a holiday, others of us haven't been, and it hasn't felt quite the restful period we hoped for! For all kinds of reasons, including the obvious ones of rushing home and ending holidays through border closures, and so many personal challenges in peoples lives right now too.  There's a feeling of continued uncertainty, wondering how things are unraveling, here and around the world, and the start of this year hasn't had the uplifting feel we hoped for, and for some, it's been and felt really sad.  Perhaps you've been feeling a little flat, worried or even anxious about things.  Finding it difficult to stay calm within so much that seems unknown and changing in your own life perhaps, and with everything around us.  

I'm writing this journal piece out in my courtyard, very early on a beautiful warm clear morning, and it almost seems as if it's just me and the birds who are awake, and the rest of the city is in a restful (or hungover, perhaps!) slumber.  It's new years day, 1st January 2021, after a very quiet and gentle close to the year.  No big celebration.  No big new year intentions.  I'm a non-drinker these days, so most celebrations are quieter, for me.  I chose to be very low-key and close the door on this year, and just gently open it to the next. Today. I've been finding so much more so, through not only this year, but other times of uncertainty and change over the past years in my life (or perhaps just as I'm getting older!) - how much I savour a quiet and gentle life.  I notice that I make far more conscious and intentional choices, just as a natural way of being now, every day.  Taking things as they come, allowing life to unfold and to evolve as it will, with an acceptance of just what is, and finding ease and calm within it all.  I was reflecting on some of the gentle practices that support me with this, and I thought I'd share some of these thoughts here, as a gentle way to begin your new year.      

I think it's true that happy, successful people have healthy routines in their days. Whatever happy and successful, personally means to you.  Despite circumstances and situations, we can always benefit from healthy habits that support us to feel well.  I don't ever compare myself to others these days.  Happiness and success to me, is how I truly feel within myself, and ways I create and set intentions, to live my days in all the best ways I can.  It's my own self responsibility to create happiness and success for myself, and to consciously and intentionally choose healthy ways of being, for my everyday.  Having a healthy routine, helps with our whole wellbeing.  If this is the only new year intention or goal you set yourself, then this is a great one to choose!  Follow these 16 ways I've written below, and create some of your own that nurture and cultivate happiness and success, in ways that feel truly aligned for you.  I promise there are only benefits from doing so.  

I have a beautiful corgi and she's 16 years old.  Many people say she doesn't look it, and still, some days she doesn't act it either! But other days, as she is very old now, and she sadly has what the vet tells me is the animal version of dementia, she can forget where she is.  It's a rollercoaster ride of emotions in a dogs elderly years, our bond is so very close.  I often imagine what it must feel like to be her, and I wonder if she knows she gets confused or disorientated, as most of the time, she still seems really happy.  I always tell myself, that this is my hope and heart intention, that she always knows how much she matters, that she feels loved, that she has the best life possible for as long as she chooses to, and that she knows in her own way, that we will always do what is best for her.