WORKING ON YOURSELF

Lockdown had many low points for everyone but on a personal level I used the time to really work on myself and the result has been more confidence and a much more positive outlook on life.

I’ve always been a positive person but, at times, despite a lot of success in both my personal & professional life I often privately lacked confidence yet watched others who have achieved far less than me with confidence bursting out of them.

Then lockdown came & I suddenly found myself in a whole new world of teaching my classes on zoom & initially I dreaded it!

But one day after feeling worried about my business, questioning my abilities etc etc I happened to come across a quote which really resonated with me.

‘ Self confidence is a trust in yourself, it’s a frame of mind!’

 

So I asked myself – ‘Am I good at what I do?’ ‘YES’

‘Would I have achieved all I have if I wasn’t good at what I did?’ ‘NO’

 

And I made a decision then & there I was going to change my mindset & outlook for good – which is something I’m continuing to this day and I’m loving it!

My first thing was to clear my head, and this came in the form of some wonderful dog walks alone in the beautiful countryside near my home whilst listening to positive & motivational podcasts which were invaluable to me.

With nothing else but trees, beautiful views, my adorable Cavachon Dora & the horizon to focus on it really made me listen to the words and put things into practice in my life.

I then came across the podcast ‘The law of attraction changed my life’ by Francesca Amber and started applying a lot of her principals in my life which have now become a part of my daily routine.

One of the things I love and do religiously is my gratitude journal every morning. This is a wonderful way to really look at all the things we have to be grateful for & I then write down what I envision happening and my future goals. Somehow seeing things written down makes it clearer and more real somehow. I also have a weekly goals list which I write down 5 things I want to achieve that week and how I’m going to achieve them & I ensure I do.

Self care is another thing I’ve brought into my life more, walking, facials, exercise, reading, relaxing more etc etc. If you don’t look after yourself, how can you possibly look after others & achieve what you want to achieve?

I used to feel guilty for taking time out for me and if I dared to sit down for 10 minutes I couldn’t shake the guilt that I should be working. But as my children are older & more self sufficient than they were, along with me being in my late 40’s I’ve completely changed my mindset and I’m much happier for it. No one thanks you for working 24/7 let’s face it!!

I still stay on top of my work & give it 100% but I now refuse to work on my Dance School work on my days off unless I have something big coming up such as a show or competition. Now on my days off I devote my time to my family, home, meeting friends, gardening, blogging, cooking, walking, the gym and things that make me happy & are good for me, and I’m much much happier for it. Life is too short to not be happy & live it to the full. It’s my new mantra from now on & I’m not changing back to my old ways. I feel like my life has a better balance of family, friends, work, self care, home and leisure now which is a much healthier & happier way to live. 

 

How to work on yourself for a better life balance

1.   Practice self care in ways that work for you

2.   Don’t let work spill in to your days off, have clear boundaries

3.   Practice gratitude daily for a more positive mindset

4.   Find ways to switch off & focus that work for you such as a walk, reading, listen to a podcast, practice yoga & meditation etc

5.   Shake off the guilt – no one will ever thank you for making yourself ill from working 24/7

6.   Believe in yourself, confidence is a trust in yourself. This must come from your own mindset which you have to work on daily to change any negative thoughts towards yourself.

7.   Get outside in nature & the fresh air. Nothing makes you appreciate life more than seeing the beauty of nature all around us.

8.   Always find time for exercise as many times as a week that works for your lifestyle.

9.   Tap into your passions & try to find a hobby or past time that works for you such as gardening, reading, a sport you can pick up again, join an amateur dramatic society etc    

10.  Remember - You have more conversations with yourself than anyone else, so make sure you’re talking kindly and positively to yourself on a daily basis.