January Insights
1. Consuming and Creating
This month, off the back of experiencing the most restrained and enjoyable festive period in years, and also having created and run two masterclasses in the last two months, I have been pondering consumption and creation. What it does to our energy, what it asks of us and delivers to us, and how it helps and hinders. I have written a more in-depth piece here and have shared a few additional insights for some (healthy!) food for thought below.
2. Our body is the only place we have to live...
Have you noticed the things many people do to "celebrate" tend to have the opposite effect on our bodies? So often, our bodies have to work much harder after a celebration, processing the various toxins society has told us to ingest to signal (or believe!) that we are having fun. Yet there of things we can enjoy that cost us almost nothing, and pay dividends. Genuine slow savouring of good food , walking in nature, playing games, dancing. None of these things require toxins, digestive marathons or complete inactivity.
Are you still doing things that are not as fun now as they used to be? Are you doing things for yourself that feel genuinely good? Are you doing things for your body that feel good? As in most long term relationships, it is very easy to take our habits and preferences for granted. And as with most things we take for granted, there usually comes a tipping point where the lack of attention comes to show itself. When this happens, rather than creating a pressure filled whip for ourselves, it is kinder and more effective to start small. A daily gratitude practice calling our attention back to our life force and the only vehicle we can truly call home, 10 minutes of movement of some kind to wake up our body, a good laugh or piece of joyous music to charge our batteries. Little wins make for big changes. Your nervous system will thank you.
3. Resisting change means resisting life.
Resisting change is a great cause of unnecessary suffering. Better to accept that change will happen, and take care of the fundamentals that will help you take care of your energy when things turn upside down or shift. Knowing how to look after yourself whatever the weather is so much more effective and satisfying than wishing, hoping, burying your head, or shouting into the wind.
4. Culture is how employees' hearts and stomachs feel about Monday morning on Sunday night.
This applies not only to "work" but also to how we experience our relationships, our locations, our teams, our families, and the world in general. How does your heart and stomach feel about them?
