Relationship Booster #4: Watch your words

As week 6 of my ‘8 weeks to a better bodymind challenge’ draws to a close, I have been really enjoying the commitment to nurturing my relationships. How have you been going following these tips? I hope you’re seeing the upward spiral of joy in action too.

One of my favourite tips: today I am watching my words. I will be mindful of the ratio of positive to negative statements I make to my loved ones… it is so important to balance expressions of gratitude, admiration and affection with criticism.

Research has shown that to sustain a relationship you need a minimum of three positive statements for every critical statement. If you want your relationships to flourish, aim for a ratio of 5:1. Watch your words and start to notice your ratios of positive to negative statements.

Strike the right balance today and see what blossoms. 

Happiness Booster #5: Random Acts of Kindness

Today I am on the lookout for opportunities to be helpful, kind and generous…

Is there someone that needs your help today? It can be as simple as a smile, going with someone else’s preference, being extra courteous on the road, showing more patience or attentiveness to your toddler’s story, the list is endless. Do someone a genuine good turn and feel how it warms your heart too.

Wishing you a happy day!

What do HAPPY people have in common?

Another interesting snippet of research this week examining the personality traits common to happy individuals. The best news is that these are attributes that we can train and cultivate – more on that next week. According to Caroline Adams Miller, a leading positive psychologist, these are the Big 4: (more…)

What is SELF-CARE?

Self-care can broadly be defined as personal health maintenance undertaken with the intention of improving or restoring health, or treating or preventing disease. I’d like to add the purpose of ‘flourishing’ to this definition and to promote the notion of thinking broader than just nourishing physical health.

When we think about practices to sustain good health and wellbeing, the most common themes are good nutrition, exercise, relaxation, sleep, hygiene, minimizing health hazards like caffeine, alcohol, and all of these are valuable, helpful elements to consider. Less often considered are those things that directly enhance psychological functioning – the things that alter how we perceive the world, our place in it and the quality of our interactions with other people.

In addition to caring for your body and nourishing your insides, I’d like to take an introductory look at some of the self-care tools that make you happier by nurturing your mental, emotional, social and spiritual bodies!

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