This is a Wellbeing Practice That Might Just Change Your Life!
We are going to play our ‘retrospective’ card today, viewing it as a golden opportunity for change.
Yes, that is right, this exercise might just be one of those rare life changing light bulb moments.
In this article I aim to flick the switch for you, I will be that nagging voice in your head as we tap into our inner wisdom for self development.
Like most things in life ‘restrospect’ is part of bigger cycle.
*Full disclosure here – these are my thoughts based on being a health and performance practitioner who works with beautiful clients, plus my bias which is heavily based on my collective experience.
There are three stages to our retrospect practice:
First stage is ‘retrospect’. Retrospect is ‘a review of a past course of events or period of time’.
Second stage is ‘inner guidance’. Inner guidance is internal wisdom one can only tap into when in a peaceful quiet state.
Third stage reflects ‘imperfect action’. Imperfect action is simply putting one foot in front of the other to adopt a new behaviour, action and or belief, knowing that it is not going to be perfect.
Now – If you don’t second guess yourself, or have self trolling thoughts about yourself then perhaps you don’t need to complete this exercise. If you walk into a room packed full of people with your head held high, confident, in love with yourself and what you represent, awesome! If you are shining bright day in and day out, with the knowledge that you are unconditionally loved by family, friends and un reservedly yourself, then yes this might not be a practice you need to undertake.
I beg you though, if the above seems laughable, even cringeworthy, then you NEED to read on! Life is too short not to be governed by your inner wisdom. We ALL have it. Most of us simply have forgotten how to tap into it. Perhaps we never learnt or felt we deserved to? Deep I know. Stay with me.
STEP 1
Take a moment to close your eyes, take two breaths…inhale and exhale…..inhale and exhale.
Imagine yourself as a younger version of yourself, you may be a very young child, you may be a teenager, or you may be middle aged.
Now imagine what advice you would pass onto your younger self? Anything at all. In this space there is no judging, no rules, no limits. It is a safe place. Your place.
If you’re struggling to get into this space you can soak up these intentions below.
“I am wise, I am rich with love, I am wise, I am rich with love”
“I believe in myself, my ability. I believe I am deserving, wise beyond my years. I believe I am enough. Hear me roar”.
STEP 2
Put pen to paper now, write down 10 or more things you would tell your younger self right now.
If you’re struggling with self confidence, self efficacy, self love, then I implore you to read your ‘inner wisdom advice’ each night before bed, making a commitment to do this for the next 5 days.
Now after you have written out your advice to your younger self, read it as yourself today. I know as a 35year old that this advice should be passed on right now! To myself!! We can all get a little stale, lose that extra spring in our step, lose that quiet confidence and purpose we once felt, as our lives progressively revolve around loved ones and our self troll talk plays subconsciously on repeat for years on end.
When you read each piece of golden advice out loud, let it soak in. Imagine advice travelling through your veins, a golden light full of love and warmth, you can take into your days and nights.
Repeat this each night as you lie in bed, read out your inner wisdom advice, visualising the above simultaneously.
Big LOVE
Jaim
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Below I indulge whole heartedly in ‘retrospect’, sharing my ‘inner wisdom advice’.
WARNING: Don’t read this before you create yours.
Advice to my younger self…….
*Give yourself permission to BE YOURSELF. This is the most important gift you can gift yourself.
*Commit to saying ‘sorry’ to yourself upon thinking a self deprecating thought.
*Commit to stop sweating the small stuff.
*Don’t be afraid of saying ‘no’ to functions, events, people etc that don’t support you. When you say Yes to something, you are saying No to something else.
*Acknowledge that any anxiety I feel is simply a habit. That with practise, self confidence and self love it will subside.
*Learn to differentiate between unconditional loving ‘friends’ , and, ‘toxic conditional loving friends’.
*Remember that food benefits you and supports you. Nourishing food is your medicine and insurance to healthy ageing and the quality of life you deserve.
*Don’t brag about‘not being able to sit still and be mindful’, you should learn how to master ‘being in the moment’.
*Start cherishing yourself like you would a best friend. Demand that friends (including boyfriends) cherish and treat you like this as well.
*Make a commitment to yourself. A promise, “To love, and respect yourself in sickness and in health”
*Don’t be afraid to walk into doctors/ practitioners rooms as a ‘consumer’ as opposed to ‘a patient’. Have confidence to voice your needs and concerns, empowered with the belief that your health is the single most important thing in your life, for without it you can’t love and support anyone in your life.
*Also know that if the doctor/ practitioner does not appreciate your ‘consumer’ mindset you can find one that does.
*Acknowledge that ‘perception’ can be both friend and foe. The story you choose to tell yourself is whole heartedly 100% within your control. Similarly to a muscle, it just needs to be trained for consistent incremental improvement.
*Commit to sit still for a moment each week, sit with your thoughts and indulge. Indulge in envisioning the week to come without judgement.
*Omit all self imposed ‘expectations’ ……you know the ones I am referring to. All those little expectations of yourself, little ‘failure’ time bombs just waiting to go off.
Instead change your ‘expectations reterique’. With little or no expectations everything is a ‘win’ (glass half full approach), creating positive internal feedback. Be quietly confident with the knowledge that positive internal feedback is addictive, a recipe for success as opposed to disaster.
*Know that food packaging labels lie. That anything packaged is going to be less nutrient dense rich than mother natures creations. Don’t be afraid of real fats, real protein and real carbs.
*Know that when your gut is in distress, your mind and body will be too. That 80% of of your immune system resides in your gut, and that your body and the way you feel is the best biofeedback you can have. *
*Know that the state of your skin, hair, nails, emotional balance, energy levels, aches and pains, gut dysbiosis, mental ability are all signs of cellular health. Take stock of what your body is trying to tell you.
*Let this sink in. With self belief, confidence, and a plan, you can achieve anything….or at least you deserve to try.
*Know that limitations are self imposed, created from fearful thoughts. With a simple 3 part strategy of ‘acknowledge, forgive, reword’ these fearful thoughts can transcend into the abyss.
*Never stop learning. With knowledge comes a feeling of freedom and empowerment.
*Know that trusting your instinct is flexing your ‘inner guidance system’ muscle. You will never make a ‘wrong decision’ following it.
*Know that judgemental minds are insecure personalities.
*Empathy is a super power, one you should cherish and exercise daily. When you show empathy you’ll feel a warm fuzzy feeling.
*Lastly, please know that self belief, self love and continual learning are the foundations to an epic life, rich in health and love.