Category: thoughts

Bid farewell to your comfort zone

How moving outside of your comfort zone can take your life to the next level!

movebeautydrawLeave a comment

Ahh the comfort zone, so named because it’s the mental equivalent of being wrapped on the sofa smothered by a duvet. Well ok, Lifehacker actually defines it as “the behavioural space where your activities and behaviours fit a routine and pattern that minimises stress and risk.” But either way, it’s all about the cosy sense of familiarity, security and certainty. There’s nothing scary in the comfort zone!

Sure, the comfort zone does indeed have its benefits. Us humans are creatures of comfort, it’s our natural neutral state. There’s little stress in the comfort zone, there’s consistency and you’ve probably reached a consistency in your performance, or maybe even in your emotions? But be honest with yourself, isn’t also a little bit boring? When did you do something exciting in your comfort zone? When did you last do something that makes you proud?

Melinda Beck for The Wall Street Journal has successfully argued that a little anxiety, can actually be the magic ingredient in our growth. Stepping outside of our comfort zones is our way of challenging ourselves and reaching new heights. Without risk, how can we prove that we can rise to the occasion of attempting something we might not be any good at!

Think back to when you were a child (the time in your life when you did nearly all of your growing), think about how many risks you took. No stream was too wide to leap, no colour-combo was too wacky! It’s only as we grow older that we learn to fear failure.

Beyond growth, leaving the comfort zone can also help our creativity flourish. Trying something new gives you a blank canvas of exploration and experimentation, that would simply be impossible in the confines of the comfort zone! By its very nature, creativity is inherently risky. When we show our creativity, we feel vulnerable and terrified of possible rejection. But the rewards that can be reaped from creative achievement will more than make up for it. Plus, the more you do It, the easier it becomes, until one day, taking risks, well…becomes part of your comfort zone!

By taking calculated risks and continually challenging ourselves, we’re effectively self-improving, it’s easy to cultivate openness, imagination and a higher intellectual curiosity! It allows you to become more astute and will also help with making spot-on decisions. All of a sudden, a situation which would have once made you extremely uncomfortable, becomes the perfect arena to allow you to look around, observe, absorb and interpret everything you see. Your decision making abilities will improve tenfold!

When you escape your comfort zone, you are effectively vanquishing your mental barriers, it’s a huge personal achievement. Whilst we can’t always promise the results will be equally fantastic, the sense of pride you will feel will make taking away that cosy duvet, indescribably delightful!

Setting a goal is halfway to achieving it!

movebeautydrawLeave a comment

We all know that the most successful people are goal-orientated. But it’s not just about having an idea of what you want, it’s committing to setting them that counts!

It seems simple doesn’t it? The idea that setting goals goes hand in hand with achieving goals. Some of you might even wonder how it’s possible to achieve a goal you haven’t set. But the reality is, when we think about what we want- whether it’s earning a pay rise or losing ten pounds, more often than not, it’s the end result we think of. We picture ourselves with more money or feeling more confident in a swimsuit, but that’s not really a goal it’s a wish. Without mapping out our goals and a plausible way to achieve them, our greatest desires and ambitions become nothing more than daydreams. The problem with daydreams is, they vanish into thin air! Daydreams can also hinder your progress. You can become focussed on the comforting and pleasant thoughts of your end result, rather than focussing on the hard tasks and obstacles you need to overcome.

Here are my suggestions on how to take your goals out of your head and into reality!

  1. Quite literally make them physical, don’t allow them to just be ideas at the back of your mind. There are a few different ways to do this, but the easiest way is to simply write them down. Dr Gail Matthews, who has spent a career dedicated to understanding people’s ambitions, has shown that you are 42% more likely to achieve a goal that you note down. Her favourite tactic (and mine too) however, is to draw them. You don’t have to be an artist, but a visual representation helps you think more clearly and identify those details which may otherwise be missing from the picture in your head. Dr Matthews’ study shows that those who draw their goal are an incredible 80% more likely to stick to them.
  2. Once you have a clear visualisation of your goal and what it will take to achieve it, it’ll be much easier to break it down into chunks. Once you have more manageable and achievable steps, you’ll see regular action that moves you closer to your goal. Nothing is more motivating than celebrating progress!
  3. Tell somebody about your goal! It’s amazing how much of a difference being accountable to somebody else, makes to motivation. Once you talk about your goal with somebody else, it really is a ‘set’ and ‘real’ thing. Besides, it’s always lovely to have someone on hand as your own personal cheerleader!

 

All of these processes should foster motivation and focus, as well as providing you with a strong sense of vision and purpose! The perfect recipe for success.

Why Invest in yourself?

movebeautydrawLeave a comment

We live in a funny old world. We’ll think nothing of spending a few hours a week watching a boxset on Netflix or of spending £8 on avo on toast a couple of times a week. But when it comes to investing money and time on ourselves- all of a sudden we get hesitant.

It doesn’t make sense, surely investing in yourself is the best return on investment you could ever possibly have? It’s especially important for those who seek to help overs, you need to give to yourself before you can give to others! Our individual gifts and talents will best serve others, once we’ve invested in them! Correspondingly, investing in yourself is a powerful signifier of self-love. If you show that you are willing to invest in yourself, others will be far more likely to want to invest in you. It sends a powerful message to the world. It shows exactly how you deserve to be treated.

Secondly, it sends a very important message to your own sub-conscience. When you enrich yourself, you can feel yourself grow and will feel better about yourself. It contributes to your happiness. It’ll help you become more focussed, as well as boosting your confidence. Both confidence and focus are essential in helping you achieve those personal goals.

Perhaps you have a bucket list full of things you want to do, think of the joy that would come with accomplishments. So putting some time and effort into getting those things done would really pay off. Whether those goals are improving your singing voice or learning a new language. Or perhaps you want to consult with a life coach like me on how to lose weight or get a promotion. You’ll feel better within yourself when you put time and energy towards completing those things. The big payoff to all that effort will be when you look back on your life and realize that you put positive steps in making those things happen.

It’ll also do incredible things for your career and/or business. As previously touched upon, as your skills grow, so does you value to those around you-particularly your employer. This translates into you becoming a more valuable asset and will hopefully result in an increase in job titles and compensation. If you are entrepreneur, the asset of your personal talent is transferable. By investing in yourself, you are also investing in your business. Whilst you may be making an initial output of money and time, you’ll end up driving your efficiency and perhaps even make a cost reduction!

So there you have it, yourself really is your best asset. You are an investment that simply can’t fail to give back a return. So go on book in with a life coach today, and forgo a couple of avo on toast breakfasts!

Christmas Wishes

‘Tis the season to reconnect

movebeautydrawLeave a comment

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

The festive period is a great excuse to reconnect with people you may have lost touch with, or to spend more time with those that you can’t normally due to other commitments.

Using time off effectively is a key focus for me. Making sure I plan to see those people more regularly instead of just coming in and getting into the latest boxset. In making plans and setting reminders you’ll get more done.

People aren’t around forever and relationships won’t strengthen themselves, so perhaps now is the time to re-focus and find time for that coffee or phone call.

Moving forwards whilst looking back

The past is part of your future, keep it alive

movebeautydrawLeave a comment

Throughout our lives we lose people, move on from places and relationships will end. Some things you may be able to re-visit, however the finality of death is difficult to move on from.

They say that time heals all wounds, however there will still be days where it feels as though no time has passed at all, and it’s raw.

A positive way to carry on is to undertake small positive acts of remembrance to keep their spirit alive. Pictured is a portrait of my late uncle, who passed thirty long years ago. The piece for my nan is an embodiment a memory and refreshes a photograph that has stood on her wall for the last three decades.

By creating something new of the person, be it art or donating to a cause they felt passionately about, an element of them remains in the present. A beautiful example of this is the lovely rose bush planted to commemorate Neil, it grows and gives life to the world around it.

Moving forwards will always be hard, but bringing  your past with you, will give you great strength.

As one year closes another one opens

What will you do to be fulfilled this year?

movebeautydraw1 Comment

As we are all shockingly aware, time waits for no man and we get older every day. There is no time when we notice this more than at the end of a year, looking forward to the next.

This January I will be studying to become a life coach, to help me support my family, friends, colleagues and other people better. As with most things the more you put in, the more you get out, and I would like happiness for others to be my legacy.

The concept of legacy is something that drives me forwards. Imagining what people will remember you for in 2, 5, or even 20 years is a powerful motivator to make a change and do and be all the things that will make you feel happy and fulfilled.

Focus on one thing you’d like to be remembered for and take small steps toward it. Within a few years this desire will have become a part of your day to day life.