Reinforcements..
Reinforcement = the process of encouraging or establishing a belief or pattern of behavior, especially by encouragement.
A strong Mind, Body and Home needs Reinforcements......Whether it be a daily planner, a group of friends, an inspiring print or a favourite app, we MUST surround ourselves with who and what will encourage and assist us to be the best 'Me' possible.
I think it's safe to say, for a lot of us, most days are quite manageable....though everyone's degree of manageable differs of course. I think we can attribute this ability to manage to the reinforcements we don't even realize we've built into our lives. Something as simple as our morning routine can help to get the day off to a great start. Do you have a morning routine?? A while back, I wrote about morning routines and asked, "What do you do before breakfast?" . I definitely do have a routine (you'll have to read that post to find out what my mornings entail) and even though I do try and stick with it, there are times when I just can't....
This is where Adaptability comes in...Adaptability AND Resiliency some days. There is one thing I can say about my life, and I'm sure yours too....as manageable as it is most days, when the curveballs get thrown, let's just say, they come in at 125mph and damn, there are some that come close to striking me out!
This is where you have to use all of your 'tools' in your Reinforcements toolbox, in addition to your ability to Adapt and be Resilient, to help you get through. I've already mentioned some of my 'tools', but here are a few more:
- Moleskines and a pen; so I can jot down ideas, lists, quotes etc as the day goes by...and so I can look back at all the good when it may not be quite as good a day as ones prior.
- Magazines; I subscribe to mags that let me lose myself in them, whose pages end up on my inspiration boards and that help keep me on track from a motivational standpoint. When I've had a rough day, I come home, pour a glass of wine and curl up with a magazine to either distract me for a bit, or to help me unwind.
- Fresh Flowers; I try and have fresh flowers in my home as often as I can, especially flowers from the Market here in town. They bring a smile to my face every time I look at them and really, I can't think of a better 'pick me up' then a bouquet of your favorites to bring some cheer and colour into your home.
- The Gym; I have two words for you: Leg Press! The days when the frustration levels are topping out are the days I actually have some of my best workouts! Head phones in, music turned up, water bottle filled...Bring on leg day..and heavy leg day at that! The great thing about working out is that it makes you so aware of the mind and body connection, especially when doing weights I find (I'm definitely a gal that lifts). You have little choice but to completely focus on your workout when you have a new personal best loaded up on the squat rack.
- Re-Organizing: one of THE best distractions for me is re-organizing, updating/refreshing my home decor and purging. It not only helps the mind de-clutter and settle to go through the creative process but it also brings a new sense of 'Me' to your/my space. It's a pretty great workout too if you're having to run things back and forth to the basement like I do.
- Cooking; there's something almost therapeutic about chopping up veggies, bbqing out in the sunshine and taking in all the yummy aromas as the meal comes together...maybe I was a sous chef in a prior life. Not only do you have the 'therapy' of the process, you know you have healthy, great food to feed your body too!
Reinforcements.....we all need them and only you know what you need to ensure you remain successful, healthy and happy. I find as we get older, we hone in on what really works for us....What are some of your Reinforcements?
Adaptability and Resiliency work hand in hand with your Reinforcements and the more tangible "tools" you have in your toolbox, the more emotionally strong, resilient and adaptable you should be able to be. I say should....but honestly, I really mean will. You WILL be more resilient and adaptable.
A friend and I were discussing how our lives can look 'perfect' via the internet...The 'flawless' Instagram photos, the 'splendid' Facebook posts...yea right! For those moments, those literal seconds, life is 'perfect', but what about all the other minutes and hours in the day? I'm sure there are many other 'perfect' moments in your day, but for the 'not-so-perfect' times, remember these 3 words:
- REINFORCEMENTS, ADAPTABILITY and RESILIENCY