Is Summer Impacting on Your Mental Health?

Is Summer Impacting on Your Mental Health?

We are already into our 2nd week of August and well into the summer season.

Have you ever thought how the seasons impact on your wellbeing?

Some may say that summer is the happiest season of them all; the longest days, the warm temperatures, being active, etc.

For some, summer is the catalyst for an increase in anxiety and stress:

  • Concerns over body image
  • The pressure to be social
  • Lack of routine and balance
  • Financial pressures
  • Social media creating negative thoughts, when scrolling to see everyone living a perfect life, in their perfect bodies and feel like you’re failing at having the perfect summer

And the list goes on…

This summer could be the time you take charge of your health and well-being.

“Every Summer Has A Story”

The Pura Vida Your Life Compass – The Navigation Tool For The Modern World focusses on Summer as the season of power and to create balance in your life.

Are you living life in balance?

Summer is the season of great power, energy and expansion.  This is the optimum time for us to create balance in our lives, set and smash our goals to live a life of abundance and prosperity with our greatness in our physical power.

Living an unbalanced life can lead to a decline in life expectancy, it really is that serious, even in this modern era with advancements in healthcare, technology and standards of living.  The problem is that our lives are way out of balance.

People prioritise money, work and careers over family, health and exercise.  Medical experts agree that most of today’s chronic diseases are preventable through a healthy lifestyle. 

“Summer fills her with light, power and energy of expansion”

The fundamentals that contribute to a long, healthy life are:

  • Exercise
  • Sleep
  • Nutrition
  • Stress Management
  • Love and Social Connection

Are you surprised by the list above? And are you even more surprised to find that ‘work’ is missing from the list? Most people devote the majority of their waking hours to work, but here’s the thing, work is not giving people health benefits in return.

To find true health, priorities need to be realigned to focus on what will deliver health both emotionally and physically.

Do you find life’s priorities a balancing act?

Balancing exercise, sleep, nutrition, stress management, love and social connection is a real life challenge.  The subconscious mind can get in the way, giving rise to feelings of guilt for leaving work (on-time) to go to the gym or for choosing to go for a run rather than spending time with family.

To truly find balance, we must get clear on where our priorities are and the time we want to commit towards them.  When considering the trade-offs each day between stress and relaxation, nutrition and indulgence, work and exercise, be reminded that to provide for and to support loved ones, you must first find balance.

My Top Tip

Take a few minutes to rate how you are doing on a scale of 1 to 10 for each of the fundamentals that contribute to a long, healthy life:

Exercise

  • Sleep
  • Nutrition
  • Stress Management
  • Love and Social Connection

Those with the lowest score, commit to devoting more time and energy towards this.  Take action by putting it into your calendar to make a commitment and time for your health, well-being and creating a balanced life.  Your health and happiness will benefit.

“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create”

 

Golden Nuggets

The big question is…What does life balance really mean? What would a balanced life look like to us? And most importantly, how do we go about achieving it in the midst of our crazy modern world?

There are steps you can take to change what isn’t working and get back some control and balance in your life. And once you start seeing results, you’ll be better equipped to maintain that new found equilibrium.

The key is not to try to change everything at once, but to make small adjustments over time to determine what works for you. Eventually you will have a whole new set of positive life habits and you’ll never look back!

  1. Turn It Off

Disconnect on the weekend. I hear the excuses already, but try it, at least for one day or even a few hours each night.

My Top Tip

Put the phone down and turn off the computer. Give your work brain a rest. Bonus: Spend the extra time actually interacting with your family and friends!

2. Trim, Trim, Trim

It’s a given that if your life is overflowing you will never be able to achieve balance and manage it all. It’s just not possible.

Are you fuelling your body with the right type of food?

What does your diet consist of? Are you eating a balanced diet of fresh healthy food?  Rice, beans, vegetables, fish, meat and fruit. Be conscious of what your eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is it homemade and locally sourced? With plenty of protein, vegetables, fruit.  If you start by avoiding overly processed, fast food then this a step in the right direction.

When we fuel our bodies with the right type of food, it’s easier to stay healthy, active, and productive. Are you eating healthily?

My Top Tip

Say no to everything that is either not essential or doesn’t add something valuable to your life. Be ruthless!

3.Minimise Toxins

By that, I don’t mean chemicals (though that might help too.) Minimize the negative influences around you.

My Top Tip

Avoid toxic people (complainers, whiners, poor attitudes.) If you can’t completely avoid them, at least minimize contact and tune them out as much as you can. Surround yourself with positive, supportive, can-do people whenever possible

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~Thomas Merton 

 What do you do to keep your life balanced?

I invite you to come on a journey of empowerment with me, sign up to our newsletter to help you take the steps to improve your life: https://puravidayourlife.co.uk/