The A-Z Of Wellbeing – R

It’s time for The A-Z of Wellbeing and this month it is all to do with the letter R.

Rain – I know this may not seem like a word you would associate with wellbeing, however, rain is very much needed in our life. Without it, we wouldn’t have all the lovely green spaces we have or the forests or the rivers and lochs. We are so quick to complain when it comes our way, yet it’s a necessity and we all appreciate it’s gifts. So what, if it has ruined your plans for a BBQ or you can’t hang your washing out. It has created so much for you to enjoy whilst out and about. Why not go for a walk in the rain and enjoy it. Think of the rain as cleansing your soul and refreshing your mind. Embrace the wildness of it, wrap up and get wet.

Read – Whether you love reading fiction or non fiction, read for hours at a time or just a few minutes, it is great to get swept up in a book and take your mind away to somewhere else. Some people like to read at night, others in the morning. When do you prefer to read? Do you like to read just before bed, feel relaxed and immersed in a story before you fall asleep? Or maybe you read on your commute to work. Reading is a great way to help relax you and reduce your stress levels. If you wear a fitness tracker why not look at your heart rate before you start reading and once you finish. You might be surprised at how relaxed you get.

Relax – What do you do to relax? Read? Walk? Watch TV? Play with your pets? Chat to friends? Have a massage? Bath? There are so many things you can do to help you relax. So have a think about what you can do. There is no point having a bath if you don’t quite know what to do once you are in the water or don’t like them. This is going to leave you feeling frustrated and bored. The key is to find something you enjoy and want to do that will help to ease your stresses and anxieties.

Real – Who is the real you? Who gets to see the real you? Can you honestly say that you are authentically you each day? Do you have a work persona and home persona or is there no difference? Being real to yourself is more important than showing your true self to others. If you are hiding from something, then perhaps this is the year you face up to it. It’s a lot of hard work trying to keep up being someone you are not. Why put yourself through it? Have a think today about who you are and perhaps who you aren’t. The real you shouldn’t be hidden away. It uses a lot of energy trying to be someone else so embrace the real you and shout it from the rooftops (but only if you want to shout).

Reflect – This is something we all do, whether we want to or not. We often find ourselves reflecting on our day, what went well, what could’ve gone better. We do this without thinking. When things don’t go to plan or go better than expected, we reflect on it, it could be on our own or speaking to our partner, They can often have a different point of view which can be helpful if you find yourself over thinking what you should or shouldn’t have done. Journaling is good for this. You can write down your thoughts and feelings focusing on what was good about it, what challenged you, what you enjoyed or didn’t and what you would do the same or different next time.

Rituals – A ritual is something you do in a specific way, like meditating for 5 minutes each morning in your bed before getting up or having a bath with candles and reading your magazine. Your doing things thoughtfully and mindfully. Is there anything you do regularly that you create a ritual out of? For example really noticing and enjoying each moment when making and having a cup of tea. You pay attention to the feel of the cup, you listen intently to the water as it pours from the kettle, you stir it a certain number of times, you remove the teabag, squeezing out the final drops of water, before sitting down to drink it. With each sip you enjoy the flavour, the temperature and the aroma. You focus solely on the tea and nothing else. It can take a few minutes but in that moment, you are truly in the moment and enjoying your tea ritual. You can do this with anything, from brushing your teeth to having a bath. Why not try one this week.

I could have written so much more as there are so many R words I could have chosen. Have a think about the words above and other words which are part of your daily life, helping you with your own wellbeing.

Wishing you a wonderful week. Thank you for reading. Take care and look after you.

Love Emma xx