Now that you have brought two essential elements of The Way into your life – Exercise and Personal Space – you are beginning to layer the foundation that will help you to bring more awareness and energy into your life.
You are also doing things that will make a massive difference to how you feel, and this will also have a positive effect on everyone around you.
Do you sometimes wake up feeling groggy? Spend most of the day with a foggy head, unable to concentrate on what you are doing, perhaps making silly mistakes? These unbalanced feelings could mean that you need more of Element 3: Sleep. There is a direct correlation between lack of sleep and stress, anger, anxiety, sadness, and your ability to cope.
A variety of different things can help you get a better night’s sleep. Developing a regular wind-down routine is one of the most important. A pre-sleep ritual acts as a cue to your body that it is time to sleep. This might consist of a warm bath, listening to relaxing music, or using your breath to switch off your mind, and relax your muscles. It is a good idea to keep vigorous exercise to the daytime, or early evening, because its energizing effects can prevent you from sleeping. We are looking to create rest and relaxation. A time for your body to stop, recharge, and repair itself for the following day.
On average, most adults need between seven and eight and a half hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. Good-quality sleep, where you are actively dreaming (REM sleep), will improve your concentration and help regulate your mood. Lack of sleep can make you irritable and cranky, affecting your emotions, social interaction, and decision-making.
Everybody is different, but if you wake up feeling well rested and refreshed you are getting the right amount of sleep. Another important key to a good night’s sleep is to keep your bedtime routine consistent. If you vary the time you go to bed by a great amount, this will have a knock-on effect the next evening, causing you to get into a cycle of not getting enough sleep.
For example: If you go to bed late one evening and sleep late the next morning, you might not be tired at a reasonable time in the evening. If you then stay up late but can’t lie in again, then your sleep is cut short. If your sleep patterns are irregular, the quality of your sleep is affected. In respect of the 9 Elements, just be aware that if you have not managed to have a good night’s sleep, it is natural that it will affect you. Sometimes there can be a delay of a couple of days before your mood is impacted. So just become aware of how you feel, and what is missing from your life in a non-judgmental way, and you will know why. You will understand what has caused it, be able to catch up over the next few days, and then feel better.
Today I would like you to take some time to wind down at the end of the day. Switch off the television earlier than usual, or stop any stimulating activities earlier in the evening than usual.
Allowing yourself enough time to unwind will help you to let go of your day, and prepare for sleep. It is best to avoid bright lights in the evening, as well. Bright lights at nighttime stimulate your mind, and delay the increased release of melatonin that your body puts into your system, which affects your Circadian rhythm and the desire to sleep.
If you like to read in bed make it something that is relaxing. If a book is a real page-turner you might find that you can’t stop, so set yourself a time that you would like to go to sleep to give you seven to eight and a half hours of sleep, and then stick to it. Sleep helps to organize memories, solidify learning, and improve your concentration.
Sleep well.
Today, once again, I would like you to exercise while also being aware of how you feel. Don’t push yourself too hard. Go inside your body with your mind and use your intuition to feel what your body needs. You may want to do more today if you feel that you have more energy, or a little less if you feel tired. The important thing is to get moving; our bodies are designed to exercise. If you take time to look after yourself, you will be rewarded with a strong, flexible, healthy body.
Just do 20 to 30 minutes of exercise today. You can move your body in any way you like: playing football, taking an exercise class, or having fun with your children in the park. Maybe go swimming or biking. Variety will keep you motivated, and make it easier and more enjoyable to fit activity into your day.
It is important to warm up and stretch your muscles before exercise, as stretching prevents aches and pains and promotes the health of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. There is no better time to stretch than Now.
Look to include a pre-exercise and post-exercise stretch into your day, allowing your body to warm up and cool down. If you have tight muscles, try connecting your breath to the muscles you are stretching, while gently holding the stretch without straining. Straining causes more tension. Take yourself to the point where you start to feel the tension, and then come off a little and focus on relaxing all the muscles in your entire body, even your face. It is amazing how much tension we can hold on to without realizing it. Exercise is a good way to connect with your body – notice how it feels.
Personal space can be as easy as taking time out to sit somewhere quiet, where you won’t be disturbed, with a cup of tea. It is just about taking time to ‘be’ rather than ‘do.’
We are going to focus on a different sense each day. Today we are using sound.
I would like you to find a comfortable place to sit down, somewhere you will not be disturbed. The best place to do this is out in the environment, or as close to nature as possible. The best time is whenever it suits you. I find that it works best for me at the very start of the day, just before the hustle and bustle of the world has got going. It is a magical time when you are less likely to be disturbed, and it is also a time when you can almost feel the energy of the day slowly gathering.
We are now going to spend our five-minute Personal Space time focusing on sound. You can do this exercise now, or later while listening to my free audio download. Just visit thewayjohnwhiteman.com/9-elements-audio and enter the password ‘Feel Fantastic.’
Let’s begin.
Make sure you are in a comfortable position, seated or lying down with your eyes closed, and in a place where you won’t be disturbed.
I would like you to listen to the sound of your natural breath. Don’t force it – just see if you can hear the sound it makes as it flows in and out through your nose.
As you identify the sounds, take care not to create thought patterns related to those sounds. Stay in the listening mode. The idea is to direct your thoughts and mind, rather than react to your surroundings.
Just listen to your breath as it goes in… and out…
While listening to your breath, let your natural breath gently fill your lungs and travel all the way down your body to about an inch below your navel, and gently out again.
As you breathe in, allow your tummy to expand with air and, when you release the breath, notice it and allow it to drop.
Just listen to the sound of your breath coming in… and out… in… and out…
Now I would like you to become aware of the sounds that are close by. If your mind wanders, just bring it back to your breath, and the sounds that you can hear. Not processing or analyzing, just listening.
Bring your awareness to the sounds a little further away from you… breathing in… and out…
And now the sounds in the far distance… breathing in… and out…
Now notice all the sounds, near and far, together. Feel the energy of your environment… breathing in… and out…
Begin now to gently bring yourself back to where you are sitting, and take a few moments to reconnect with your immediate environment.
Wriggle your fingers and toes.
Take a few deep breaths…
Slowly open your eyes and stretch.
Take a few moments to see how you feel.
Well done, that is Day 3 over – enjoy the calmness it brings.
Just by taking some time for yourself you can change not only how you feel, but positively affect the people around you. Have a fantastic day.
Most people will be feeling more Balanced emotionally from the breathing and relaxation exercises, and possibly a little tired if they have actively been keeping a good aerobic pace with exercise.
Sleep is important for rejuvenation, so please set aside some space and time today to bring awareness to this element and how you feel on Day 3.