Wake up and sleep better!

With today’s harried lifestyles, you are probably not even paying attention to your sleeping habits, or how they affect your entire life. Becoming of aware of how you approach sleeping will help you establish routines and attitudes that will help you sleep better, feel better, and even look better. You’ve heard some of these things before, but they bear repeating because they can often be overlooked.

Sleep to the Beat of Your Body Rhythms

Honoring the natural active/rest patterns of your body is a huge factor in getting better sleep, but often at odds with your active lifestyle and schedule. However, by taking a few steps to notice and follow your body’s lead, you will help re-set its sleep clock. First of all, try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. That includes weekends. If you have been burning the midnight oil, take a nap during the day rather than slumbering past your normal wake-up time which will confuse your internal clock. Keep naps to a minimum of 20 minutes, and try to take them early in the afternoon.

Set the mood

Creating an environment that is conducive to sleep is so important. A calm, relaxing palette of colors, comfortable, season-appropriate bedding, light-blocking shades or curtains all make an oasis for optimum rest. Reserve the use of your bed for the 3 “S’s”: sleep, sex, and sickness. Always try to keep the temperature as cool as possible in your bedroom, and as hard as it may be, don’t watch television in your room right before bed, because it stimulates your brain.

Watch What You Eat, Drink & Think Before Bedtime

Caffeine can take up to 12 hours to leave your bloodstream, so avoid drinking it past the morning. The same goes for alcohol, which may initially make you drowsy, but will disturb your sleep cycle once you are asleep. Food & beverages should be monitored, such as avoiding large meals at night, and opting for healthier choices for any before-bed snacks. Of course, unless you like frequent trips to the bathroom, watch your liquid intake as you approach bedtime. Finally, practice relaxation techniques such as meditation to stop ruminating troublesome thoughts.

By making these adjustments to your lifestyle, you will train your body and mind to fall - and stay - asleep more easily, while improving your overall well-being.

Self-esteem is Your Mirror, So Keep it Clean

Self-esteem is a culmination of a person’s thoughts, beliefs and emotions regarding their own value and worth as a person. Self-esteem is usually tied up with how a person perceives the quality of their own appearance, inherent characteristics, level of intelligence, societal status, and relationships. How someone regards themselves becomes ingrained in their persona, and can define who they are not only in their own eyes, but in the eyes of others. By following the simple plan below, anyone can adopt a rational, self-respecting, well-balanced view of themselves and improve their self-esteem.

Take Stock

Any personal growth starts with introspection and honesty. To fully begin to understand your own self-worth, start by writing down what you believe are your strengths and your weaknesses. This will help you identify the areas you’d like to improve, and help you appreciate all the good things in your life. Start with one thing to focus on in both columns and come up with an easy strategy to improve a weakness, and expand a strength.

Run Your Own Race

This is very important. You must stop comparing yourself to others, and keep the focus on yourself. Comparisons only lead to envy and jealousy, which are toxic emotions that drain your energy and keep you stuck. Society does not always value true authenticity, so you may just be conditioned to think what others have is what you need. If you feel inadequate in certain areas, try look at it as an opportunity to become the more authentic, self-actualized person you were uniquely created to be.

Accept the “Good” and the “Bad”

Throughout this exploratory process, embrace both your successes and failures as coaches and mentors along on your evolving path of self-esteem. Reject the need for perfection, and focus instead on the process in whatever you strive for, rather than outcome. This will allow you to build self-worth and value in the quality of your efforts, and not hold yourself to some unattainable expectation of perfection.

Stay present

Don’t bind yourself to a self-image that is based on a self-image from your past. As your life evolves, and circumstances change, past skills and accomplishments may simply no longer be practical or obtainable. It’s okay to strive towards goals, but be realistic about where you are now and build from there.

Above all, be kind to yourself! Be your own best friend.

If you need professional help increasing your self-esteem, contact our office for an appointment now! 214 546 4514