It is not surprising (when we consider ourselves in evolutionary terms), but sometimes easy to forget in our modern world, that exposure to natural daylight/sunlight and darkness, has been shown to have a major role in supporting our mental and emotional health.

In brief, sunlight/daylight viewed early in the morning sets in motion several positive effects, including:

• Supporting our natural circadian rhythm i.e. our sleep/wake cycle, which can improve both the quality and quantity of our sleep
• Boost our mood
• Improve our resilience
• Help manage stress
• Increase focus and alertness

As a quick guide, for optimum sunlight/daylight exposure, the recommendations are to get outside, as soon as you can after wakening. As little as 5-10 minutes of sunlight on non-overcast days or 20 minutes on overcast days, can be enough to gain the benefits of  exposure to daylight (Further details on a previous Blog - Struggling with quality and/or quantity of sleep? (nirvora.co.uk) )

Natural daylight is ultimately the best source, as the type of light rays (blue rays and ray length etc) and amount of light (lux) is ideal.  However, if or when you can’t view sunlight in the morning a light therapy lamp or season affective disorder (SAD) lamp is the next best alternative.  I have one on my desk, which I use when I am completing office work in the mornings.  Please note these lamps are not as effective as natural sunlight even compared to a cloudy morning.  Also, please ensure you research the product and reviews before you purchase one.  It should be at least 10,000 lux (in terms of light omitted). 

Darkness – also supports our natural circadian rhythm, as dimming and softening (low, yellow, orange lights etc) lighting in the evening, signals to our brain (via our retina) to start to wind down and prepare our body for sleep by the release of melatonin.  This then goes further by getting 6-8 hours of total darkness, which we can achieve when sleeping, continues to support our mental and emotional health and positively impact on how we function the following day.  The exposure to darkness itself has been shown be beneficial, which of course (as a huge advocate of sleep) is impacted further through quality and quantity of sleep.

For further information regarding the scientific research and explanations, tips and advice on the benefits to daylight/sunlight and darkness exposure, please get in touch.

I offer a free 20-minute telephone consultation to discuss how as, a qualified Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, I can support you! x

Physical activity - “any bodily movement associated with muscle contraction that increases energy expenditure above resting levels” (IHS).

This can involve activities from formal sports, to structured gym classes through to leisure activities such as walking, biking, swimming and so on.  You may be interested and surprised to know, it also includes ‘Non-Activity Exercise Thermogenic’ (NEAT) forms of movement, also known as non-exercise physical activity (NEPA). This includes all of the physical movement in our lives that is not planned exercise or sport (nor sleeping, breathing or eating).  Examples of NEAT include daily activities such as cleaning, gardening, cooking, shopping, playing and even smaller movements such as fidgeting or playing a musical instrument.  While it may not seem like a lot, it turns out that NEAT has a significant impact on our metabolic rate and calorie expenditure.

I am deliberately choosing to stay away from the word “exercise” – as often this word conjures up the image of gym memberships, the latest sports equipment and branded clothing. Which suites some people but can fill other people with dread.  The focus of this blog is more about the generalised term ‘movement’ and ‘physical activity’– after all physical movement can be one of the most powerful forms of medicine!

Modern day life has become more sedentary than ever before, we can have everything we require available at the end of our finger tips, should we require.  Via technology, we can work from home, complete ALL of our shopping online, we can keep in contact with friends and loved ones (without physically meeting up with them) and we don’t even have to go out to have “treat” as take aways can be delivered directly to our door. Obviously, this is a generalised, sweeping point of view but none-the-less it gives an idea of how the convenience of life can make daily life more accessible.  Consequently, as a nation our jobs and lifestyles do not encourage us to be as physically active as generations prior.  Therefore, it is important that physical activity/ movement is now consciously considered and planned within our daily/weekly routines.  Ideally, within a week, there ought to be a mixture of strength, aerobic and flexibility movement complete.  For specific, official recommendations on physical activity please search the guidelines from NHS or NICE.

If going for a walk first thing in the morning or at the end of your working day, is your thing – start small and plan in one day a week (initially) this could be achieved! Or perhaps jumping on your bike works for you – why not make this the week you service your bike and plan what day/time you can get out and enjoy it.  If completing an online yoga or pilates class is your thing – can you add it onto an existing habit and make it part of your weekly routine?

For those who do not enjoy formal exercise or struggle to fit as much in their week as they would like, perhaps focusing on NEAT may the way forward.  Although it may not feel like much of a physical workout, research has shown NEAT can significantly affect our metabolic rate, reduce cardiovascular events, support weight loss, reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and much more.  It has been shown that people living in the Blue Zones, which are the areas of the world with the highest levels of centenarians, have high levels of NEAT but engage in low levels of formal exercise.  Perhaps suggesting how regular light movement can positively impact on our lives.

For those who enjoy sports and formal exercise, increasing NEAT movement and decreasing sedentary behaviour helps us benefit further from our workouts.   

It doesn’t have to take a lot to consciously increase the amount of movement we incorporate into our daily lives, whilst deliberately reducing the amount of time we are sedentary.  Can you take the stairs rather than the lift? can you have a standing desk at work? do you enjoy gardening, and can you increase the amount you do?  When working at your desk, can you take regular breaks and add in some deliberate movement, body resistance (e.g. squats as you wait for the kettle to boil) or walk a circuit in the office?  Next time you are hoovering, go for it, knowing, such everyday movements/ jobs can contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.

Many people may be pleasantly surprised how beneficial increasing our NEAT activity can be.  For example, 30 minutes of digging a flower bed, burns approximately 315 calories, which is equivalent to 45 minutes gently cycling.*  

No matter how we do it, the more we can move our body, and increase our energy expenditure above resting levels, the better we can feel. Benefits can include (to name but a few): loss of weight, increased energy levels, concentrate better, support our nervous system which, in turn can help us manage conditions such as stress and anxiety or deal with trauma.  Improve the quality and/or quantity of sleep, through to keep us fitter and stronger for longer.

As your NLC, I would work in collaboration with you to find what activities suite you and your individual circumstances. Together we would plan achievable and realistic targets (short and long term), which move you towards your personal lifestyle goals.  Please feel rest assured, you will not be provided the information and packed away to get on with it by yourself, you will be supported and encouraged throughout and I will also be there to celebrate with you as you reach each step!

To find our more information, or arrange a free 20-minute consultation, please contact me!

I encourage you to, invest this time into yourself – as you are absolutely worth it and please don’t doubt that! Xx

*NB this is a rough guide, obviously many factors make a difference to these exact figures.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup!”

(Norm Kelly)

We live in a life where there is often a heavy emphasis on, using every moment to be the best possible version of ourselves, to optimise ourselves and optimise our time. Of course, there are benefits to living like this, but ALL of the time? Constantly pushing ourselves and striving, is this a realistic or sustainable or a healthy way to live?  How about moving the focus away from becoming the best possible version of ourselves and moving our energy (back) to having a “healthy balance” With the emphasis on “balance”!

Life is naturally busy, demanding and constantly bombarding us with stressors.  Very often circumstances are out of our control; sadly, things happen which can cause much worry, upset, stress and anxiety.  In contrast there are also many situations where stress (eustress) has its’ benefits and can help people thrive and flourish. However, for this to be maintainable, in a healthy way, perhaps we need to consider finding the balance between pushing ourselves whilst also, consciously planning time for restoration within our daily/weekly routines – as a counterbalance – to find the equilibrium.

Dr Lisa Damour (American clinical psychologist and author) uses the analogy of weightlifting to explain this further.  People who train in weightlifting, will intentionally push their bodies a little harder in order to see improvement, by doing this they are intentionally putting stress on their bodies.  Then they will deliberately rest – why? to give their bodies time to restore and recover.  The same can be applied to our daily lives, where we push ourselves that little bit harder (say at work) – therefore creating space for “growth” (be that personal, in work etc) but it needs to be paired with rest, to prevent it from becoming potentially harmful or damaging.

This kind of rest involves doing those things that you enjoy or make you feel good and are healthy for you.  This could be things like, going for a walk with a friend, doing a form of exercise you enjoy or planning in some time to chill out and read, and so on.

So, here’s a question – what restoration can you plan into your routine, as a counterbalance, today or this week? 

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Another aspect to reflect upon is - what kind of rest do you need? How do we work on becoming 'productive busy people' rather than 'worn out productive people'?

For now, let’s take sleep out of the picture. As sleep is not the same as rest; sleep is essential and I believe it should be considered in its own right as a Pillar of Health.  Therefore, we will cover a blog on sleep in the coming months.

So, rest – perhaps you would like to look at:

what rest are you missing? What kind of tired are you? Which pool (or pools) of energy are depleting?

The below may help you think about this.  Do you need:

• Physical rest – is your body physically tired, drained of energy or injured or unwell? Does your body need time to replenish and recover?
• Mental rest – is your mind constantly racing or streaming in mental “noise”? do you need time and strategies to help you quieten your mind a little (aiming to completely still your mind is not realistic)?
• Emotional rest – emotions are powerful, they are there to empower us. They help us learn to understand ourselves and they help us overcome challenges.  They are to be explored, encountered and accepted, as opposed to ignored, supressed or bottled up. Do you need support/ strategies to help you deal with your emotions effectively?
• Spiritual rest – finding that state of “coming home”, a place of peace, inner belonging as opposed to constantly searching.
• Social rest – receiving comfort through our relationships and via social connections. Sometimes we need this connection, whereas on other occasions we require solitude and some alone time. Consider are your social interactions depleting or replenishing? Which do YOU need right now?
• Sensory rest – our overstimulated senses, which are often bombarded from external information and stimuli, may need some time out (some peace and quiet to download).
• Creative rest – immersing in an activity that unlocks your creative juices and puts you in a state of flow (this may in include some eustress, which should not be avoided as it is good for you in the right doses)

At Nirvora Wellbeing, I consider rest and restoration, as a Pillar of Health, which works in collaboration with the other pillars as a means of taking a holistic approach towards supporting our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Should you wish to work on this aspects of life (or indeed others), as a qualified Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach and Mindfulness Teacher I would be delighted to work in partnership with you, as you make positive changes to your life.  Please invest this time in yourself, as you are absolutely worth it! xx

NB: If you’d like further details on the 7 types of rest mentioned above, the book Sacred Rest by Sandra Dalton-Smith is a good place to start.

If you search online ‘Pillars of Health’, they can vary from 4 to 7 or even 8 aspects of life to focus on.  There is no definitive or absolute answer, as they are personal - what works for some may not suite others. Plus, one’s interpretation of a ‘pillar of health’ can have slightly different meaning to individuals. Over the last few years, I have put a great deal of thought (and reading of the benefits and research) into the Pillars of Health that are important to me, and those which support and compliment my lifestyle.

These include:

Rest, sleep (yes different to rest), nutrition, day light & darkness, social connection, exercise/movement and the mind. 

I have found supporting these aspects of health, allow me to feel healthier, calmer and happier (by the latter I do not mean in a constant state of overt joy (as this isn’t realistic), but rather an inner feeling of peace and contentment in the moment.  I know, when I priorities these pillars of health, I have the mental and physical ability and reserves to deal with life better, including the stresses and strains of daily life.  When life throws a curve ball, I have found if I consciously focus on the above, I am able to deal with these challenges a little easier.  On reflection, prioritising these pillars of health has most definitely had a positive impact on my anxiety levels and reactivity.  As I continue along this journey, I am finding it easier to pause and figure out which pillar is ‘off balance’ and I can recognise sooner, how this is impacting me physically, mentally and/or emotionally.   

Over the next few months, I will touch on these 7 Pillars of Health, providing some tips and brief advice to support the implementation of each, with an explanation of why and how each supports us. The intention is not to preach or sound superior in any way; believe you me, I am human and have many flaws (just ask my immediate family and closest friends!!) and I most certainly do not have life sussed.  My hope is, by sharing the knowledge I have gained, as a busy working Mum, may help you too!

Before I go into each pillar in more detail, today’s focus is to consider - how do you get started?

We are habitual creatures, research has shown that within an average day, almost half of the activities we complete are done out of habit.  So, the more we can apply new, healthy habits into our existing daily routine, the easier we can make them stick and, more importantly, maintain them!  Another trick is to start small and make changes that are realistic and attainable.  As a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach (NLC) I work with my clients to create individual SMART targets that suite their current lifestyle and personal circumstances.

Some tips for making changes include:

Start simple – less is more! Make small changes at a time, which are attainable in a couple of weeks and gradually build up on that success. Do not try to make too many changes at once.  Yes, have an end goal in mind but work to it gradually, this way any changes are far more likely to become part of your daily/weekly routine and eventually a way of living.

Be well planned and prepared – take the time to consider where you are in life and what long term goals you want to achieve and how to steadily work towards them.  Begin to plan where in your day or week you can add in or tweak existing habits and changes. Remember be realistic!

Where possible lock the new change/activity onto an existing habit.  As already mentioned, there is a huge amount of research to support this is an effective way of making long-term changes.

Be realistic with your time management – carefully consider the time you plan to complete these changes.  As you will feel naturally more inclined to complete different activities at different times within the day.  Plus, what timings fit in, realistically, within your daily, weekly and/or monthly routines. The more you impement these simple changes, at a time that feels right for you, the more natural it will feel.

Design/consider your environment – have things laid out or easily accessible to support your changes.  For example, you want to go for a walk first thing in the morning, lay your clothes out the night before.  OR equally put away or get rid of those things that may prevent you from achieving your targets.  For example, don’t bring your phone to the bedroom, charge it somewhere else and have a different alarm to wake you in the morning.

Make targets measurable – so in a week or fortnight you can tick off what you have achieved and build on that success.  

Celebrate your success! Acknowledging your achievements, on a regular basis, will increase your chances of maintaining and improving them further!

Good luck!

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In February the focus will be on ‘rest’ – did you know there are seven types of rest?

Until then, remember to invest this quality time in yourself, you are worth it and definitely deserve it and!

Lx

It is well known that eating a lot of fruit and vegetables, as well as herbs and spices, are beneficial to our health and may even reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.  How often do we hear “eat your five-a-day”?

As a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach (NLC) our recommendation would be, to ‘Eat a Rainbow’ every day or aim towards as much variety of colour, as possible, within your week.  This involves eating, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes (as part of your combined diet). By simply including this variety of colour into your diet you will be naturally, and significantly, increasing the number of phytonutrients absorbed by your body; significantly increasing the amount of minerals, vitamins, fibre, fats and proteins (therefore covering all the macronutrients as well) you consume.

This tweak to your food intake, may support your overall health in many ways, such as: increase energy levels, improve mood, support sleep and support management of stress and much more!  Did you know, stress causes your body to produce free radicals, and phytonutrients are an ideal tool to help your body mop up/pick up these excess stress markers.

The “Rainbow” we work with, as an NLC, has been produced by the Institute of Functional Medicine. It has been broken down into 6 colours: red, orange, yellow, green, white/tan, and blue/purple.  As a rough guide, it is recommended to eating two portions (at 50g each) from each colour, ideally each day.  However, there are variants within this to reach optimum quantity (which I explain when working with my clients).

Therefore, as an NLC we would recommend approximately 12 portions a day, with 7-10 being vegetables and fruit (2 of the latter). However, when working with my clients I would always be realistic and work with each individual where they are at when I first meet them.  For example, if a client is consistently able to eat 5 portions on a regular basis, initially let’s aim to increase this to 7 portions for 4 days a week.  Equally, if the client is currently eating 1 portion of vegetable a day, with their evening meal – then let’s work on increasing this to 2 or 3 OR perhaps adding an additional portion to lunch or breakfast.  Any targets that are planned, are always planned in consultation with the client, according to their current circumstance and personal lifestyle; each target is realistic and attainable.

‘Eating a Rainbow’ may sound daunting and perhaps unrealistic, however 50g really isn’t that much.  Five cherry tomatoes are over 50g, approximately ¼ of a pepper is 50g, an inch of cucumber is over 50g, and there you have 3 portions of 3 different colours. Perhaps you could add some blueberries and a handful of seeds to your breakfast porridge? How about 1 medium tangerine and some nuts  as part of an afternoon snack. Now you have had 7 portions, one from each of the colour options……..over half way to ‘Eating a Rainbow’!

Go on try working towards ‘Eating a Rainbow’ a day, it really might help keep the Doctor away!

For a free 20-minute phone consultation, to find out how I can support you, please drop me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Invest this time in yourself, you are absolutely worth it! Xx

Until next time, I hop, you have a safe and peaceful Christmas and a happy and health New Year!

Leigh xx

Mindfulness is not about spending long periods of time, sitting in lotus position in a state of zen (that said, this does not mean this cannot be achieved). Nor is it about always seeing the bright side of life and having a positive outlook; as this is not sustainable, realistic nor particularly healthy (physically, mentally or emotionally).

Mindfulness is simply, the practise of living in the present moment, embracing the here and now, with deliberate awareness. I use the word “simply” light-heartedly as being mindful is a skill that is sometimes easier said than done, and like any skill, requires focused ongoing attention.

Being mindful is not about seeing the world through rose tinted glasses.  It is about embracing life as it is - including the good, the bad and the ugly, with curiosity and loving-kindness to yourself.  It requires learning to ‘let go’; aiming not to cling on to what has gone and no longer spending wasted energy grasping for what may or may not be.

Often, we drift through our day on autopilot, where our bodies are doing one thing, and our minds are somewhere completely different – our minds are living in our ‘virtual world’, lost in thoughts. Learning to be mindful, can help us notice (sooner) when we have slipped into this ‘virtual world’ and kindly bringing our awareness back to the present moment, the here and now.

“Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different: enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way.” (James Baraz, 2007)

Mindfulness is accessed in two ways – through formal and informal practise.  Formal practise is when the individual takes time out of their day to deliberately practice a mindfulness exercise or **meditation.   This is deliberately spending the time to train your brain to become mindful or more deeply mindful. Informal mindfulness practise can be done sporadically throughout the day.  It is about bringing mindfulness into our daily lives and day-to-day tasks, more generally, as we go through the day.  It allows us to continue to train our brain to be more present in whatever activity we are doing. Formal and informal mindfulness are equally as important.  Formal mindfulness helps us build up the skill and stamina of being aware and informal practice enables us to apply the skills we have developed into our daily lives.  Practising one supports the development of the other.  For some people, one practice suits better than the other, and that is OK – to practise one more often (or just one at all) is better than practising neither.

Why not try an informal practise today – you could choose a daily activity and complete it with deliberate awareness, using your senses to fully embrace that moment. This could include washing your hands, brushing your teeth, having your morning coffee or taking a shower.  Perhaps you could set an alarm to go off one-to-three times a day, and take a mindful pause.  Stop what you are doing (as long as it is safe to do so) and take in the view or sounds around you or from the nearest window.  Any of the above do not need to take long, allow them to take as long as you can spare during that given moment.  Please know, you are not trying to clear your mind of thoughts and it is perfectly natural for your mind to wander.  On the occasions you notice your mind has wondered, kindly bring your attention back to the task you were doing – if you are able to do this, then give yourself much praise as this is exact moment you have been mindful!!

**Please note at Nirvora Wellbeing, guided meditations delivered via the structured Mindfulness Now Programmes are sent to you free of charge (as audio recordings); enabling you to build up a bank of meditations for you to access for personal use, as you continue your mindfulness journey.

Do you struggle to get to sleep or don't feel as though you get enough sleep or have poor quality sleep?

First of all, there is quite a lot published recently stating that adults should have, on average,7-10 hrs of sleep each night; while this is accurate for the many of us it is not applicable to everyone.  There are some people who function perfectly well on less sleep, just as there are others who require more.  My first piece of advice would be - don't get too hung up on "getting it right" and listen to your own body, to know how much sleep is right for you. 

That said, many of us often struggle to to get quality and/or enough sleep.  What can you do to help yourself:

fall asleep quicker, get more sleep, gain quality sleep and wake feeling rested?

As a qualified Lifestyle Coach, this is often a question I get asked; as lack of sleep can have many detrimental impacts on our health and lives.  Sleep is complicated and there are many aspect of life that can upset our sleep.  When my clients come to me with the goal to 'improve their sleep', I spend time with them completing a detailed analysis of their current sleep patterns, as well as other aspects of their daily lives - in order to best support them.  After which we work collaboratively to create some SMART action steps, that are realistic and relevant to their life and individual circumstances. 

However, one of the key elements that can often makes a difference, is your exposure to (natural) light, particularly early in the morning.  Getting between 5-20 minutes (depending on cloud coverage) of daylight can have tremendous benefits to the amount of sleep and quality of sleep you have.

Why? in brief......... natural light exposure, as early as you can after waking, resets our circadian rhythm.  A circadian rhythm is a natural occurring process that follows a 24-hour cycle (approximately) and it affects most living things, including humans.

For us humans, the circadian rhythm is part of the body's internal clock which regulates many processes including: hormones, temperature, metabolism as well as wakefulness and sleep. This "internal clock" is indigenous/ naturally occurring, it does not require any external input to occur.  This means, it would still occur even if we lived in continuous darkness or day light.  However, it would gradually creep later and later each day.  The key component to keep this clock at approximately the same time each day is exposure to light (and dark) signals.  When light hits our eye/retina a signal is communicated (via electronic messaging) to our pineal gland, which does two things.  1) It signals to our brain to stop making melatonin, a hormone that is linked to making us feel sleepy.  2) It sets our "internal timer" to commence making melatonin again, in approximately14 hours (hence us beginning to feel sleepy in the evening).

The type of light we are exposed to in the morning is important, and the best quality and amount of light we can receive comes from sunlight, at low solar angle.  Hence the advice to get out into daylight as early as possible, when the sun is at it's lowest/still low.  Why? this is due to the exposure of blue rays which are at their strongest when the sun is low in the sky.  Other light rays will trigger the signal to our brain, but not to it's optimal level.  PLEASE NOTE, never look at the sun directly as there is risk of damaging your eyes.  Simply being outside, in amongst natural light is enough, you do not have to face in the direction of the sun.  The light rays are deceptively powerful, even on a cloudy day (ideal exposure on these days should be 10-20 minutes).  Receiving this light through a window is a staggering 50% less effective.  However, if it is not possible to get outside, of course, exposure to daylight through a window is better than non at all but if possible - the advice would always be to, get outdoors (as this is far more effective, plus being outdoors has many other positive impacts on our mental and physical wellbeing).  Other options would be to purchase a good quality sun simulating lamp (with high blue rays), but this additional expense is not necessary if you are able to get outdoors.  

Exposure to blue light rays correlates with the advice to avoid screens, such as tablets, mobile phones etc at least an hour before trying to fall asleep, as these rays can negatively impact the secretion of melatonin (which we want in the evening).  Light recommendations for the evening, would be to turn off overhead lights and use lamps or floor lighting, preferably with more yellow rays/softer lightning.  Again the type and amount of light being received into our eyes/retina reinforces the message to our "internal clock" and our brain that it is time to make melatonin.  The positioning of the lights (i.e. lamps lower down and/or floor lighting as opposed to overhead lighting) is further supportive to these signals, as our retina receives the majority of the light signals from overhead light. 

Of course there are many, many other factors that prevent us from getting enough and adequate quality of sleep, such as stress, diet, anxiety, pain, socio-economics, social connection, exercise etc.  One size does not fit all.  Which is where a Life Coach is unique, as we take the time to work with individual's to consider the bigger picture.  However, it morning light exposure may be the trick that helps you - and it does not involve too much change in your lifestyle nor expense.

**I also acknowledge this is not appropriate advice for those who travel internationally through different time zones, nor is it relevant to those who do shift work.   As a Coach, these factors would be duly considered.

Should you like further advice on improving your quality/quantity of sleep - please contact myself for a free, no obligation 20 minute consultation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

A Harvard Study has shown 46.9% of our waking day is spent thinking about something, other than what we are actually doing.............consequently how much of life are we missing?

How often have you walked from a) to b) and suddenly realise you have seen, heard and noticed nothing about the walk, because you were trapped in your own thoughts.  Of course, there is a time for this - perhaps you are problem solving or contemplating an idea - but almost HALF of the day!!  

The riches in life, are found in those few precious moments, that when noticed warm our hearts.  Those moments that make us smile, bring us peace, fill us with joy, awe or wonder - they are out there, in every day life; we are just often too busy to notice them.  They are found in the laughter of a baby, the sunrise or sunset, a sky full of stars, the light catching through the leaves as Autumn slowly creeps in, the birdsong, dogs running around in the park or the cat catching the last bit of today's sun. Such moments, are not only there to enjoy when we are on holiday or not working; they can be enjoyed every day- those magic mindful moments!  The trick is, having the awareness to notice them and making the time to take a "short" pause to embrace them.

Can you take 1-3 minutes out of your daily rush and plan in a deliberate "mindful pause".  Perhaps lock it onto an established routine e.g. once you arrive at work, don't jump straight of the car and "go through the motions" but take a pause to look around, and use your senses to embrace the moment, before stepping out of the car.  Do you have a nice view from your bedroom or living room window? Go on, draw back the curtains and take it in - even if you can only spare 30 seconds.  Or perhaps you can set a daily alarm, to simply take in the moment.  

Choosing to take these "mindful pauses" is a conscious decision, but a one where the riches of life can be found! Feel the positive impact this can have on your mindset, emotional regulation and physiologically. 

The joy is found in the moment, right here, right now! xx