Welcome to May!
Summer, and physical sunshine, is definitely on the way…
Today’s Mental Sunshine is all about making a change.
I don’t mean changing your job or moving to a new town.
I’m talking about small changes we can all make right now.
The kind of change that might seem insignificant
And it might well be insignificant – but you don’t know until you try!
Human beings are creatures of habit.
For the most part, we do the same things, in the same order, every day…
with perhaps a slight variation at the weekend.
Think about it now – I bet you make your coffee in the same way every morning
Eat the same breakfast, possibly even from the same bowl, using the same spoon
Walk the same route to work
We do so many things without really thinking about them
Our brains couldn’t possibly cope with paying attention to everything, all the time – it’s too much
So it makes habits for us, and then switches off while we do those things.
Do you remember any details of your commute?
Do you remember how you cleaned your teeth last night?
The thing is – our brains do this with good reason…
And then we end up sort of stuck in this rut of habits running into each other – without ever waking up and noticing.
Here are some tiny changes you could make
Make your coffee in a different way, in a different part of the kitchen, using a different mug
Clean your teeth using your non-dominant hand
Walk a slightly different route to work
Try something different for lunch
Wear something you wouldn’t normally wear – a brightly coloured top or a fancy jacket
Go to a different cafe or supermarket
Slightly change your evening routine
Tiny changes can make a big difference – they shake our brain up a little into being more mindful.
Try it today – what can you change?
PS. I have started to balance on one foot (or rather trying to) while cleaning my teeth.
Left foot in the morning and right foot at night
Balancing on one foot while brushing your teeth is a simple exercise that can improve balance, posture, and even mental well-being.
And a convenient way to incorporate a balance exercise into your daily routine