A NEW GUIDE TO WELLNESS FOR SMALL BUSINESS
After a lovely long weekend luxuriating in the tropics with my sister, I was excited to read the current issue of Porter magazine on the flight home. As my most favourite publication, Porter is the perfect combination of current issues, popular culture, female icons, gorgeous fashion, relatable style, career inspiration and practical beauty advice. Happily, this issue also delved into something I am quite passionate about, connecting to your senses and disconnecting from an un-real world. Wellness is undoubtedly the new black but I was inspired to read of ideas that don’t just tout being well for the sake of it. Large chunks of the meaty 278-page glossy were dedicated to the practical application of wellness to daily life via fresh, chic and simple strategies, which coincidently is somewhat of a goal for blancspace as well. Below I’ve summarised my six favourite tactics and approaches that I definitely plan to add more frequently into my life.
SHIFT IQ TO EQ
I’ve learnt time and time again to listen to my gut instinct. That sneaky little sixth sense that guides direction, reactions, decision making and thoughtfulness in general. Emotional intelligence is fast becoming the modern-day women’s intuition so really the message is quite simple, use it. Use mindfulness and meditation to really be in the present moment and connect to your inner compass.
BACK TO NATURE
I often do a beautiful hike in the Adelaide Hills that goes from Waterfall Gully up to the peak of Mount Lofty. Only 20 mintues from home, every time I do it I wish I did it more. There is just something about being minutes from the city and miles away at the same time. Getting outside and experiencing nature is good the soul, food for your mind and perfect for when you need to reset, refresh and recharge. Fresh air, there is nothing quite like it.
TIME OUT
When was the last time you were alone? I mean really alone, not accompanied by a digital device and hundreds of followers. Near impossible for parents I know, but even five blissful minutes alone, of complete stillness, slowness and doing nothing encourages a calmness that allows your creativity to flow. It builds your EQ muscle and consequently your intuition, patience and awareness.
FASTING
I have been a long-time fan of the 5:2 diet. Well actually, I love and loathe it. I’ve done it twice in my life on two separate occasions, both with fantastic results. The last time I did it was for eight months before my wedding, nothing quite like that white dress motivation, and there is no denying that it is ha-rd but incredibly effective. Literally the definition of no pain, no gain. So I was super interested to read of all the different types of fasting in Porter. I quite liked the concept of the 12-hour fast. The premise is straightforward, basically you eat over 12 hours and fast over the other 12 hours. So you eat all your meals between 8am and 8pm, or 9am and 9pm. Completely achievable pretty much every day, this form of mild fasting advocates for all round long term good health.
ANB (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Not exactly mainstream but I’m willing to give it a try. Apparently highly recommended by Hillary Clinton as it helps rebalance the nervous system and stimulates the right side of the brain which instills calm. Essentially you close of your left nostril, inhale through your right, close off your right and exhale through your left. Repeat for three minutes.
TIGER TIME, SUPERCHARGED
I’ve talked about my time structuring concept of “Tiger Time” before which came from one of my husband’s colleagues who says our brains can manage two three hour periods of concentration each day. However, you can actually energise your day even further by tapping into your ultradian rhythm. Today’s always-on culture and disconnection from the natural tempo of our energy levels means we are only functioning at 50% of our capacity most of the time. The solution; divide your tiger time even further into two 90-minute intervals, one of high intensity concentration and one of more restful focus.
I hope you find these ideas as helpful and motivating as I did. I truly believe that if you want something to change, you have to change something. And trying something new is the best possible solution.
Be well,
Love,
Erin x