Tiny tweaks to health and happiness – what’s it all about?

‘My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour and some style’ – Maya Angelou

I’m so glad that you are reading my blog today! I’m hoping that you and I will go on a journey together. On the way there’ll be lots of ideas and little tweaks we can make to enable us to become healthier, happier, better versions of ourselves. I like the Japanese philosophy of kaizen which, although often used in a business sense, simply means making small continuous changes to improve something. If we can do simple things that don’t require loads of time or effort but that improve our lives, it’s a no-brainer isn’t it?! Imagine going from OK to great by doing a few simple things? Well that’s what I’m hoping we can all do!

I’ve always had an interest in self-improvement, whether that’s about the body, mind or soul. I’ve read lots of books, watched YouTube videos, completed online courses and listened to podcasts. I’ve learnt so much but I don’t always actually do it. I’ve got a drawer full of magazine articles with tips and ideas to try but …. they’re in a drawer! There are so many amazing people out there with so much to tell us and I truly believe that this is one area where we should never stop learning and I really want to share what I have learned with you.

It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with information, there is simply too much to take in. In reality you cannot remember or put into practice every single good idea. Sometimes it’s the task in front of us that is too big. Imagine for example that you want to get fit, lose 2 stone, make new friends, change career, improve your health or become a happier person. They may be good long term goals but they are too big so we get disheartened or lose interest.

In his book, the Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle says ‘When you are on a journey, it is certainly helpful to know where you are going or at least the general direction in which you are moving, but don’t forget: the only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at the moment, that’s all there ever is‘. So having a long term goal in mind is great and it’s probably helpful to write it down and stick it on the fridge or your bathroom mirror so you see it daily and stay motivated, but the long term goal is only an aim, something you’d like to achieve one day. It’s the way we get there, the things we do daily and consistently to help move us to that place. It’s the ‘one day at a time’ principle whilst making sure every day, every moment, counts.

If everything we do helps us move towards that goal then we are doing well and one day we will probably achieve it. Probably? If you have read Tolle’s book, or you reread the quote above, you will see that he is saying that the only thing that is real is the present moment. The future doesn’t exist yet and the past is just a memory. So whilst you may be setting out to change your career path to become a lawyer, the studying and thought processes you go through might result in you deciding to become a teacher instead. Maybe your goal was to lose two stone but having lost one stone you feel and look fantastic and improving your health becomes the new aim. The end goal is simply that, a goal, but it might change and that’s OK.

One of my favourite quotes is ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, then don’t be surprised when nothing changes‘! How true this is! It doesn’t matter how many hours you spend wishing that something was different in your life. Wishing does not make it happen! Only action counts. But the action needs to be sustainable and, preferably, enjoyable so we continue with it and see real, genuine change or progress. That’s where the Happy Healthy Me – A Journey blog comes in!

My goal with the blog is to create a safe, caring, supportive space where we can come when we need some inspiration for our journey. Where I can tell you about the things that have helped me on my journey so far and find lots more things I haven’t yet tried! I really hope you will tell me what works for you and share your experiences, tips and ideas. We’re all different and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ but I hope we can inspire each other. If you are anything like me, you probably feel OK most of the time with the occasional high or low thrown in. I want to explore whether, by making lots of little changes, we can move our starting point from OK to great. How amazing would that be?!

I plan to look at all sorts of things which can help us to move forward in life. There’ll be things relating to the mind, body and soul because all three need to be in balance for us to be the happiest and healthiest versions of ourselves that we can be. I’ll be looking for the tiny tweaks we can fit into our day without taking up too much time or requiring too much effort. If I can, I’ll explain the logic or the science behind them. Then, because this is my journey, I’ll share with you my progress.

So, now you know what it’s all about! Tiny tweaks that I hope will take us from OK to great. Simple things that won’t be too difficult or take up too much time but that hopefully will become a healthy habit and help to move us forward. It’s a shared journey, you and me doing things together, creating a community of like-minded people and becoming the best versions of ourselves. Let’s start our journey today!

Thank you so much for reading this and looking at my site. If you enjoyed this post and would like to be part of the Happy, Healthy Journey, then why not hit the subscribe button so you’re always the first to know about new posts and any other news? Let me know in the comments box what you think too. You can also share my blog with like-minded friends and family or on your socials.

Until next time! xx