Category: business life

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Why you need to show your life in your marketing

A woman celebrating - you can put life into your marketing too.

You’ve probably seen loads of marketing advice telling you that you need to share your knowledge and establish yourself as an expert in your field. That’s all true. When you have a small business, you need to go one step further and share a bit of your life with your customers. The big brands can build a corporate image around their values, but you need to show your audience who you are as a person. Here’s why you need to put some of your life into your marketing.

It makes your audience feel part of something

Content marketing is designed to help you build a relationship with your audience so that they’ll buy from you. When your marketing creates a community, it helps your audience feel as if they’re part of something amazing. That might happen because of chats in the comments on your posts or what you share in your Facebook group.

The easiest way to make your audience feel included is by giving them a glimpse behind the scenes. If you create products, you can share videos or posts of you making something. Someone might see the work in progress and decide they must have the finished product! Case studies are brilliant if you’re like me and offer a less visual service. You can show prospective customers the process so they know how you work and can read about the results.

Shared experience connects you with your customers

Maybe you started your business because you came through a challenge and wanted to help other people do the same. Your story needs to be central to your marketing. It shows your customers that you understand what they’re going through because you’ve been in their shoes. You can build trust by talking about your experiences. This is particularly good for business or health coaches, personal trainers and parenting experts.

Showing your life and the experiences you share with your customers can also work in another way. Whilst it might not be directly relevant to your business, sometimes you just want to work with someone who’s on the same wavelength as you or support their business. I work with lots of business-owning mums and it gives you a shorthand that makes communication easy and fun.

Sharing your life shows people you’re human

When you spend time running a business online, you’ll inevitably come across people who forget you’re a human being with feelings. They think that those nasty comments will bounce off (if they even think before they type). Sharing posts that show people what your life is like when you’re not at work helps to remind people that you’re a real person. It could also help to distinguish you from another, similar, business. I haven’t had anyone tell me they want to work with me because I’m a rugby fan so far, but you never know!

One word of caution; use posts like this sparingly. Every so often is fine but your customers aren’t your friends. They don’t need 500 pictures of your baby, cute puppy or to hear about how hungover you are. Just an occasional reminder that you have a life outside business.

Are you ready to put some of your life into your marketing? I can help with that. Book a call here and let’s have a chat.

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How bullying shaped me

Bullying makes you stay silent.
Photo by Kat Smith from Pexels

I’ve talked about sharing your story in your marketing so many times, yet there’s one story that I’ve always held back. As I write this, I’m still wondering whether it will end up out in the world for you to read. The only reason I’m even considering it is because I know I can’t be the only one who’s had the same experience. I’ve been bullied more than once during my life. It would be easy to focus on the negative beliefs that come from that (and on a bad day, I definitely do). The years have given me perspective, so I’ve decided it’s time to tell my bullying story in case it helps you too.

The school bullies

I reckon most people must have their own version of this story. I went to a tiny primary school followed by a bigger middle school. The bullies singled me out as I was a clumsy bookworm. Not just a swot but too poorly co-ordinated to be good at either gymnastics or dancing. As far as my peers were concerned, I was utterly useless. I longed for anonymity. Thankfully senior school was better; there were more people like me and became invisible to the bullies. It was the first time I learned the importance of finding your people and I still use it today.

Bullying at work

I didn’t go to university straight from school, but took some time out, did other courses and ended up in the job from hell. I worked as an admin assistant (aka lowest of the low), with colleagues who didn’t like people with A-levels. There were times when my supervisor told me there wasn’t anything for me to do, but in the next breath would go and complain to the boss that I wasn’t pulling my weight. Anything that came out of my mouth was treated as an opportunity for a sarcastic comment or outright sneer. On the plus side, it made me realise that I did want to go to uni.

How it holds me back

Those days are gone, but some of the scars remain. When you’ve been treated as if you don’t belong you start to believe it. You think your feelings don’t matter and you don’t have the right to be considered. It’s easy to adopt a mindset where you don’t try new things or talk to new people because then you can’t be rejected. Yet I find myself here, with a business that depends on me promoting it. I fight the instinct to ‘not be a nuisance’ every time I market my business. It makes me wonder whether I’d do more if I didn’t feel this way.

What it’s taught me

I don’t know what my life would have been like if the bullying hadn’t happened. There are some positives; I’m aware of the mind monkeys that hold me back. Silencing the chatter has become a skill, although not an infallible one. I’m selective in who I trust so I’ve learned to listen. There have been people in my life that others regarded as a ‘good bloke’, when they were anything but. I’ve learned to observe and work out who they really are. That comes in handy when I’m writing for clients and being their voice. In that respect, it could be a gift.

Sharing stories like this one help your future clients to see you as a human being, not just a business. It doesn’t have to be as personal as this. If I can help you find the right story to use in your marketing, let’s have a chat.

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5 Tips to Preventing Desk Aches & Pains

Guest blog from Chloe Clark at Astral Fitness Sports Massage about preventing desk aches and pains.

Hello and welcome to my guest blog for Kirsty France.

My name is Chloe Clark, and I am the director at Astral Fitness Sports Massage based in Hinckley. You can find out more about me at www.astralfitness.co.uk .

I specialise in using the hands-on art of Sports Massage to solve desk working related acute and chronic aches and pains in your neck, shoulders, back, and hips. I often help solve issues with other muscles too.

Image shows someone working at a desk - are they preventing desk aches and pains?

Desk Ergonomics

Is your desk set up well for you to sit in an unrestricted way? Do you have one main screen set up well, and a secondary screen or laptop that you frequently look at? It is very important that you set yourself up well for both screens and have a swivel chair so that you can move your whole body to look at each screen rather than twisting your neck. Look at the guide below;

Office ergonomics: Your how-to guide – Mayo Clinic

If you can install a standing desk for your work, it will be a game changer not only for your body, but for your brain as well. Your brain operates more efficiently with a better blood flow around the whole body, which, you guessed it, happens when standing and moving about while working.

Stretching

Have you ever had a bit of a stretch at your desk and felt immediately better? But maybe you’re not sure if you’re stretching in a good way or if it’s doing any good? If it feels good- keep doing it. Stretching is a valuable tool to utilise several times a day to prevent aches and pains setting into your body and causing a longer-term issue. If you don’t stretch at your desk and want to know what to do, visit the below article by BUPA.

Desk stretches to ease aches and pains (bupa.co.uk)

Regular Movement

Regular movement is vital to having a healthy day at your desk. This could mean getting up and moving to get a drink once an hour, or simply standing and making more of your stretching time each day. If you work alone this is easy enough, and if you’re in an office you might get some stares! Start the trend of regular stretching, your colleagues will thank you for it.

Exercise

Your body needs movement for optimum health, it is not a losing battle if you’ve got eight hours a day at a desk ahead of you. Any exercise can and will go a long way to keeping you able to work and play in a healthy and pain free manner.

If you don’t exercise regularly, start with something small, five minutes a day is enough to get started.

Try Yoga With Adriene – YouTube , she has hundreds of free videos available for complete beginners as well as the more advanced yogi.  Keep a mat close to hand and fit it in during your day if you work from home.

Go for a brisk walk at lunchtime, my favourite of all exercise, and the simplest and easiest way to get started.

Self-Care

Walking in the countryside, a spa day, swimming, indulging in a hobby, getting a massage… the list is endless when it comes to self-care, but it should be something just for you, to allow you time to reset away from your desk so that you can return to it refreshed. This is also true if you run your business from your phone or tablet and often sit on a sofa!

Thank you for taking time to read my guest blog today. If you are struggling to get any of the above to work and need a little extra help, please do get in touch with me, Chloe, for an appointment at www.astralfitness.co.uk

Thank and have a great festive season!

Chloe Clark

Astral Fitness Sports Massage

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3 ways you can put your personality into your marketing

Photograph of Kirsty France, demonstrating how to put personality into your marketing.
Photograph by Amber Gosden

It’s a cliché for a reason – people buy people. Most big brands don’t build themselves around the personality of the owner, but small businesses like ours have to. It can feel utterly squirm inducing to put yourself out there in your marketing, but it’s worth it. Your personality is the biggest difference between your business and every other similar one out there. Need more convincing? Read this. If you’re already sold on the idea of putting more of your personality into your marketing, read on. I’ve got some great ideas to get you started.

Write the way you talk

Grammar is a slippery little beast. I know the rules which means that I can bend and occasionally break them for effect. (Like starting a sentence with a conjunction – my ten-year-old was horrified by that one.) The great thing about content writing is that the overall effect is more important than sticking to the rules. You can write the way you speak and your content will often be better for it, as long as it gets your point across.

If you find it difficult to sit down and write, start by recording yourself. Imagine you’re explaining something to a customer and go from there. You’ll be able to hear the phrases you naturally use and include them in your writing. You can then edit your writing yourself or send it to someone like me.

Show your face

If this idea makes you want to hide under a rock, I get it. I’ve built up my confidence over time but there are still days where I’ve planned to go live and talk myself out of it. The reason I do it is because it helps people get to know me. When you show your face, it gets more personality into your marketing. It makes it more likely that people will pay attention because they recognise you from earlier posts or face to face networking. You stop being a faceless business owner and turn into someone they can trust.

The easiest ways to show your face involve video, whether it’s live, prerecorded or a reel. Plan what you’re going to say then just press the button and start talking. The more you do it, the easier it gets. If you really can’t face that yet, start with photos that have you in them and build from there.

Tell a story

The human brain loves stories. We associate them with happy childhood memories or good times with friends. Telling a story in your marketing can put your audience in the main character’s shoes or give them insight into your life. (Which gives them another opportunity to see you as a real human being.) Case studies are a great way to do this as you can tell them the story of someone you helped who is just like them. They can identify with their struggles and see you as the solution.

Sharing a story from your life is ideal if you share common ground with your audience. You might have been in their shoes in terms of life experience, for example as a parent. You could also have felt the same emotions, like overwhelm or imposter syndrome. It doesn’t mean sharing your life story but giving a bit of yourself will help you to build a relationship with your audience.

Would you like to put more of your personality into your marketing content? I can help with that. Just click here to book your no obligation chat.

If you’d rather get to know me a bit first, you can sign up to my mailing list for blogging hints and tips straight to your inbox every month. You can unsubscribe whenever you like and I won’t share your information with anyone else.

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Listen to your Heart

Listen to your heart - Tracey Hutchinson guest blog header

Listening to my Heart is my life’s ‘work’ and it totally lights me up. You see, we all have an inner guidance system. Call it what you like – intuition, gut feeling, inner being, source – I know that this resonates with you. You know you have it. You’ve had that absolute knowing about whether something is right for you. You’ve felt that calling and known what the right thing was to do.

We all have it, we all know about it, but we’re not all deliberately connected to it. Because life gets in the way. And as a youngster we were actually trained away from it by [well-meaning] teachers, parents etc who wanted us to do as we were told by them. In life we encounter all the shoulds; all the advice and feedback from others; all the concerns about what others will think of our life, decisions and actions.

Connecting to my inner guidance and listening to my heart has led to so much ease and joy in my life. I love encouraging my daughters to listen to their own hearts. They won’t always have me to guide them, but they will always have their own inner guidance. And no one knows us better than we know ourselves, right!?

5 ways to connect to your own inner guidance system and leverage the energy that creates everything you desire in life:

1. Meditate daily for 20 minutes.

This is the absolute cornerstone of connecting to your own inner guidance system. Meditating allows you to quieten your mind and connect to the power within you. Consistent daily meditation is so powerful – you won’t recognise yourself after 30 days! I am currently running a 30-day meditation challenge in my Facebook parenting group (an inspired action straight from the heart of course!). Join us if you feel inspired (link below).

2. Be present.

Being present in the moment and focusing on the Now is super powerful – after all, the Now is all we ever have. By doing this we are able to enjoy each moment for what it is. Focusing on the past creates depression; focusing on the future creates anxiety. Why wouldn’t you choose to live in the present?

3. Calibrate negative emotions.

Everything you need is already within you. But from those lower vibration emotions (depression, fear, anger, doubt, blame) you are unable to tap into it. Soothing those feelings enable you to move forward in Love, Joy, Peace, Ease and Satisfaction (those delicious high vibration emotions) – and thus connect to your own inner guidance system where you will be able to see things from a higher perspective and literally manifest the right people, ideas and experiences. This is the work I do with people as a Clarity Coach.

4. Unfocus regularly throughout the day.

Taking 2-5 minutes throughout the day to close your eyes and breathe deeply allows you to unfocus and reconnect to your inner guidance system.

5. Flow activities.

Find a ‘flow activity’ that suits you. Flow activities are those which take you away from your mind and require you to put your focus solely on what you are doing. For example, running, colouring, crafts. What do you enjoy doing that helps you to unfocus from the world around you?

About the Author

Tracey Hutchinson lives in Leicestershire, UK and is a wife and an Unschooling Mum to 2 incredible girls – 10 and 1. She loves nothing more than to support Mums to go beyond traditional parenting, into the realms of parenting in the present moment with Joy, Ease, Love and Connection. As a Clarity Coach, she works with clients to release negative feelings, thoughts and beliefs around a particular topic and come into alignment with their own inner guidance system.

Facebook profile – https://www.facebook.com/traceyhutchinsoncoaching

Facebook parenting group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/abeparentingbeyondparenting

You Tube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC01Ce3yOr4JsZArWbY6df9w

Book a Clarity Coaching session with Tracey – https://bookclaritycoachingbytraceyhutchinson.as.me/

Tracey Hutchinson
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My favourite things about Christmas

A picture of one of my favourite things about Christmas - the lights, not the unknown headless woman.
Photo by Valeria Boltneva from Pexels

It’ll soon be time to hang up the ‘closed’ sign and head off for Christmas. (My closed sign is metaphorical – my office is in the garden and I don’t get visitors.) I know that there are lots of things that are traditionally great about Christmas, but it can also be hugely stressful. The conversation at a recent networking event turned towards gratitude and how much it can benefit our mental health. It got me thinking about the things I actually enjoy about Christmas, so I decided to write them down. Here are my 5 favourite things about Christmas…

Time off

I love taking the school holidays off. There’s nothing quite so joyful as turning off the alarm clock until January. I get to visit people I don’t get to see and spend more time with the ones I live with.

My favourite day off is the one I take on my own before school finishes. I know, I’m weird. I spend the day pottering about doing whatever festive thing comes to mind. It might be ‘Muppets Christmas Carol’ (again) or it could be wrapping presents with a mug of mulled wine and a mince pie. Bliss.

Eating

I’m a vegetarian so I’m not talking about turkey (although I do love Paxo). It’s all the other stuff that goes with Christmas. The cheese, the mince pies, opening the Prosecco at breakfast time. It’s the ridiculously huge tubs of Twiglets, Cheeselets and chocolates that you don’t get at any other time of year. I know I could eat pickled onions all year round, but I don’t. It’s all part of the festive feast and I love it.

Christmas lights

If Christmas trees were banned tomorrow, I wouldn’t mind, as long as I could still have my lights. I love wearing jumpers and scarves and the fact that cold weather makes hot chocolate essential. The only thing I struggle with is the lack of light. A lot of my favourite things about Christmas involve lights – the Christmas tree, the candles and the high street displays. When January comes and the Christmas lights go out, the winter always feels just a little bit harder.

Singing

I’m not a religious woman, but I always head to church at Christmas. One of my relatives is a churchwarden and it’s always fun going to Christingle and watching lots of small children handle naked flames. Also, Christmas carols are brilliant, even if you’re not a believer.

There are also loads of good tunes on adverts and in the shops (although I was once a Christmas shop assistant and I know how wearing they get by Christmas Eve). It’s the one time of year that you can sing to your heart’s content and no-one bats an eyelid.

Murder

Don’t worry, I’m not about to start bumping off family members. Christmas is often associated with ghost stories, but I’m a crime writer. ‘Hercule Poirot’s Christmas’ is a fixture in my festive viewing, along with any new Agatha Christie adaptations that pop up. My husband bought me a copy of ‘The Mistletoe Murder and other stories’ by PD James a few Christmases ago. Since then that bit between Christmas and New Year, when you can’t remember what day it is, finds me curled up on the sofa with a new seasonal crime collection.

What are your favourite things about Christmas? Leave a comment and let me know!

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What do you get a business owner for Christmas?

Business owner with a gorgeous Christmas gift
Photo from freestocks.org via Pexels

I know that when you buy Christmas presents it’s because you love the person you’re giving it to and you want to give them a treat. Buying them a business-related gift can feel a little bit boring. It doesn’t have to be. If you ask most business owners what they want you’ll get something along the lines of more sleep, snacks, alcohol and financial security (that last one applies every year, but especially now). The thing is, you can make their business owning life better and still give them a great Christmas present. Here are my top 5 ideas for great gifts you can buy your favourite business owner this Christmas.

1.      Entertainment

A business owner’s mind is constantly buzzing, so get them a present that helps them switch off. That could be a film to watch at home, or cinema or theatre tickets for a night out together.

If they love reading, a Kindle could be perfect. I resisted one for years until my husband got me one for Christmas. I still love real books, but now I can carry a whole library wherever I go. Alternatively, buy them your favourite book or vouchers to choose their own.

2.      Stationery

Stationery addiction is real and occasionally necessary. I get through notebooks at a ridiculous rate so tend to shop at the budget end of the market. (I’m looking forward to being back at expos where I can snaffle them for free.) One of my favourite gifts was the beautiful pen and pencil set that I use every day. It’s a small thing that makes life better. You could choose lovely pens or a classic Moleskine notebook. You can even get fab digital notebooks if you prefer.

3.      Time saving Christmas gifts

No-one can buy time, but you can buy help.  If you want to outsource to a particular VA/designer/writer but can’t afford it, drop some heavy hints. Share this post on Facebook and say, ‘did you know Kirsty does gift vouchers for her blogging packages (or service of your choice)?’

If that feels weird, choose something fun that will save time in other areas of their life. A nifty gadget, meal subscription or some chloroform to help them get the kids to bed. (Joke. I hope that was obvious.)

4.      Lovely things for their office

A lovely office space became more important during lockdown, when we couldn’t easily go out for a change of scenery. I have a miniature chimp and a couple of plants on my desk, it’s very cheerful. A good Christmas gift could be a plant or a beautiful print.

You could also choose a gadget that makes their office a more pleasant place to be. Would they like to work to music but don’t have the kit? Could an office water bottle help them stay hydrated?

5.      Things to eat and drink

Yes, I know, this is a gift you could buy for almost anyone. The truth is, I’ve never known so many snack addicts since I started hanging out with other business owners. Buy one of us a snack basket with biscuits, crisps and chocolates and you’ll have a friend for life. Tea and coffee will also be gratefully received.

It probably goes without saying that alcohol is always a win. I know a few freelancers who don’t drink, but not many.

What do you want to ask for this Christmas? Leave a comment and let me (or your family) know!

If you’d like to treat a business owner to my services this Christmas, visit my shop to find out more! (Or if you just want to treat yourself to some high quality content in 2022, let’s have a chat.)

Alternatively, why not start the New Year with regular content writing hints and tips straight to your inbox? I hate spam (I’m a vegetarian), I won’t share your details with anyone else and you can unsubscribe any time. I promise I won’t cry. Much.

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Why focus on the people who hate you?

A phone shows an angry emoji. I try to understand why you would focus on the people who hate you,
Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels

In the 5 and a bit years since I became a business owner, I’ve learned a lot about mindset and motivation. A fitness coach once told me that you needed to aim for a positive outcome as trying to avoid a negative one didn’t work. I repeated this theory during a writing workshop, run by one of the most insightful and encouraging women I’d ever met. I don’t know what I expected her response to be, but “b***ocks!” certainly wasn’t it! I understand that avoiding the worst can be a powerful motivator, but I’ve seen a trend among some people in my network that focuses on talking about the people who hate you. I don’t get it. Why would you focus on that?

The people

We can all think of people in the public eye (like Katie Hopkins) who seem to thrive on being hated. I get it, up to a point. If you find it easy to make controversial statements and it gets you work and fame, why wouldn’t you? The thing is, I’ve started to see other people doing it, whose businesses aren’t built around writing opinion pieces or turning up on TV as a talking head. I find it harder to understand why someone who runs an ordinary business should be shouting about being hated, yet I see it all the time.

Doubters vs haters

I feel it’s important to distinguish between the people who hate you and ones who are trying to protect you. Starting your own business is risky. You know it and the people who love you do as well. When I started out I was leaving a profession and a steady income behind. I had plenty of people tell me that I could always go back to it if things didn’t work out. I bet you did too. Hearing those kinds of comments could dent your confidence. They motivated me because I knew I didn’t want to go back. There’s a world of difference between that and trolls who send you abuse.

The people who hate you

When I hear most business owners talk about negative comments, they describe it as an annoyance. It’s something that takes time to deal with, often when they don’t have time and mental energy to spare. One business owner said that having haters is a sign you’ve made it, because it means that people are paying attention. There might be something in that, but if you’re talking about the people who hate you, why not mention the ones that love you too? Otherwise, it could just mean that your marketing isn’t reaching the right audience.

The psychology

It’s been a while since I studied psychology, so I did some revision to try and understand what’s going on. For a divisive celebrity, the appeal of being a hero to some could counteract the effect of being hated. It could also be their way of putting two fingers up at anyone who tells them what to think. My favourite approach is in a 2015 study which suggests that knowing who your enemies are makes the world feel safer, so drawing them out might have its benefits. I think we can all understand wanting to find a bit of certainty just now.

I’m not going to start celebrating hate (it still feels like a waste of precious time and energy) but it’s given me some insight into the ones who do. Personally, I’d prefer to focus on the people who like what I do, because they’re the ones I can help.

What do you think?

While you’re here, if you need help attracting the right kind of customers, let’s talk. You can book in for a chat here, or sign up for monthly hints and tips using the form below.

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Why do we find it so difficult to show the person behind the business?

I'm almost showing the person behind the business while having a cup of tea.
Photo by Amber Gosden

There are days when I sit down to write and it all just works. Today isn’t one of them. There are two sets of circumstances that allow me to just open a new document and get going. Firstly, there are the times that I have a plan. I’m either writing something for a client, where we’ve had a chat and I’ve got loads of notes, or it’s something I’ve written into my marketing planner because I think you’ll find it useful. Secondly, there are the days when I’ve got something to get off my chest. This is the stuff that sometimes doesn’t make it into print. It just feels good to write it down. When I’m wearing my fiction writing hat those words sometimes come back to me. They might not go into a finished piece, but it helps me get into the mindset of a character who’s thoroughly hacked off.

What’s the plan?

Today, I sat down with no idea what to write about. I’m a big believer in showing the person behind the business and being honest, but it’s not easy. I get frustrated at the way other people’s social media posts either pretend that everything in their life is perfect or exaggerate the misery. It’s the same in business. We feel as if we have to present a front that pretends business is easy and wonderful 100% of the time. Truth is, it isn’t. It’s frequently tough. It leads to those 3am crises of confidence where we sob and tell ourselves that we’ve made a horrible mistake. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it. I’d rather deal with the self-doubt than go back to having a boss. But does reminding you all that there’s a real person behind the business make me look weak?

Why am I telling you this?

You may be reading this (or perhaps you’ve given up) wondering what on earth I’m going on about. What’s the point? The point of the story is that we all struggle to know what to talk about in our marketing. What do we share and what do we leave out? It’s partly for me, to help me work out why I find it difficult to write when I don’t have a plan. I hope that it helps you to know that you’re not the only one who struggles. Most of us don’t tell the truth on social media (I know that isn’t a profound insight, but there you go). A lot of us leave out anything negative. If times are bad we don’t post at all. Some people just lie. Or exaggerate to add some drama.

What next?

If we want to show the person behind the business, where do we start? Do we post warts and all accounts of the doubts and fears along with the wins? Probably not. We all have things we can justifiably keep private. But maybe we can start sharing some of the eye roll moments, or the times when things don’t go to plan. Or when the plan didn’t exist in the first place.

As for me, I’m going to go back to my planner and think of more stories like this one. I might even look at ideas for strategies to use when your mind goes completely blank!

If you’d like regular tips and inspiration straight to your inbox, you can sign up for my emails using the form below. I won’t spam you or share your information with anyone else. Alternatively, book your slot here for a chat about how I can help you to create marketing content that tells your story and speaks your customers’ language.

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Can what you eat build Resilience?

Guest blog from Sue Wappett - can what you eat build resilience?

What is Resilience?

Resilience is defined as:

“the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties”

The past 18 months have given most people more than their fair share of difficulties.

Those lacking resilience can become easily overwhelmed.

These feelings can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Self-comfort rather than self-care.

Resilience gives us the strength to protect ourselves.

It protects us from mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression and helps us maintain a healthy balance.

How to build Resilience

We build resilience by becoming self-aware and prioritising self-care.

Self-care doesn’t have to involve a bubble bath and candles. It’s about being mindful of your needs, checking in with your feelings and making your needs a high priority.

This can be easier said than done. The good news is that resilience is a characteristic you can build.

Some ideas:

  • Make connections – Accept help and support from those who care about you.
  • Learn to relax
  • Practice thought awareness
  • Maintain perspective – accept that change is part of living
  • Take decisive action – face a situation rather than avoiding it.
  • What are your goals? – Do one little thing towards them every day, if possible, get this done first as it will add to your feeling of accomplishment.
  • Develop a positive outlook – use positive daily affirmations that resonate with you.

Here’s an example:

You’ve had a shit day where nothing seemed to go right. You meet a friend for a chat and you moan and laugh. When you leave you feel recharged. You’ve seen things from another perspective or made a plan of action to make tomorrow easier…

Your connection to someone you care about has built resilience to overcome your bad day.

Building good, positive relationships is an important part of our resilience.

Nutrition for resilience

Good nutrition is part of self-care.

It is within our control and can have a positive effect quickly.

Good nutrition will make your body resilient to disease. A healthy body is less stressed, anxious and depressed. It can also help reduce the effects of:

  • Sleep issues
  • Inflammation
  • Excess weight

Fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains supply our body with essential vitamins and minerals which improve our body’s function and reduce cellular damage, which contributes to disease and the ageing process.

What if you are struggling with stress, anxiety or depression and the thought of spending hours in the kitchen preparing healthy meals just adds to the overwhelm?

You don’t have to be a kitchen goddess.

If you don’t want to cook grab a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket along with a bag of veg to steam and a packet of rice or a jacket potato. This will give you a balanced meal that will nourish you more than something fried or overly processed.

This is not a time to go on a diet. Learn to listen to your body and honour its needs. This is how I start teaching intuitive eating.

What next?

Start small.

Make small changes to your habits that can set you on the right path.

Once you start taking care of yourself consistently you will soon gain momentum and see the effects.

I highly recommend a book I read a few years ago, How full is your bucket? There is also a children’s book called, Have you filled a bucket today: A guide to daily happiness for kids.

If you would like to chat further about this subject or anything else to do with creating a healthy balanced lifestyle book a virtual cuppa and a chat and we can discuss your individual needs further.

About the author

https://linktr.ee/suewappett

www.instagram.com/nutritionnaturallyforever

www.facebook.com/nutritionnaturallyforever

I am a nutritional therapist, helping women to stop dieting, learn to trust themselves around food and treat the cause of symptoms such as hormonal imbalance, weight gain and lack of energy.

I do this through my 1-1 coaching and online courses, teaching intuitive eating and living and learning how to tune into the ebb and flow of your own natural cycles and build habits that support your individual lifestyle.

If you’d like to know more about Sue and the services she offers, you can find her online here:

https://linktr.ee/suewappett

www.instagram.com/nutritionnaturallyforever

www.facebook.com/nutritionnaturallyforever