Transform your life

At this time of year during our monthly community Fresh Air Fridays sessions, we explore ‘Creating a Plan’. Sometimes people question why we talk about this now and not in the new year when everyone is making new year resolutions and setting plans for the year. At Fresh Air Fridays we believe that we transform our lives and live them at their best when we regularly take time to consider what is working well for us and what there may be to let go of.

Coping with challenge and uncertainty

Faced with another lockdown in England, various restrictions and uncertainty across the economy, it can be easy to lose sight of the future and making plans. Yet having something to hope for and be optimistic about is important for our wellbeing.

There are many things happening around us which we cannot control or make a difference to. This can lead to frustration and feelings of anger about the situation. However, what we can do is think about areas of our lives where we do have influence and make plans for these.

Create ways to enjoy your journey

Many of us have a natural tendency to look forward and create things to look forward to. Hope is a term often used in daily conversation, for example, ‘hope you have a good day’ is a frequently used phrase to describe a feeling an individual has about another. It has been described as the way people see their future and a belief in making this happen. When we have hope and a goal to aim for, however small, it helps us motivate ourselves into creating a way of making what we want happen.

Finding something to look forward to, creating ways to make it happen and enjoying the journey, even in these difficult times, is a great way to keep ourselves grounded and able to handle what is going on around us.

When we have hope, we can look at what we would like to bring into our lives, perhaps set ourselves a short term goal and consider all the steps we want to take on the way. It is creating the steps, whilst finding enjoyable actions we can take on our journey, that build our resilience and wellbeing.

Keeping positive and motivated

In recent weeks my world has been turned upside down by the diagnosis of a life threatening condition. During this time, there has been a lot of emotion and moments of despair, yet I am now looking forward to making my way through the treatment and back to full health, this is my goal and on the way I am creating a journey of small milestones and activities I can look forward to. These will keep me positive and motivated whilst the whole foundation of my life feels shaken.

As a first step, take some time to become aware of something positive and meaningful to you that you would like to bring into your life. Enjoy visualising it and experiencing the positive feelings it brings. Then, you can put together some small steps to take you along your journey to bringing this into your life. 

Challenged to change ourselves

In ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’, Victor Frankl said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”. By taking time to consider the journey you would like to take and finding time to enjoy the steps that take you there, you will create a lasting positive impact on your wellbeing.

Please share your thoughts with us, and, if you want some time and space to check in with yourself as you consider this, why not join one of our Breathing Space sessions? They run every working day of the week.