WEEKEND RETREAT

It's #SlojoSunday! Take this time to recharge, refocus, and embrace life, love and all the good things! Country air, health (however much we can) and the love that's around us as long as we let it in! Over the past few months I've learned to give myself more time and in the process be kinder to myself... in an attempt to reduce those layers of stress that build up until they become unsurmountable! Start now... don't wait until you 'have to'. Baby steps of sweetness to yourself and it will make for a happier work/home life balance which is key to 'Living' surely. 

Learning to acknowledge negative feelings and obsessive thoughts is key to handling stress and negativity. So many of us suppress our emotions, thoughts and feelings, but a good technique to try is: write down a list of the things that make you feel anxious, less worthy or frustrated in life, then next to each one write down your own personal, positive affirmation (a positive statement) that you can repeat to yourself (often out loud and in a mirror) and repeat regularly. This allows you to accept this feeling and move on with your life (and to the next one on the list).

"If we try to get rid of one wave with another, we end up with an infinite sea." Shoma Morita, Zen master

For example:

"I am a failure and am not good enough" - turn this thought around and instead say:

"I am a loving person doing my best in life and I am good enough." 

You're not making any promises to yourself that you can't keep, but you a switching mental thought processes around in the attempt to flip long-established negative patterns of behaviour into little positives. You're just being kinder to your inner self who guides and controls your emotions. It is only you. It is only me. No-one else can or should affect the way we respond to situations - now is the time to let go of negative thought patterns and love yourself all the more.

So. Start on a Sunday: a Slojo Sunday... start today, maybe - no pressure!

#slojosunday