Happy Cell Daruma Dolls and Vibrant Health

 

 

Happy Cell Daruma Dolls and Vibrant Health JJ

Do you remember a time in your life when you were in love? You floated around, and felt anything was possible.  Life flowed, the world seemed so much more colourful, nothing was a trouble, you felt more connected, and the latest lurgy passed you by because your immune system was also riding high!! This is what vibrant health feels like. When our cells are healthy and happy, we feel so much more connected to life, we feel more grounded and comfortable in our own skin. “Stuff” can still happen to us, but we don’t get toppled by it. Our immune system is so much more robust. Our thoughts, movements and emotions are a lot more fluid, which means then that we don’t become stuck, whether with a physical symptom (eg. frequent headaches), a particular way of thinking which may prevent us from moving on in life or trying new things, or even an emotion which weighs heavy on us. In essence, enjoying vibrant health helps us to stay strong and rooted but at the same time we can be flexible in our thoughts and emotions. We are open to new possibilities and can therefore fulfil our potential.  

For me, changing my diet helped me edge closer to this state. Talking to friends, some found that meditation, others exercise, was their first stepping stone. None of these things are THE answer on their own, but once you embrace one thing and notice a difference, it can encourage you to look at other life-enhancing habits too, which all contribute to a more vibrant state of living.

It’s a sort of chicken and egg scenario. Where do you start? What do you feel drawn to? Perhaps trying Tai Chi or Yoga; perhaps drinking more water and cutting out your daily must-have coffees; perhaps joining a meditation group? It can be something really simple which starts you on a completely new path but, without making that first step, I can guarantee you will remain stuck. If you do the same things, day-in, day-out, you cannot expect different results.    

December is a good time to reflect on the year that’s just gone (and boy where did it go?) and is also an opportunity to start planning for the year ahead. How do you want to feel in 2014? What would you do with more energy and vitality?  What would you do with fewer aches and pains; less stress; less fatigue; fewer health niggles? What are you willing to do to enjoy better health?  

Choose just 3 things you can commit to during January which will start you on the path to Vibrant Health. Make them achievable!! If you’ve shipped your three from LaLa land, they are unlikely to get off the launch pad. So …………..

·         Running a marathon in January when you have yet to buy a pair of trainers is a no-no. Going for a brisk 10 minute walk round the block every day though is a brilliant one to start the ball rolling.

·         The idea of converting to a raw vegan diet, whilst cramming the last of the turkey into your mouth, is a little extreme, but making 2 days a week non-meat days is a good start. 

·         Committing to an hour-long meditation every morning at 6am when you normally sleep until 8 and have butterfly brain at the best of times is very commendable but is likely to crumble the first time the alarm wakes you abruptly at your new enlightened hour. Best to start with a do-able 5 – 10 minute meditation each day which can be fitted into your normal hours.

How I approach goals myself, and I have started doing this with clients too, is to write them down and, by the side of each, draw a Daruma Doll. These were traditional Japanese dolls, seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck and used as a gift of encouragement.

They have also been adopted commercially for goal setting!  When drawn, each doll is a simple shape (I draw mine as a Happy Cell) with two big eyes, which at the beginning are empty. When you start your goal, you fill one eye in; when you complete your task successfully, you fill in the other (and I add a big smile). So at the end of the month you hopefully have 3 fully sighted and smiling Darumas!!! I know I am sad, but this approach appeals to me (I used to like collecting coloured sticky stars at school).  It’s a visual to remind me throughout the month to stay on track and then finally to prove to myself that I have made improvements. Put it somewhere you look at each day. In addition, what I suggest is that you write down how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally on Day 1. Be honest. Then at the end of the month, do the same. If you have put some life-enhancing changes into place, it’s likely that you will see some improvement, maybe small, but it’s still an improvement which will encourage you to keep going.

 

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