Twenty Tips for Beginners to Bring the Best out of You

Attention to small situations matter

1.       The Mouth. What do you put in your mouth? Focus on what you can eat and drink more of to develop a healthy body-mind. What can you reduce or stop,  which you put on your fork, spoon, in a cup, glass or hand to put into your mouth?

2.      Sit in a tall posture, not slumped, not leaning forward with a bent back. Never put one leg on the top of the other. Move out of the posture into the standing or walking posture for a minute or two if you have to return to the sitting posture.

3.      Exercise. Move the body into as many shapes and forms as you can to expand the cells and sinews. Perhaps with music.

4.      Explore different exercises/activities, indoors and outdoors. Explore the unknown.

5.      Increase significantly your time outdoors, preferably parks, woods and fields but also walk the streets of your city or town.

6.      Food: Keep it simple. Plant-based. Avoid processed food. Chew slowly. Enjoy every taste.

7.      Increase the time significantly between watching the screen (TV, computer, mobile, tablet) and going to bed.

8.     An early night offers a deeper rest than going to bed late and sleeping the same number of hours.

9.      Chair Exercise. Two feet flat on the floor. Raise arms slowly with fingers pointing to the ceiling or sky for several seconds. Lower Arms slowly. Extend out both legs off the floor. Hold for a few seconds and then lower. Repeat several times. Roll the shoulders, one side at a time. Raise your shoulders slowly up to the ears and lower slowly. Repeat several times. See YouTube for other chair exercises.

10.  Get a set of resistance bands for home to stretch all parts of the body. See exercises on YouTube.

11.   Mindful Reading. Read a book of poetry, novel or non-fiction, which has something deep to communicate.

12.  Eat as many different vegetables and fruits as you can in a week. Enjoy regular smoothies with protein powder.

13.  Consider vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin E, water to improve health. Drink coffee late in the morning, not start of the day.

14.  Take walks with a focus – to with a firm intention to see colours, hear sounds of a bird, feel the air and experience the day. Stand still and appreciate anything you enjoy coming to your senses.

15.  Create more space in your home.

16.  Develop your friendships. Share your experiences. Who do you need to talk to? Go ahead and make contact. Ask your friends and others what they see as your strengths and vulnerabilities. Would they like you to share your experiences of them? Explore in daily life your responses to what they say.

17.   Check out what is going on in the public spaces - places of worship, wellbeing centres, libraries, bookshops etc. Check out notice boards to posters on what you might attend or join. What can you offer others - people, creatures and the natural world?

18.  Be still and listen to the deep within.

19.  Reflect on what you appreciate about yourself and others. Know the limits of the self, of I and my. Reflect on the Great Expanse and your place in it.

20. At the end of they day write down your sweet moments and most challenging.