Today I am writing on what we already know – and am including my own perspectives – the changes that I have made and will continue to do so ….. as I grow well into my years …

Wellness is about keeping the balance through diet , excercise and staying mentally active .

Diet : Eating a wholistic diet with proteins – minerals – healthy fats play a significant role in our physical health . In recent times I have opted to go vegetarian and I must say that it feels like quite an achievement for me . I am enjoying this and I intend to stay this way …. I would like to eat less sugar and hopefully I would achieve what seems to be a simple goal- but poses quite a challenge to me.

Having grown up with very good food and fantastic tastes … I am very thankful and appreciative of good soulful food – that adds to my wellness . I recommend you to pay attention and relish the food nourishes you.

Excercise : This is a powerful tool to improve our mental health and physical health. Yoga is an inherent part of my day – I put aside twenty minutes to breathe , to be grateful and to put some thought on the day ahead of me . Besides this I attempt to hit 10000 steps each day and I walk my faithful dog my gentle Fern every single day

Staying mentally active : I am thankful for the work I do that keeps me switched on. I’m recent times I am also learning to play the piano – this is happening at a snail’s pace …😉keeping up with my reading – working on my blog and thinking of my art projects all keep me going .

This moment I feel grateful that I am able to share this with you …. I would like you to add a new dimension to your diet , excercise and mental mind based activities

Diet : how do you keep the balance – what is one new food you are trying or one ingredient you wish to quit ….

Excercise: How many steps do you do in a day ?? How much of time do you set aside for excercise

Being switched on : Working on a new recipe , learning the lyrics of a song and working out the dress code for your next event is all part of the switched on fun ….

Let’s join together to imbibe nurturing wellness through nourishing food , through energising movement and purposeful action day after day after day

Every man is the builder of a temple called his body…we are all sculptors and painters and our material is our own flesh and blood and bones. Any nobleness begins at once to refine a man’s features , any meanness – to imbrute them – – Henry David Thoreau

Following on from yesterday’s blog , today’s writing is about reinforcing the power of self talk , visualisation and setting goals .

We use the top most part of our brain cortical region of the brain – to engage in self talk or visualisation or goal setting . The cortical region is where learning and thinking happens.

Another word for learning and thinking skills is cognitive skills. So when we are able to engage is self talk , visualisation and set goals we exercise the topmost or cognitive part of our brain. Using the cognitive part of our brain to manage our emotions is also known as “top down strategies.” This can be an effective way of managing ourselves – when we are able to keep our cool

Hopefully I will endeavour to put yesterday’s writing and today’s into a light illustration.

Studies in science say that goal setting or visualisation or self talk are good ways of learning to manage ourselves when we feel challenged or when we wish to achieve a target goal.

Self talk can be powerful in influencing and calming our emotions. Visualisation and goal setting also works well as it gives us an element of focus . It empowers us to stay positive .

Some ways that I use my top down cognitive skills are I write simple clear scripts to myself – either through a picture or words …

Even surrounding ourselves with empowering words can add to our treasury of wellness . However my dear readers it is very very important to keep calm and believe in the power of the wellness words we use and surround ourselves

I am finishing today’s writing with Emerson’s words on selflessness – Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting some on yourself.”

Walking , timed breathing , swimming , cross training, horse riding , singing add immense value to brain health and wellness

The books that I have found useful, share information based on evidence based studies . In sharing this I aspire for you to take up an activity that adds to brain health and increases your everyday wellness

The brain is hierarchical – things happen in order – in steps -starting from the bottom the stem of the brain -that looks after our instructive responses – refer my blog on brain and wellness 🌟

Then to the area that looks after our movement

Then to the part of the brain that looks after our feelings and

Then the top most layer that looks after our thinking and our learning.

So when we excercise and engage in breathing swimming or meditative practice – we regulate the stem of our brain . This regulation has a positive impact on the movement area , the feelings area ( limbic region ) and our learning area ( cortical region) . The regulation begins from the bottom most area and travels upwards – so the movement or regulation is ‘bottom up’ .

Using the power of the breath and engaging in mindful activities are referred to as “bottom up strategies” – so let’s breathe and excercise and move and sing a toast to our everyday wellness quotient

I will illustrate this on a later day 🌟

Kia ora readers ….. this is a travel story that am sharing ….. I started on this trip thinking that I was going to spend time with my oldest….. however the Camino beckoned my son and I realised just a few days before my travel that it is going to be a solo trip….. hmmmm that made me apprehensive at first.

Power of self talk and planning :

But I had already made a promise to myself that if I planned and organised my days-into interesting and engaging time slots …. I would be fine…. and I was right. So on my first week in London I found myself having an amazing time. People were friendly kind and gentle to me – every single person I met…

On friendships that matter: In my second week I had my friend who flew out from France just to spend time with me for a whole week . We had engaging conversations , picturesque walks, nourishing food and an amazing week while she gave so generously of her time and showed me around the trendy city of Berlin. I also had another of my German friend whom flew from her home town to spend an evening and a whole day with me . I am so grateful for these connections and I believe that friendships without any agenda bring a wealth of happiness to us all.

Here below is my writing – that I penned on my return from that amazing trip .

A thousand years of architectural brilliance….. history, culture and much much more…

The intent of my visit to London was about spending some precious moments with my oldest …. however lure of travels and norms of bureaucracy meant it was time with friends for now …. “things change when you change the way you look at thing.”The world is truly your oyster wheh you appreciate of what’s around , and in the myriads of little connections you make as you move through ….,

Loved fabric of life in London with choice highlight of visiting my dear nephew @Oxford. And then the sights and sounds of Berlin with friends close to heart …

the value of time in the making of one’s own sense of connectedness …. what we sometimes refer to as “making memories….”😉

Include a little doze of wellness day after day – just for you!!

• Create positive nurturing constructive experiences
• Breathe, breathe and breathe – this is a physiological activity that helps us physically and emotionally.
• -Meditate –sit still and focus on your breath – inhale -take in 3 breaths – and exhale – take out 3 breaths
•  Walk without talk and just focus on your breath –
• Walk and count your steps – be in the moment for 10 minutes
• Listen to music – that makes you smile
• Learn the words from a song that makes you happy
• Choose a theme song
• Spend time amidst nature
• Do random act of kindness in plenty
• Count all the little positives and
• Be grateful

Am finishing today`s very brief input with a light filled quote …..

“Doing good to others is not a duty. It is a joy, for it increases your own health and happiness.” – Zoroaster

I am sharing this as it is fascinating to know and understand the science of resilience as described so beautifully in this book

When we feel stressed – sad or scared or angry ….. studies show that stress has a corrosive effect on the cells in the stem of our brain.

However studies indicate that when we excercise -we have new cells emerging in the stem of the brain .Excercise is all about physical and mental wellbeing ; fights toxins and stabilises moods – sets the pace for a healthier happier lifestyle

So when new cells emerge and nourishes our brain we feel motivated and energised . This is how resilience happens within ourselves .

Finishing with a quote from the book “excercise lights up a spark on every level of the brain.”

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Here are the key aspects that resonated with my own beliefs and my everyday practice

Babies : Excercise has a powerful impact on brain development and on how babies develop …. science indicates that babies whose mothers exercised regularly during the pregnancy are well regulated – have higher IQ and enhanced oral language capabilities

BDNF Excercise helps with release of BDNF – which helps with cell growth in the brain Studies indicate with regular excercise there is an increase in brain cells or brain volume .

Restructuring or remodelling : Excercise stabilises pathways within the brain – science shows that with regular excercise our brains can make and build new connections which impacts on our physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing

Here here my readers …. first the picture … writing to follow soon 🌟

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Sharing a few lines that I penned earlier this year …..

Wellness is about finding a script to define the way we do life and then making an endeavour to do so with intention and consistency ….. 😊

Prouder Stronger Kinder
Than before
To love more -and to be more giving
To read more -and to share my knowledge
To walk every step feeling grateful
To use each word with utmost care
To live each moment with intention
To delight savour and
See my life unfold
Transforming me towards
Greater goodness

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My dear readers …. the intention behind this writing is to advocate the use of words that give you a sense of calm and bring another layer of …

Words and wellness