Welcome to the TOYL TIME blog!
Each week until the end of August I'm posting five ideas to help you spend thirty minutes a day on you. This has come out of feedback from subscribers that sometimes you feel guilty about spending time on yourself, so these ideas are meant to spark a way of making this a "Summer of Self" where you get to do things that benefit you.
None of these are groundbreaking, they're ideas to spark you into action and there is one a week from the four pillars (that I believe) you need to have in your life to live well plus (obvs) a beauty one. Make sense? OK let's start.
The four pillars in my TOYL book are health, creativity, volunteering and fulfillment of dreams. So, here are my Week #1 ideas
Move more.
Exercise is the fundamental to ensure that you live well in old age not to mention that exercise has often been described as the "magic bullet" to so many ailments, diseases and discomforts that we have. My suggestion is that you take one, twenty minute walk each day. The weather is meant to be positively tropical this week plus we have those lighter evenings and I would urge you to get out there.
However, there is one more thing I want you to do with your walk and that is take it within 20 minutes of eating a meal so after breakfast, lunch or dinner. It cannot be longer than 20 minutes after you've eaten and here's the reason. It is proven that if you exercise immediately after a meal it lowers the glucose spike from your food, leading to less inflammation in your body. Inflammation is the cause of most disease according to many doctors. Where's this research from? Take a look HERE and on instagram @glucosegodess - this woman is a genius
2. CREATIVE
Having a creative hobby fires up a completely different part of your brain to the bit that does your job, cooks, watches TV or takes the dog out. Having a creative outlet is essential for good health and if you recall, when we were kids we were always having country dancing lessons, painting, faffing around with the pottery in class and as we got older it just wasn't valued unless you did it to exam level. What an absolute waste.
A creative hobby helps you express who you are and the brain goes into something called "flow", a state where everything else is blocked out while you do this (and no, it's not the same as being absorbed in creating a powerpoint for work).
This week is the week to pick a hobby so have a think at what you might like. Writing (mine), photography, art, tapestry, gardening, music - the list is endless. However, if you want a bit of direction why don't you check out your local adult education classes? they start in September but I'm sure you register in August. I suggest this because they will be local to you (just google "Adult Education Classes" in your area, many are online as well plus it will give you ideas and inspire you even if you don't book the class. Near us they are offering National Trust Creative Courses as well - if you go to the National Trust Site and search "courses" it comes up with a lot of suggestions. Have a play and find something that absorbs you for thirty minutes each week (at least!)
if it helps, try using this planning sheet that I created HERE
3. VOLUNTEERING
If you want me to bang on about something then this is it. I cannot tell you the benefits and fun I have had from my volunteer work and I guarantee you will get more out of it than you put in. If I tell you that the "feel good" mental health effects of volunteering seem only to come into play once you are over forty (who knew?) then you see the first reason why I think this is so important for us.
However, if you haven't volunteered before it can be daunting so let's start with the United Nations, obvs.
Take a look HERE
This takes you to the UN Global Goals, a set of targets that very bright people set for the world to engage in and they mean you, not just people with money, it's for all of us. There are 17 goals - does one jump out at you? For me, it was goal 11, sustainable communities and then it was down to me to think what that meant for me and what I might be able to do about that. Which one appeals to you? You don't need to rush at it but just have a think and maybe google what others have done around that. What might you want to get into? It's week one so we're thinking a lot before we take action, but ponder. Choose something you feel passionate about. Between us, we can change the world.
4. YOUR DREAMS
Buddah was asked, what's the biggest mistake humans make?
"You think you have time".
Isn't that the truth? What do you want to do that you haven't? What dreams do you have that you'd like to fulfill? this is the week to make the list and I've got a sheet to help you HERE
This week, this is a lovely, fun activity and I don't want you to be limited by cash restraints, no one to do stuff with, none of that. This is an ultimate list for you and this year we are going to start ticking them off. This should take you around 30 minutes this week.
5. THIS WEEK'S BEAUTY TREAT!
Ok, there are two things I want you to do this week.
First, take all your beauty stuff out of make up bags, cupboards, shelves and round the sink/bath. Put them all in one place. Clean where they came from. Look at each product and see if you actually use it or is it more than a year since you touched it. If more than a year (and it's not something like a Chanel bottle that just looks lovely) bin in. It is sat on your shelf going off and that is not good. Clean the other bottles/bits, put them back and feel very satisfied.
Second, I want you to use a cooling face mask this week. It could be the Aromatherapy Associates Mask from the May box, it could be a sheet mask from earlier this year or it could be one you have. When you have time, apply it, then lie down with your legs up in the air against a wall (If you have blood pressure issues check with your GP if this is advisable). Gravity will take blood away from your hard working feet, ankles and legs as well as helping to improve blood flow, reduce inflammation (remember this from the Health section?) and lower pressure in your veins. Do not try to multi-task with a face mask on, you are ruining a perfectly good moment of self care if you wash up, do a manicure/pedicure while the mask does it's work. Lying down also helps the face "rest".
So, those are your tasks for this week - let me know how you get on and we'll reconvene next week!
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