Strategic Goal-Making

We all have big dreams, whether that be for a particular position in your career, or even if its more of a personal creative pursuit. However we can get overwhelmed with these big-time goals. The sheer importance and grandness of it can swamp us an make us feel as though we can never achieve it.

One great strategy is to break your larger more life changing goals into smaller more bite sized ones. Start with mapping out what it is exactly that you want to achieve. Find our your why, and also a time frame that is reasonable, not too short so you feel rushed and not too far away so that you lose your momentum. Visually orientate yourself within your dream and assess smaller changes, hurdles or challenges that can be made and overcome first.

For example, if you want to write a book you need to map out why and also the inspiration for it. Figure out a deadline for your first draft and how much effort you need to put into it on a daily and weekly level in order to achieve it. The important thing is to make sure this still remains a passionate pursuit, not a chore. Allow yourself space and time to change and adapt as you pursue your goal. You may start off with one intention and swiftly find that it evolves over time. Give yourself the freedom to grow with your dream.

Overall the key to remember is that you can achieve anything you want, but you need to be kind to yourself along the way.

We hope that this has given you a bit of inspiration and clarity! Let us know how you action these steps into your pursuit of your dreams.

Much Love,

H+K

The power of just 'doing'

We have all at some point wished that we could just be better. Going for a run that you had aimed to conquer 6 miles but you only managed 2 miles. Or trying to nail an assignment at work or at University only to find you passed by the skin of your teeth. Disheartened you lean into your sense of guilt and self loathing, whilst forgetting one fundamental truth- You tried.

We lose that sense of pride in ourselves when we try something. Whether it be something we have done a million times or for the first time. The simple act of attempting anything out of your ordinary. Recently a friend of ours went on a training run for a race they are doing later in this year. Starting out they were fine, keeping pace and their mind was clear. However the further along she went she started having doubts. Her mind began racing and she realised she was sabotaging her own efforts. That she had lost the focus on the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other and was starting to let her ego get it’s talons in and rip her morale to shreds.

Now two scenarios could arise from this:
1) She could give up. Face a blatant lie that she is not good enough and trash the whole thing.

or

2) She could look her self doubt in the eye and acknowledge that she is but only part of the way along this journey. That right now she needs to learn to get out of her head and listen to her truth.

We are all faced with those questions and realities. In whatever we do be it at work or at play, there will always be self doubt and a lack of assurance that we can even do the thing we are wanting to do. However the greatest gift you can offer yourself is to try. Get out there and do it. Fail a few times but remember that it is part of the process.

We hope this offers you a little bit of inspiration for your week ahead.

Much love,

H+K

Find your bliss

What is a small thing that brings you unparalleled joy? It could be a great cup of coffee in the morning to a fresh vase of flowers on your desk.

The power of small joys is immense. Those little things that remind us that our lives are good, and beautiful and worthy of celebration. We all get lost in the hum-drum of existing in this world. But it is these moments of bliss that can bring us back to the only real truth of it all, that we are alive and that we are beings of love.

Learning to hone in on the things we take for granted but that impact our day so immensely is an easy thing. As with a daily gratitude practice learning to take note and enjoy moments or snippets of happiness builds until it fills your cup.

All it takes is a second, a brief pause in your day to look around you and take in the things that make you smile. Appreciate the person who delivered your tea to you, admire the picture your child left as a gift in your briefcase and enjoy the meal your partner lovingly prepared for you.

Small moments amount to great things. And a life filled with small joys is far greater than that which is filled with a single happy thing.

We hope you have a wonderful week planned, remember to acknowledge and bask in the glory of the things that bring you happiness.

Much Love,

H+K

Owning your personal journey

We often look at others as a point of comparison to see how we would like our lives to be, or as a guidance for the path we wish to take. However we invariably see the end result. Rather than the working moments that precede the beautiful shift. You, yourself are experiencing your own journey to your most vibrant self. You are at a certain point along that path and those you admire may be at a different stage of theirs. However you cannot judge yourself based on what another person has or is doing.

As with everything we must value the process, even more so than what we view at the end. For it is the things that we go through that shape us most monumentally. Every day we are faced with challenges. Whether they be small hurdles or large life altering moments. But each and every one mounts together to create the life we lead and the person we are.

Next time you find yourself judging your life based on another person, take a moment to consider this. You are an individual. A person with a beautiful experience of the world worthy of appreciation and celebration. You cannot mirror your life based on another person because you are not them, and you have your own gifts to share with us all.

We wish you a beautiful week ahead of you and hope that this gave you a bit of inspiration.

Much Love,

H+K

Removing yourself from busy-ness

How often do we wish that we had ‘just half an hour to do nothing’. In our minds we are whisked away to some far off island with a coconut in one hand and a pile of books beside us. We are hardwired to think that we can only relax when we go away. Constantly told that our lives are meant to be stressful and that being busy is always a sign of success.

However, being busy doesn’t necessarily equal success, neither does remaining in a state of stress. Our journey into our true and most vibrant selves involves filtering through the fear of not being viewed as hard working enough. Often when we pile our schedules full of things to do and people to meet, we are falling into the trap of choosing other people’s views over our own happiness.

Now one thing you can do, to safeguard your time and space is to really hold on to that which is truly important. In each moment or decision take a second to think “does this serve me, or will it only add pressure”. Looking at our lives in this way enables us to reduce the amount of perceived stress, and we are able to gain greater clarity in our minds as to what is truly needed.

We hope this helps you in some way, remember to treat your life as something beautiful and special. Treasure it and nourish yourself in every way.

Much Love,

H+K

Courage

Often the hardest thing about pursuing your dreams is having the courage to do so. We often push the things we love aside in favour of existing in this world. However we always have that thing calling to us, that deep inner purpose that is always there but often silenced. What would happen if you let your dreams come into your day to day life. If you sat down to pursue your dream career or trained for a race. You were put here to live your life and exist in a way that contributes positively and make changes to the way the world is and works.

It is, of course, easier said than done. We may feel selfish for pursuing the things we love instead of secure roles. But if you were advising a friend on the same point, would you not want them to be happy? It is the small things we do every day towards our ultimate goal that allow us to reach it. Some days you will be phenomenal, you will reach above and beyond what you thought you were capable of. Other days you will stumble, perhaps you will fail. But that is the joyous road towards your dreams.

Remember, the most important thing you can do for yourself is take that first step. Walk out into the unknown and open up to the universe.

Much Love,

H+K

"Like the Moon, I'll be different tomorrow"- Spirit Daughter

Today you may feel awful. It may have been a hard couple days and you could feel run down or breathless as you tackle your never ending list. But find solace in this simple fact: tomorrow is another day. Another opportunity to find your feet and flourish.

We can find ourselves getting caught up in feelings of dread and despair as we watch our lives cartwheel around us. Obstacle after obstacle may arise and you continually rise to the occasion. But that is just it, you will continue to grow and change. Life will bring beautiful happiness and moments of hardship but each and every day you will evolve.

Try and focus on the here and now, look at the blessings available to you and marvel in them. You are ever changing and adaptable, nothing can stop you on your journey except yourself. Use the darker moments as fuel and light up the world with your passion and determination.

We hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you, good luck.

Much Love,

H+K

Listening

Another glorious week is upon us! We are so excited for this new season and have enjoyed feeling the shift in the weather.

One thing we are looking into this week is the idea of listening, to others but equally to yourself. Oftentimes we don’t take time to listen to exactly what our soul is asking for, we sideline the things we desire or that would nourish us fully.

Ways to recognise that you need to begin serving your needs more are:
1) Taking a moment to write down 3 things you feel you may be neglecting in your life. That could be because of time constraints but if you begin to let go of the things you love you may start to resent the situations or people that get in the way of that!

2) Be open to the signs. The universe is an immensely powerful force. We are constantly receiving messages and cues leading us towards our higher and more vibrant selves. Take a moment to notice these signs and their frequency, often it will lead you to ways you can really celebrate your life and heighten your experience.

3) Be mindful of how you speak to yourself. We are all culprits of negative self talk , but it is a huge weight to carry when you are on your journey. Acknowledge the moments that you are particularly harsh towards yourself and open up a dialogue. Why do you say these things and how can you ensure that you work towards lessening and removing that kind of attitude towards yourself.

We hope that you have a beautiful week, full of growth, happiness and light.

Much Love,

H+K

5 Fun Rituals

We get it, there never seems to be enough hours in the day for everything you want to achieve! Of course you all have your routines, the things you need to do every day in order to keep everything running smoothly and according to your intentions. However we have 5 added moments of magic we would love for you to incorporate into your day.

1) Smile at yourself.
When you wake up in the morning and stumble into the bathroom to attend to your business, why not take a moment to say good morning and smile. Many of us may have an aversion to meeting yourself in the eye and appreciating who you are. But the power of self love is immense and you deserve to be loved every moment of the day.

2) Sing!
Whether it be in the shower, in the car, a gentle hum as you go about your business, the power of singing and enjoying music is profound! Put that epic playlist of guilty pleasure songs and tackle your day. Sometimes we all need a little Spice Girls to get us through the morning traffic!

3) Thank your food
This is a bit of an odd one but hear us out. For most women mealtime consists of wolfing down whatever you can find before tending to another’s needs. But if you take even a brief second to acknowledge the food on your plate, thank the farmer who tended the field, the sun that nourished it and yourself for preparing it, it sets a wonderful tone for your day. We are so lucky to live the life we lead, we just need a little reminder sometimes.

4) Let it all out!
You’re busy, there are a million things happening at once! Why not take a leaf out of your yoga teachers book and learn to sigh it all out. Take a long deep breath in and then let out an audible sigh. You can be as quite or as loud as you like. But the main thing is to take that moment to just let everything that is weighing you down or stressing you out float away.

5) Set a happiness reminder
If you’re anything like us you can often find yourself rushing about glued to your laptop, phone etc. Why not at a random time of the day set a reminder or an alarm just for yourself. It can be for 12.24pm and could be your favourite quote or a picture of your family. Something to remind you of the happiest parts of your life in the midst of the rush of the daily grind. (One pro tip though- Don’t set it with a tone! Who knows what you’ll be up to and I don’t think you want it to go off in the middle of an important meeting!)

We hope you enjoyed those fun little tips, it’s just something whimsical to look at incorporating into your day for a bit more cheer.

Have an abundant and exciting week,

Much Love,

H+K

Patience

Do you often find yourself getting overwhelmed and upset over small moments? Or rather do you get angry at yourself for loosing your cool at something that really shouldn’t warrant such a reaction. Following such an outburst it can be easy to overanalyse and fall into a guilt trap. “I am a terrible mother, I shouldn’t have snapped at them like that.”, “My husband was only doing what he thought was right, how could I be so mean.”

In moments like that it is important to remember one thing- patience. Take time to be kind to yourself and understand that as we are all imperfect and human it is completely natural to boil over from time to time. Some wonderful techniques to catch yourself before you run into a precarious situation is breath work. When you feel anxious, angry or on the verge of saying something you know you will regret, stop, take a deep breath for a count of 4 hold for 2 and exhale again for a count of 4. Really focusing on that exhale breath and extending it for as long as you can. Repeat as you need and focus on the tempo of your breath.

Creating a bit of space in the moment can really grant some wonderful perspective and lead us to reacting in a way that is more genuine to who we are. Remember we all experience this world differently, your frustration or anger may come from a place of not understanding the other person’s perspective and life story.

You are a kind and generous person, never feel guilty for not having it all together sometimes.

Dealing with Disappointment

In the search for our best and happiest lives it can seem odd to focus on the power of disappointment. We live in a world that doesnt look favourably on failure and moments of retrograde. For obvious reasons we seek out success and triumph instead of lessons in failing. However sometimes our times of greatest growth occur when we fail. Those low periods in our lives that teach us our true resilience and strength and allow us to fully come into our own.

The greatest feeling of inner confidence comes from the knowledge that we have overthrown some challenge or moment hardship. In those chapters of our life where we may feel like the universe is conspiring against us, it may in fact be granting us our greatest gift. We are in reality experiencing a moment of profound growth, something that will help to shape our future and spur us on to an even more wonderful life.

When you are faced with hardship, instead of viewing it as a negative, take some time to settle into it. Ask “What are you teaching me?”, and “How will this shape who I am?”

You have the opportunity to use your potential pain and fear to fuel your life. Instead of living in a state of lack or loss, look at it as a chance to develop your tool kit and prove to yourself what you are capable of.

In every way you are strong, capable and completely magnificent.

Much Love,

H+K

Finding Ease in Change

Change can be hard, even if it is a good change. We get used to a particular way of living our lives and when there is an alteration to our schedule or the way we spend our time it can really throw us mentally and emotionally.

One really key thought or mentality to have is the idea of ‘Ease’. Learning to find the ease in everything you do and trying to find ease in the way you think, feel, speak and treat yourself and others. Look for the softness in the moment and seek out the calm at the edge of your control and letting go ever so slightly.

It can be hard of course, we are hardwired to be constantly opposed to change and to seek out ways in which to stick to the status quo. Oftentimes we sabotage ourselves from our happiness by looking for comfort instead of growth.

But remember, it is so important to learn when to let go, when to fall into the ease of change in order to find your best and happiest life.

Change is good, our reaction to it is what makes all the difference.

Much Love,

H+K

Don't let others take your 'key'

Happy Monday! What a beautiful weekend we had, we are all feeling very grateful and excited for the warmer months ahead of us.

In every day we can find ourselves confronted with a person, idea or situation that doesn’t sit well with us or goes against our values. Our natural response can often be defensive or that we get our guard up and brace ourselves for an argument. However what if instead of letting that person or thing disrupt your happiness we could just learn to let it go?

One concept that relates well to this is the idea of your ‘Key’. Motivational speaker John Kehoe speaks about it in his books on ‘Mind Power’. The key is that which is within you that motivates and allows you to navigate your life with intention and purpose. It is the power within you that enables you to achieve amazing things.

Now when we let other people demotivate us or derail us we are giving them our ‘key’ thus giving them the power over our lives and the way that we interact with the world. Instead, what we can do is bolster ourselves and prepare for situations that may cause us to feel disconnected or disempowered. Practices that can help us are mediation, journalling, yoga, or even just running or doing a task mindfully. Allowing yourself time and space to mentally prepare a mindset of calm will enable you to confront those moments with a clearer mind and intention. This adds power to your experiences and allows you to be more steadfast in your approach.

Remember that you are a powerful individual with an incredible life to lead. Don’t let the petty thoughts and intentions of others distance you from that!

We hope you have a glorious week ahead of you,

Much Love,

H+K

Office Routines

We have all been there, we sit down at our desks and the next time we look away from our screen its been 2 hours!

Time flies when you’re busy and when you get ‘in the zone’. But what kind of an impact is that having on your body?

As Chiropractic advocates we understand how important it is to move your body regularly and with a clear intention. Getting stuck behind a screen at your desk can seriously impact on your health in numerous ways, keeping active and moving your body periodically throughout the day is a wonderful way to not only boost focus but to keep your body functioning as it should.

Often when we sit at our desks we lose attention to our posture and can find ourselves in a classic ‘turtle shell shape’. Shoulders are hunched forward, sitting cross-legged, head jutting forward and squinting at our screen. By sitting in this way you place extreme pressure on your spine. If you imagine that your head is a bowling ball, when you hold it above you it is relatively easy to keep it there, however the further forward you hold it away from your body the heavier the ball seems. The weight of the ball isn’t changing necessarily, but it feels like that! And the stress that places on you to maintain that shape increases!

That is what it is like when you sit with incorrect or unmanaged posture. Your head places an incredible amount of strain on your spine when it is jutting forward. This stress can express itself in a number of ways and carries its way throughout your body.

This shape is not only physically detrimental but energetically so as well. When we are closed in like this posture emphasises we are locked off from our own potential. The energetic centre of the heart is required to be open and spacious in order to tap into our inner compassion and love.

So when you are next at work remember to set your reminder to get up and move your body. Every 20 minutes would do the trick! Get up, take a few deep breaths, roll your shoulders and stretch our arms. Anything to get your body out of that seated posture.

Furthermore you could look at having a standing desk, or placing your computer up to eye height in order to reduce the pressure on your body and to help maintain those lovely natural curves in your spine.

Let us know if you have any questions on this topic! And we hope that you find ways to move your body and show yourself a bit of love and kindness today.

Much Love,

H+K

Happy Earth Day!

What a wonderful world we live in.

Every day we marvel at the Earth’s capacity for love and for it’s astonishing beauty. However, recently it has become far more obvious that we need to care for her. Our world is in turmoil and it is our job to help her!

At H+K we have realised how in every day we need to make small changes and large promises in order to safeguard our home, and our future.

As such we have started looking at ways in which we can reduce our impact and work towards a more mindful and compassionate life.

Here are our top focuses to reduce our impact on the planet:

• Reusable Coffee Cups- A very say way to reduce your single use plastic use! We love our keep cups, they are so handy and you can really find a beautiful cup that you love! Often cafes even give you a discount for bringing your own cup.

• Boomerang Bags (Or at least thats what they call them in Australia!) Reusable Shopping and produce bags- We all have managed to transition away from single use plastic bags when we pop over to our local Tescos. However, how many of us are using reusable produce bags? It can be so easy to plop our tomatoes in one plastic bag, and our bananas in the other, but in reality why do we need to? It’s important to be conscious of the ways in which you can reduce your overall plastic consumption.

• Being aware that your shopping can influence the global market- Now this is a big one. Our shopping habit is like a vote, we are using our money to reinforce the practices that we perhaps consciously or unconsciously support. Therefore when you next go to the supermarket look for the things that you wish for there to be more of or perhaps that you believe in. Try and steer clear of plastic wrapped vegetables, or even those that contain too much packaging in general!

We hope you all had a restful Long Weekend, and that this post acts as inspiration for positive change!

Happy Earth Day!

Much Love,

H+K

Learning to say no

We all have moments when everything just seems to spiral out of control. Planning dinners, sports runs, school events, office meetings and then everything in between! 

Constantly chasing the next to-do and prepping for the next event or catch up. But what if we told you that it’s ok to say NO.

Learning when to say no is a hard thing, we are taught and encouraged to accept any invite and always make ourselves available for the next step (in our career, family life and personal goals). By allowing yourself a bit more time in your day (both mentally and physically) can not only make you feel more energised but far more empowered. Your time is precious and sometimes you need to be a little more discerning with how you spend it.

Discovering that there is a fine line between overwhelm and balance is part of maintaining a lifestyle that has longevity. Enabling yourself to really build a life that prioritises balance and ease can yield such beautiful gifts.

We encourage you to look at the ways that you can simplify your week or even your day. Are there things you can let go of or perhaps put aside for now until you have more mental space and clarity? 

Also are there events and commitments that perhaps you can decline so you have more time to yourself? 

Please take care of yourself, learn when to say no to opportunities and feel empowered by that choice! You’re doing so well. 

Much love, 

H+K 

Checking in with yourself

Another glorious week is upon us and we have a feeling it is going to be a good one!

Have you taken time to check in with yourself recently? This is such an important activity that should occur at least once a week. It gives you the time and the space to really acknowledge how you are doing. Emotionally, Mentally and also Physically. Now, we aren’t just advocating a simple check of the to-do list. We are looking at really, truly, checking in and seeing how you can help yourself to feel more grounded, secure and productive.

A simple activity could be sitting down with a cup of tea for 10 minutes today and answering these 5 Questions:

1) How do you feel? (Emotionally and Physically)

2) Is there something that you want to do this week just for you?

3) What are 3 things you can do today to take a bit of pressure off.

4) What is one thing you did last week you are proud of.

5) What is your inspiration for this week? (Mantra, Quote or even just an emotion you want to carry through for the week)

Setting an intention for your week but also acknowledging the things you’ve achieved and want to focus on is a powerful way to really refine how you go about your week.

Good luck and Much Love,

H+K

Green Spaces and our Happiness

Do you ever wonder why you always feel more revitalised and energised when you have been for a walk in nature, whether that be in a local park, on the beach or in a forest?

Well when we are out in nature we experience a release of dopamine (the happiness hormone) which helps us to feel more grounded and positive. Furthermore whilst taking a walk or enjoying time in a green space scientists have recorded less activity in the fear centres of our brain, lower stress hormone output, lower cardiovascular response (to stress) and an overall feeling of wellbeing.

Now it can be easier said than done, creating more time to go for a walk in between meetings and daily responsibilities. But even by surrounding yourself with plants at home you can experience the benefits of nature.

Especially for those of us who live in busy cities away from quiet and calm spaces, taking time to either cultivate a beautiful indoor green space or going out and about into local parks can be a wonderful way to manage stress and anxiety.

For an excellent article on the topic read Mind Body Green’s take on nature as an Anxiety management tool.

We hope that you find time today to marvel at nature, to sit in a park and breathe in fresh air. It will do you the world of good!

Much Love,

H+K

Harnessing your breath for focus

Happy Monday to you all! We hope you have had a wonderful start to your week and feel rested and prepared for more spectacular growth.

How often do you stop to think about your breath. We do it subconsciously and often without acknowledgment of the immense privilege and gift our breath is. Our body intuitively nourishes us every few seconds, sending fresh oxygen into our cells to fuel us and allow us to do what we wish. It flushes out stagnant air and with it stagnant energy.

Yogis believe the breath is a powerful way to harness our inner energy or prana. In fact breath focused work in a yogic practice is called pranayama. A conscious and focused breath is a powerful tool to unlocking inner potential and clarity.

When you were last in a yoga class, can you remember the emphasis the teacher placed on intentional breath with the movement of your body. This is because it enables you firstly to truly focus on the present moment, but also it gives your body greater ownership on the situation. By connecting your mind to your body and your breath you are creating a holistic approach to the task at hand.

Now for most of us we are breathing ‘incorrectly’, this being a non-diaphragmatic breath. This means that we breathe into the top lobes of our lungs and are not utilising our whole lung capacity. For many of us the stress and pace of daily life prevents us from truly breathing deeply. We are jumping between work commitments, family dramas, traffic jams and caffeine bursts. In a constant state of reaction our chest collapses as our shoulders roll inwards, our necks jut outwards and our core crumples beneath the stress. You can see if you are breathing diaphragmatically because your belly will expand but the chest will remain soft.

An easy and effective exercise can be the four corner breath. Imagine a square, inhale to the bottom of your belly for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for a count of four and hold at the end of your breath for final count of four. Repeat this as needed, but this can help you to really gain back your power and focus.

Next time you feel a little overwhelmed, or that you cannot catch your breath, give the above exercise a try.

We hope you have an abundant week,

Much Love,

H+K

When things go wrong!

We have all had those days. When you can’t find your words, when you burn your toast and set all the smoke alarms off and you also managed to forget your Oyster Card on the way to the station.

Those days suck.

But do they have to? Maybe they are a message from the universe that you need to stop, that you need to listen to what is placing the hurdles in the way. What if you are having these moments of ‘failure’ as a reminder that you can’t always have it together. That these little pauses or trips along the way are a demonstration that we are all human and imperfect. Furthermore they are a reminder that nothing is ever 100% terrible. Just because you spilt your tea on your laptop or your car won’t start doesn’t mean that today is going to be a terrible day. It just means that it is turning out a little different to how you had planned it.

In those moments when everything feels too much, and that you need it all to just STOP, take a breath. Have a sip of water, stretch your body. How wonderful do those 3 things feel. How glorious it is to be alive and to have be where you are, in the present moment.

Yes times can get tough, but don’t let the smaller details of this very imperfect life get you down. Learn to roll with them, laugh at them as they cruise in and out of your life. Focus on the things you can control, your mind and your thoughts. Let go and just let life be. Good Luck!

Much Love,

H+K