Kirsty Hulse, Coach at PUSH, a leading wellbeing and performance company, shares her top tips on How to Feel F*ckin Awesome Even in Lockdown
So how do we keep feeling our best and staying on top of our game…even in a lockdown?
In a time when keeping a happy work-life balance is increasingly challenging, the value of checking in with your mental health on a day-to-day basis has never been more significant. Kirsty Hulse shares her three practical techniques to stay motivated throughout the pandemic.
In order to let go of something, we first have to hold it. In order to start feeling awesome, it is important to first acknowledge and recognise our emotions. We more often than not, try to force and will ourselves to feel better, which is an incredibly admirable pursuit, but there is a more sustainable, more kind, and more compassionate approach.
It’s fundamental to tend to our mental health frequently and consistently. If the outcome we want is to feel happier, better, and feel more capable, I believe that there are specific activities that can facilitate such a desired outcome.
Small Acts of Self-Care
Create a menu of small doable actions that will energise and uplift you when your mental health is suffering. In order to avoid the ‘primal panic state’ natural to human beings when feeling anxious and overwhelmed, take an active approach of creating a personalised list of actions to turn to and complete: singing to a favourite song, taking deep breaths of fresh air from out of your window, calling a close friend, watching a small comedy clip, going for a walk outside, having a quick hug, paying someone a compliment, taking a hot bath, or practicing some yoga positions.
The Necessity of Praise
The second practical tool to help stay motivated throughout the lockdown is to keep up with positive reinforcement and self-praise. It doesn’t have to be huge, it can be as tiny as finishing a task and taking a moment to think about the good job you’ve done or it can simply be taking a moment to dance. What gets celebrated gets repeated!
There is great value in rewarding our achievements, however, be mindful to allow for inconsistency. The moment that we allow some inconsistency and soften the edges of needing to be perfect all the time, the more likely we are to achieve our personal successes.
The Impact of Language
The language we use is so important. It has an impact on how we feel, our emotions, and the way we move throughout the day. There is a vivid connection between our thoughts, feelings, actions, and results. It’s natural for us as human beings, genetically, to focus on the negatives and always calculate risks to certain scenarios, however, we can train ourselves to alter our language and, in turn, construct more positive thoughts.
Take this one step further by writing down positive thoughts using constructive language. Firstly, start the day off right by thinking optimistic thoughts about the day ahead: ‘Today is going to be a good day’; ‘I’m going to have a very rich and varied day’; ‘I am going to learn more today than I knew yesterday’; ‘I can handle anything today brings’. This can be further reinforced by writing down and reflecting on three things that have gone well in your day. Take this as your reminder to dismiss those detrimental thoughts, which will hinder success, and replace them with beneficial ones that will serve you.
Good luck! And if you want more check out the full session!
