Welcome to my January newsletter.

 

TODAY IS BLUE MONDAY… BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE!

Christmas is over, its dark and cold, and unless you have a birthday or some other event to look forward to January seems like 31 days of nothingness. Yes the third Monday of January is THE most depressing day of the year. ‘Science’ apparently tells us so. More people depressed, more referrals to GP’s re low mood and anxiety, more days taken off work, and well what is the point!?!?!

You will read about it in the newspapers, see it referenced online and on social media, on TV. Its hard to escape.

‘Science’ is a loose term of course. The concept of Blue Monday originated from a travel company who published a formula under the name of Cliff Arnall who looked at the time past from Christmas, the weather, failed New Years Resolutions, levels on motivation and other factors. It has been labelled as ‘pseudoscience’ aka ‘rubbish’.

Today does not have to be blue. I suggest that you reframe your thinking if you have fallen into the trap of embracing the so called  ‘blue’ mood of today. Today is no different to other winter days and indeed January offers the potential to make a commitment to yourself, to address things that bother you and to seize and build on opportunities.

If you find yourself feeling blue today ‘switch think’ to positive thoughts around potential. change, energy, and if you like allow yourself to visualise a future in a more positive light. In short don’t subscribe to this nonsense. January is good and a whole new year awaits you. The exercise on ‘deep intent’ below may help you!

(Ongoing anxiety and low mood should not be ignored and ‘Blue Monday’ is a flawed concept that can make you feel worse if you are suffering. You can be helped. Contact me or a fellow healthcare professional for help)

 

WHAT ARE YOUR 2017 INTENTIONS? TRY THIS MINDFULNESS EXERCISE:

Understanding what you really want …your ‘deep intent’….is a process. Significant change can be scary to you and that’s ok and is normal. For now all I ask is that you notice how you feel about change, get curious about making change and what it will be like, and tune in to your feelings.

To begin, start this exercise on visualising your ‘best self’ writing your observations down afterwards. It’s important to note that ‘best self’ does not mean your ‘perfect’ self. We are not doing ‘perfectionism’ here as it’s counter productive to strive for ‘perfect’. Let’s think attainable, real, and healthy!

  1. Imagine that you are sitting high on a hill, looking out through the distance of time, into the future. You see a shape that looks familiar. As you allow your focus to improve you slowly realise that this shape is you, 1 month, 3 months, 6months, 1 year, or further into the future, as your very best self. As the picture becomes clearer what do you notice? Where are you? What are you doing? How are you feeling? Who else, if anyone, is there with you?
  2. When you are done imagining your ‘best self’, let the image fade and think or say to yourself … ‘’see you soon”. Take a moment now to note your observations:

What did you notice about your best self?

What did you notice about the environment around your best self?

How does your ‘best self’ feel emotionally?

How does your ‘best self’ feel physically?

What has your ‘best self’ done to get where it is?

How do you take care of your ‘best self?’

Mindfulness is not about focussing on perfect but on being ‘present’. When you are ‘present’ you are not on autopilot. You become insightful re the external and internal triggers that lead you to feel, behave, and think the way you do. ‘Present’ is being aware of how your body feels, what your thoughts are, and how you are feeling emotionally. Being present means you are able to consciously choose ways of being thinking and doing. Once you establish an inner sense of presence you are able to build a healthy relationship between yourself and the world around you.

Contact me for more on this.

 

TESTIMONIALS: THIS MONTHS STORY

‘A’ presented at Fairfield Independent Hospital in Oct 2016. He had suffered a traumatic event in the workplace where people could have been seriously injured. Fortunately no one was but a mistake ‘A’ made could have had consequences and the event impacted him significantly. Following the trauma ‘A’ found himself anxious, experiencing feelings of guilt and having catastrophic thoughts. He would feel on edge. ‘A’ began to repeatedly check his work and at home the windows and doors. This became debilitating and was threatening his career and relationships.

‘A’ was eager to talk and express how he felt. In understanding what had happened and how and why he had been impacted ‘A’ started to let go of ”beating himself” up. He moved at his pace to a place where understanding and some simple relaxation techniques helped him overcome his fears re the future and to begin to reduce the ‘checking’. Its took time and we still work together but he is in a much better place now. He is back at work and has found a renewed social confidence and assuredness. Both he and I expect him to sustain and build on his current wellbeing.

 

GET IN LINE TO REDUCE ANXIETY AND LIFT YOUR MOOD!

In discussion with one of my Garstang contacts we were looking at how her work in the dance world could help people with all sorts of problems. Anxiety, depression, weight, fitness, isolation etc etc. We are together considering offering something different and at how we can make this accessible to people who for whatever reason may find the first step difficult to make! Read this from Jean:

Line Dancing “the most fun you can have with your boots on” No longer is it just Country Music! No longer do we shout Yee Haa! No Longer do we dress up in Hat and Boots.  Why Line Dance? Tell anyone that you Line dance never mind teach it and immediately they look at you and smile . Do people still Line Dance they ask? Of course!! We have progressed so much since achy breaky heart. Dancing to anything that has a beat from One Direction & Ed Sheeran to  Latin influenced tunes, Irish & of course the latest Country Hits from Nashville.  Line Dance is the ONLY form of dance that includes  ballroom rhythm, street dance, Salsa, Reggae and traditional Country dance . You Will Be surprised!! From the moment you walk into your class you can forget your  Troubles -your worries. You meet new friends who you soon start to meet for coffee on non dancing days .  The music has a way of lifting your spirits ,creating a smile from inside,  Learning to dance and keeping up with the latest floor filler means that your brain is being challenged ,not left idle  and for the short time in class you do not think of anything else. It is an escape .  All dancing has so many plus points-So many benefits for your health ,well being and of coarse the exercise Line Dance has the  added advantage that you can come on your own ( a big step I know)

I did it once! You don’t need a partner to dance. You just dance to the level of your own ability and wish.  However You will meet friends! You will not be alone! You will leave ready to take on the world and its challenges.

For more information contact me or go directly to Jean at www.fancyfeetblackpool.com. Facebook: fancy feet Blackpool. Text: 07984 188972 for a call back. Jean.

 

TWITTER / BLOG / NEWSLETTER

Follow me on Twitter @RHoylesTherapy.

I am posting most days and include tips and references you may find helpful. I now have 600+ followers so please do follow me!

I also extend an invitation to you to contribute. Newsletters and the blog’s can be a forum we can all benefit from sharing experiences, ideas and information that can help others. Your contributions can be shared to a significant data base and an increasingly strong social media presence. Do get in touch!

 

MAKING POSITIVE CHANGE. A PROGRAMME OF SELF DEVELOPMENT

I continue to offer weight loss and fitness development programmes but am finding an increasing demand for the Life Coaching and Counselling side of my work.

You may recognise that you have thoughts, beliefs, feelings, behaviours, habits or disorders you do not want and wish to address. Perhaps aspects of your life past and present compromise your potential to succeed and be happy? You may be struggling with ill health or even the consequences of treatment. You may be very successful but something is compromising you?

Often is such circumstances people see a ‘problem’ in themselves. ‘I should be able to cope better’… ‘why am I not strong enough?’… ‘why am I just not right?’

Its time to change. Its time to stop sabotaging yourself, blaming yourself. Its time to develop new ways of thinking, believing, feeling and doing. The essence of my programmes is the shift in thinking that you will make. I will help you to see yourself differently, to love and respect yourself, and to nurture a healthy relationship with those around you. By using a combination of therapeutic tools and devising a programme that is tailored to your needs we will together forge a new you, a confident, in control, happier, more content, healthier you.

The programme runs over a period of time determined at the initial consultation; typically 3-6 months. You will  embed new ways of thinking being and doing, and learn to see yourself differently.

We engage in Hypnotherapy, Mind Management, Life Coaching, and Counselling. Each compliments the other as we work to address thoughts and beliefs that are held and which are self defeating. You may or may not recognise these ‘negatives’. You may not even be aware of them but they are there and impact to your detriment. Understanding where they come from is the first stage in addressing them and places you in a much better place to make change.

We work on re-defining yourself. How you see yourself and your belief system. Techniques applied at a conscious level and subconsciously will help you make change. You begin to succeed. The ‘impossible’ becomes possible. Positive beliefs and affirmations see you start to change.

Success breeds success and we move into consolidation. We embed new ways of thinking and being.

The programme is constructed of bertween 5 and 7 face to face sessions with ongoing support in between: (A free initial consultation is offered on a no obligation basis)

In the first therapy session we ‘formulate’ the path of intervention. You are provided with mental exercises and reflective work which allows us to together ensure the programme is tailored around you. Each session will include an element of reflection and planning forward which determines the nature of the hypnotherapy element and the guidance offered re mind management techniques and lifestyle changes. The approach is to work with the conscious and subconscious so that the concepts and ideas ‘make sense’ to the whole of you.

The subsequent sessions are paced over what is typically three to six months. Additional sessions if indicated can be booked on a sessional basis or by way of a follow up programme.

In addition to the face to face contact I sustain email, telephone, or Skype contact with clients throughout. This ensures that you feel engaged and that you are on a programme of change.

 

And Finally:

I wish you a Happy and Successful New Year!

Russell

Russell Hoyles January 2017 Newsletter
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