Wellness Tools

Over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in wellness, mindfulness and meditation.

These words no longer exist only within the domain of West Coast 'new agers' or tree huggers. Far from it. The NHS now devotes quite a few pages to it.

As part of a fairly comprehensive self-audit around age 40, I had to accept a couple of things. Acceptance is the first step in real change.

• I wasn't managing stress any more. It was managing me

• Unless I did something about it, I was going to get ill, and stay ill

• I had to be prepared to change anything, everything that was important to staying well and was helpful, and leave behind anything, everything that was unhelpful or unwell.

Point 3 has led me on a journey which has included Bikram Yoga. Vipassana meditation and Ayurveda wellbeing.

I don't think it matters what tools you have in your wellbeing bag. The important thing is you have tools that work for you, and you use them often.

So here are 6 questions to ask yourself as part of the first step on the journey (self audit & acceptance)

1. How does my mind and body feel most of the time? Tense or relaxed?

2. Am I reliant on drugs or alcohol to manage and self-soothe?

3. Do I know what wellness feels like? How do I want to feel?

4. What am I prepared to let go of?

5. What resources are avaiable: physically or virtually to help me improve my health?

6. When was the last time I let it all out? Everything. A complete mind soak, with no self editing?