Breast cancer

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH 2020: SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN’S HEALTH

2020 has been a powerful reminder that we are all in this together. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, in this week’s blog, we’ve decided to zero-in on the important conversation surrounding women’s health and breast cancer awareness. 

Here at WellBe, we’re asking everyone to stand proudly in pink this month and wear their ribbons with pride. From regular self-examination techniques to discuss the top three ways that you can support these brave women facing breast cancer every day, we cover it all in this week’s blog.

What is breast cancer awareness month? 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign that aims to increase awareness about breast cancer, as well as encourage early detection, greater access to treatment and better palliative care.

This awesome effort to raise awareness is a great way to reduce the stigma surrounding breast cancer and inspire a culture that encourages women of all ages to speak openly about their health struggles and their experience with this disease. This month is all about working towards educating each other about early detection of breast cancer and possible treatments for the 1.38 million women who are diagnosed with breast cancer around the world each year.

This October, we strive to start helping women of all ages, races, income groups and nationalities to access better screening opportunities, treatment and support. 

Regular self-examination

It seems that female health (especially when it comes to topics such as female breasts) is still a subject that just doesn’t get enough attention. That’s why, this week, we’re digging into our easy-to-understand self-examination guide that will give you some handy tips and simple techniques when conducting a thorough breast exam.

women’s health

What is a breast exam?

A breast self-exam is an inspection of your breasts that you do on your own. Breast exams matter because they help you detect any unusual changes or abnormal lumps in your breast, and this self-screening process is vital for catching any possible health issue early. The best thing to do is start talking to a health professional immediately about an appropriate course of action moving forward since early detection is the key to a higher chance of success when starting treatment.

How do you perform a breast exam?

  • Start by looking facing the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips. Use your hands to press around your breast firmly to determine if there are any changes to the look and feel of your breasts. 
  • Now, raise your arms and look for any unusual changes in your breast – such as abnormal swelling or any unusual shape or colour. Breasts that have visible distortion or swelling could also indicate a possible cancerous lump, so be sure to inform you or doctor about any changes you may notice. 
  • Next, feel your breasts while lying down by placing three or four fingers flat together. Move your fingers in a circular motion as you press them into your skin. Be sure that you always cover the entire breast from top to bottom and side to side. 
  • A cancerous lump may feel rounded, soft, and tender and can occur anywhere in the breast. In some cases, the lump can even be painful, so it’s a good idea to inform our doctor about any extra sensitivity you may experience. 

If you notice any new changes to your breasts, the first thing you should do is discuss these with your doctor. Keep in mind that most breast changes detected during self-exams are benign, but some changes may signal something serious so it’s better to always check-in and make sure that there’s no cause for concern.

How you can help 

No one is ready to receive the news that they have breast cancer. But our choices have the ability to empower and assist women struggling with breast cancer everywhere. We can make small but impactful changes to ensure that all women are able to access the right support, treatment and screening methods when facing this diagnosis.

  1. Donate online 

Making a one-time or monthly donation to help an organisation such as CANSA or PinkDrive will enable these non-profit organisations to continue the great work that they are doing. By helping these organisations secure better funding for research programs, support groups and awareness campaigns, you can help women suffering from cancer to receive better access to screening, treatments and emotional support programs.

  1. Educate yourself and others 

One of the best ways to show support and raise awareness for breast cancer is to openly encourage the conversation surrounding female health.

By encouraging widespread education about women’s health and breast cancer, we can all help bring about earlier detection, better treatment and more support for those suffering from breast cancer. 

This can be as simple as educating yourself about the signs, causes and treatments of breast cancer using the CANSA WEBSITE or by helping promote breast cancer awareness in universities or in your workplace. This is especially important since 30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are aged between 20 and 50. 

  1. Emotional support

Most people diagnosed with breast cancer will experience a range of conflicting emotions, and coping with the diagnosis can be difficult. Offering emotional support to a loved one experiencing this diagnosis is one of the most important ways to assist any individual struggling with this disease. 

But support isn’t confined to assisting only those who you know and love. You can support women with breast cancer everywhere by doing simple things such as volunteering at a breast cancer foundation, spreading the word about Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or even hosting a virtual fundraiser to raise money for organisations dedicated to cancer support and treatment.

WellBe&Co and women’s health 

While there is no single food or supplement that could prevent breast cancer from forming, but the way we eat and the way we treat our body matters. 

Regular exercise, eating well and trying to keep our stress levels low is the perfect way to ensure that we stay as healthy and strong as possible so that we are ready to face any health issues we may encounter in our lives. At WellBe, we encourage all-around wellness and specialize in easy-to-implement, lifestyle-focused nutrition, training and health solutions.

When it comes to developing healthy eating habits to keep your immune system strong and your energy high, our healthy recipes will show you how to stick to a sustainable way of eating while still enjoying the finer foods in life. Simple, nutritious and delicious is our recipe motto.

We also focus on a range of effective exercise & training guides for beginners, intermediate level and advanced fitness fanatics – as well as everyone in between! With our 12-week training guide, you’ll receive the top workout tips and tricks that will show you how to be more effective in your training and increase your daily dose of sweaty endorphins.

To find out more, shoot us a DM on our Instagram page or contact one of our friendly WellBe team members here today.

September 29, 2020 Women's Health Comments Off on BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH 2020: SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN’S HEALTH
Fitness

8 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR WORKING OUT AT HOME – GETTING MOTIVATED AND GETTING MOVING

2020 has served us up with a fair share of challenges. Who would’ve thought that we were going to have a global pandemic and be locked up inside for months on end – not me haha! As much as it’s been a trying time, we might’ve actually been able to come out of it with some lessons learned and a new perspective. 

One thing quarantine has done is it’s completely changed up our workout routines. No longer have we been able to visit our local gym and use all the equipment which we were used to using. Now we have been faced with the task to use our bodies and at home ‘equipment’ as a means to exercise. Which to many is not something they are used to doing. But maybe this challenge actually taught us how little we actually need?

I myself was used to using the cardio machines and weights during my workouts as well but I had to adapt during this time along with everyone else. This doesn’t mean I became limited it just means I became creative and had a plan in mind.

So what are my key tips for exercising effectively at home you ask?

Consistency is key

Oh yes, we’ve heard this one a million times but my goodness it’s true. If you want to continue to see results even when you are training from home you need to be consistent. Just like you would go to the gym for certain days of the week, you need to do the same at home and stick to it!

Live better

Create a new at-home routine

Just like you would usually follow a routine (eg. wake up, pack your food, go to gym, go to work etc) you need to continue to follow one at home. The moment you don’t set a time slot for your workout, the harder it becomes. Because we all know that excuse “Oh I’ll do It later” and then later comes and Netflix and chill sounds way better. Ya feel? 😉

There are endless amounts of exercises

 You may think you’d be way more limited but in all honesty, there are so many bodyweight exercises you can do (and hard ones at that) and there are so many items you can use in your house as ‘equipment’ for your workout (chair, filled water bottles, towels, backpacks, a bag of potatoes etc – you name it).

Have a workout space
Creating a space where you workout every day helps a lot. This can be seen as your place to get serious and your ‘me time’. The space doesn’t need to be big at all. Usually, the size of a yoga mat works perfectly fine. Try steer away from working out in a space that will distract you such as close to the TV or the fridge. 😉

Put on your workout clothes
Just like you would change to get ready for the gym, you must do the same at home. This tells your brain that it’s time to workout! Also, don’t give yourself enough time to think about it or convince yourself otherwise, change and get moving ASAP!

Music makes you move
I’m telling you if I put on some of my favourite upbeat music I already feel keener to get moving. Do the same at home to keep it interesting. Also, change up your playlist every now and again to keep it fun!

Have a plan
As we all know, when we don’t have a plan we tend to feel more overwhelmed and demotivated. Knowing what workout you are going to do every day definitely helps you with exercising at home. Our WellBe 12-Week Body Reboot Training Guide is perfect for this!

Eat well
If you fall off track with your eating you will naturally fall off track with your exercise routine too. Make sure you are eating healthy wholesome meals that leave you feeling full and satisfied. There are tons of incredible recipes in our WellBe 12-Week Body Reboot Nutrition Guide that will leave you feeling good and full of energy every day.

As much as going to the actual gym has its upsides, it’s not the be-all and end-all. I truly believe we already have what we need in order to get a great workout in – our bodies. I have come out of this understanding my body more than before and I have really realized that we really don’t need all the fancy extras.

To end off, here’s an at-home full-body workout that requires zero equipment:


  •  30 x squat to oblique twist
    • 10 x 4 mountain climbers to push up
    • 30 x side lunges (per side)
    • 15 x burpees
    • 20 x star jack-knives
    • 30 x jumping jacks


3/4 ROUNDS

Let’s keep in touch:
Instagram and Facebook: @thelivelyfitnessgirl

Website: www.livelyfitness.co.za

Email: jessica@livelyfitness.co.za

September 22, 2020 Women's Health Comments Off on 8 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR WORKING OUT AT HOME – GETTING MOTIVATED AND GETTING MOVING
Boost Your Mood

TIRED OF FEELING LOW? 4 LIFE CHANGING HABITS TO BEAT THAT AFTERNOON FATIGUE

It’s normal to start feeling your energy levels drop throughout the day. Most tend to feel sluggish, fatigued and slow by early afternoon. The good news is that there are some small but really effective practices that you can put in place every day to renew your energy. 

That’s why, in this week’s blog, we give you our top helpful, healthy habits that will 

reignite your energy levels and re-energize your mind and body so that you can be your most productive self every day.

Energy-boosting habits 

A lack of energy could significantly affect your ability to perform basic daily activities, as well as noticeably affect your productivity at work. That’s why it’s really important to identify the source that’s draining your energy and develop small changes in your everyday habits to fix this. So, here are our top pick-me-up tips that are proven to work:

1. Pay attention to how you fuel your body

Eating clean isn’t just about looking good. Remember, the food we put into our body acts as our primary energy source for the day. The fact is that not all foods will fuel your body equally. The type of food you eat in particular plays an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day. The right food contains nutrients that could help increase your energy levels and better maintain alertness and focus throughout the day.

After all, nutrition is the key to a healthy mind and a healthy body. So, it’s only natural that heart whole-foods will equip you with a long-lasting energy source, while refined, junk-foodie meals will leave you feeling unfulfilled and sluggish.

For example, a simple banana could be considered a superfood when it comes to boosting your energy and alertness. It’s an excellent source of complex carbs, potassium, and vitamin B6 – all of which can help boost your energy levels. These essential minerals and vitamins are all needed to keep your energy and your immunity strong. 

2. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep

The reality is that we just can’t function at our full capacity without having an optimal number of hours of sleep every night (most experts say that’s around 7 to 9 hours a night). That’s because sleep is the key ingredient when it comes to keeping us healthy and functioning well. Sleep lets your body and brain repair, restore, and re-energize itself every night, so that you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle a new day in the morning.

Mounting evidence even suggests exhaustion and sleep deprivation can severely impede your productivity, with one study of 4,188 workers citing that those who didn’t get enough sleep every night had “significantly worse productivity, performance, and safety outcomes”at work.

Not only that, but individuals who fail to get enough sleep every night are also more prone to depression, weight gain, lower immunity and impaired thinking. So, maybe it’s a good idea to skip that last episode of Nailed It tonight and turn the lights out early. 

3. Drink more water

If you’re dehydrated, the chances are you’ll have far less energy than those around you. Simple things such as staying awake at your office desk or making good on your promise to go to the gym after work might seem impossible, and strenuous exercise will seem like a mountain of a challenge.

Many studies have shown that dehydration lowers energy levels, impedes athletic performance and causes individuals to feel sluggish and off their game throughout the day. 

That’s why drinking water is the ultimate health hack. Upticking your water intake will not only renew your energy levels, but it will also improve your memory and mood, increase your weight loss and give your skin a healthier glow.

Boost Your Mood

4. Boost your mood

We know that sometimes your day can feel like it’s super-packed, not-stop busy. It might feel like you don’t have a single moment to spare to eat, sleep or breathe. That’s why it’s important to make the most of every hour in the day and develop habits that will help you to be as productive as possible. 

Taking an hour out of your day for self-care might seem counterintuitive at first. It’s difficult to allow yourself to step away from your work when there’s competing deadlines and clients emailing you 24/7. But it’s time to lose the guilt and make way for your own self-care every day.

By simply devoting an hour a day to any activity that will help will boost your mood, you’ll end up banking more productive hours in the long run. Studies show that self-care improves productivity and helps to break the cycle of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and disinterested in your work.

Start by committing to waking up early in the morning to meditate or go for a run, or set aside an hour in the afternoon for any type of exercise, meditation, yoga. Even just a stroll outside will help change the way you tackle the day and renew your motivation for the tasks ahead of you. While it’s not always easy to implement new habits (some say it takes up to 21 days of repeating a habit for it to stick) it will be well worth it in the long run.

Staying energized with WellBe 

Here at WellBe&Co, we believe that better health starts with better habits. That’s why we’ve introduced our 12-week body reboot training guide to give you a step-by-step roadmap towards living a more happy, healthy and energy-filled life. This workout and training guide is the best way to boost your energy, get those endorphins flowing and help you stay more motivated everyday.

You won’t find any excessively restrictive, bogus claim, too good to be true fad here. Our mission is to debunk these many false health and fitness myths and help empower people to live at their best life, on their own terms.

When it comes to eating clean, we’ve got you covered too. Our nutrition and recipe guide will equip you with the most up-to-date nutrition, training and supplement advice tailored to your individual needs, goals and personal preferences. View your plan, track your progress and stay motivated by using our downloadable WellBe Health App.

Pssst: Did you know that, if you buy both guides together in the month of September only, you’ll save R150. You’ll also save an additional R100 when purchasing both plans together if you use the promo code WELLBE100. Isn’t that great?

So, what are you waiting for? Become a proud member of the WellBe family today to start making lasting changes, one habit at a time.

 

September 15, 2020 Think Well Comments Off on TIRED OF FEELING LOW? 4 LIFE CHANGING HABITS TO BEAT THAT AFTERNOON FATIGUE
A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE

PRACTICAL HACKS TO HOLISTIC HEALTHY LIVING: HOW TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE YOU LOVE

A little bit about me 

First off, Hello! My name is Jessica Thiels AKA The Lively Fitness Girl. 

I am a holistic health and fitness coach with a heart full of passion to help people create a beautifully balanced lifestyle that is sustainable and realistic. Since I was a little girl I always had a lot of energy. You would always see me jumping around and moving around. I never wanted to sit still and I would get bored super easily – sorry parents LOL! 

I found myself naturally leaning into sports, specifically running. I loved the challenge of it and I love how it made me feel – unstoppable, strong and free. As I got older, I got very good at running in High School and then I naturally started going to gym and discovering new ways to challenge myself. After studying a BCOM at University, I realized very quickly that I’m not cut out for the corporate environment so I went ahead and studied a Personal Training Certificate and Group Instructing Certificate at FitPro. I then decided I wanted to further my knowledge, so I got a health coaching certificate through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition which qualifies me to guide my clients to create a holistically healthier life – from exercise and nutrition to relationships, career, and spirituality. 

With a couple years of experience working as a Health and Fitness coach – I couldn’t be happier with the path I chose to help people create and live the lives they deserve. 

Let’s talk about you! 

Anyways, enough about me! Let’s talk about you. How are you doing right now? Are you constantly hopping on and off diet and exercise plans? Are you restarting every Monday after binging on the weekend because you were too restrictive during the week? Are you feeling like you can’t stick to anything and you can’t seem to find balance? 

Listen, I TOTALLY feel you. We’ve all been there. All of a sudden becoming too restrictive and too hectic can cause you to resent the whole process and journey of health and fitness. Yes, if you have goals you want to reach you do have to make certain sacrifices but if you are trying to create and maintain a sustainable healthy lifestyle, becoming overly restrictive will make you hate the process and turn back to your old habits.

The goal is NOT to feel like you need to consistently restrict yourself or start again every Monday. The goal is to create a lifestyle where you have balance. Where you feel good about yourself all of the time! Trust me, I know it’s easier said than done but what I do know is it is 100% possible. Starting small, celebrating yourself along the way and keeping it simple is a fab place to start!

HACKS TO HOLISTIC HEALTHY

The health hacks you’re after

Let’s dive into it! Here are a few tips to get you to start building a healthy balanced lifestyle for yourself:

1. Start small

Don’t go from zero to hero, it never works! Being super restrictive isn’t sustainable over a long period of time. Focus on creating small changes or small healthy habits that will become the building blocks to an overall balanced lifestyle.

2. Move your body

We all know that after getting some form of exercise you feel more positive and productive. Set a routine and ensure you move your body or exercise for at least 30 minutes every day – whether it be the morning, afternoon or evening. Also be sure to find something you enjoy and stick with that! Any form of exercise will do.

3. Work on your mental health

This is SO important. Often, we are focusing far too much on diet and exercise that we don’t even check up on our mental health. Just like you need to make healthy decisions everyday with regards to diet and exercise you need to do the exact same for your mental health. 

Take some time in the day and check up on yourself, make some time for meditation, journaling and breathing. If your mental health is not in check it will directly affect everything else in your life. Make this a priority!

4. Fill your fridge with yummy goodness

No, this doesn’t include just kale and broccoli. 

I’m talking about filling your fridge and pantry with a variety of fresh wholesome foods that will make you excited to eat your meal. Start learning some new healthy, tasty and quick recipes – there’s millions on Google. Being healthy doesn’t mean missing out on yummy food it means learning how to cook and create healthy yet tasty meals.

5. Have healthy snacks available always

Guys, full disclosure: I’m a snacker myself and if there’s no yummy fruit available or something to grab I will always feel like I need to have something sugary or salty to fill the hole. 

Have fruit, nuts, natural health bars/protein bars etc. available to you to avoid grabbing the wrong things.

6. Drink water

No but really drink water. Most of the time if we haven’t drank enough it causes us to snack unnecessarily.

7. Get some good shut eye

Guys, sleep is so important. I know it seems like a basic thing but often we stay up too late working, fiddling on our phones or watching too much TV instead of trying to wind down for good quality sleep. In order to do this, you need to make sure you have a good night-time routine! 1 hour before bed, start slowing things down and preparing for at least 8 hours of sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep it will affect how you function during the day and it will affect the choices you make during the day.

8. Treat yourself

What a lot of us try to do is cut out absolutely everything we like and then hope for the best. Becoming too restrictive like this can cause us to then have a huge binge day because you’ve restricted yourself far too much. You can still have the foods you love but in moderation. Try not to get into the habit of creating a ‘cheat day’ because this mostly leads to us over doing it and feeling super sick and angry with ourselves. Have a chocolate, have a pizza etc. but then continue with your normal meals and routine thereafter.

9. Listen to your body

What is your body asking for? Sometimes your body might need you to slow down a bit and this is when you need to listen. Not every day are you going to feel like an intense workout session. Maybe sometimes your body needs something more chilled like stretches or yoga. This is a huge part of creating a balanced lifestyle because not every day will feel the same. So, tailor your day to day to what your body needs. And no this doesn’t mean giving into laziness or giving into excuses. It means changing things up when your body genuinely needs some TLC.

The bottom line

If you are trying to feel good, then let’s start by saying hell no to quick fixes! Learn that nothing worth having comes easy – you need to put in the work and make the changes. After all, nothing changes if nothing changes, am I right? 😉 If you make consistent healthy decisions every day you will quickly start to form a new routine and new normal for yourself. This new normal is the balanced lifestyle that you deserve to live. Something that will be sustainable throughout your life.

Realize that there is no destination to health and fitness. It’s a journey and it’s your journey! Enjoy the ride.

Let’s keep in touch:
Instagram and Facebook: @thelivelyfitnessgirl

Website: www.livelyfitness.co.za

Email: jessica@livelyfitness.co.za

 

September 8, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on PRACTICAL HACKS TO HOLISTIC HEALTHY LIVING: HOW TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE YOU LOVE
FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS

FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 12

These fresh muffins are perfect for a picnic or on-the-go snack. The high-fibre content of the apple sauce and immune-boosting properties of oranges result in a healthy and wholesome treat!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients together.
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
  • Carefully spoon batter into muffin cups using two tablespoons.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let the muffins cool before removing them from the pans.
  • Transfer muffins into a freezer bag and keep in the freezer up to two months.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS RECIPE HERE

September 3, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS
Creamy One-Pot Pea Pasta with Mint

CREAMY ONE-POT PEA PASTA WITH MINT

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

This simple pasta is fresh and serves as the perfect dish for a Spring lunch! Peas contain high concentrations of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, E and K. They are great for digestion and are rich in phytonutrients!

Ingredients

  • 500 grams large shell pasta (or pasta of choice. Bowtie pasta also works well!)
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 500 grams package frozen baby peas (do not thaw)
  • 2 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Method

Cook your pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with some olive oil to prevent sticking, cook until just tender but still firm to bite. Do not overcook. Drain the cooked pasta and keep 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.

In the meantime, bring your cream to a simmer in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add peas and simmer just until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of Parmesan cheese (keeping the rest for serving) and stir until melted and the sauce thickens slightly, this should take roughly 1 minute. Stir in the mint and half of your parsley. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

 

Download Your Creamy One-Pot Pea Pasta with Mint Recipe Here

September 3, 2020 Lunch, Recipes Comments Off on CREAMY ONE-POT PEA PASTA WITH MINT
APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE

APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

This smoothie is a delicious and healthy way to cleanse your body with no refined or added sugar and no dairy. Packed with essential nutrients, beetroots are a great source of fiber, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. In our opinion, nothing ‘beets’ this healthy start to your day!

Ingredients

  • 1 beetroot (fresh and uncooked) with stem removed, washed, quartered
  • 1 apple cut into quarters
  • 1/4 cup carrots tops removed, washed, loosely chopped
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach rinsed, drained
  • 1 Tbsp ginger peeled
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes
  • Water as needed to change consistency: Add enough water to reach the surface of produce and ice

 Method

  • Blend and enjoy!
  • Serve immediately; or you can store in the freezer and thaw up to one hour before drinking.
  • For an extra sweet touch, add sweetener of choice.

 

DOWNLOAD YOUR APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE RECIPE HERE

September 3, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE
How to be Happier

HOW TO SNAP OUT OF AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS AND EMBRACE LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES

After a long and stress-filled year, most of us are looking for new ways to welcome some sunshine into our lives. While the thought of change can be a source of anxiety for many, in this week’s blog we’ll show you how to embrace times of uncertainty with confidence and meet unexpected changes in your life with a strong mindset and  positive outlook. 

What is an existential crisis?

Most people will experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress at some point in their lives, but when these emotions lead to greater feelings of despair and cause you to question your place in life or in relation to others around you, it can be a sign that you’re slipping into an existential crisis.

This feeling of unease about the purpose of your life is often related to losing your sense of safety and security when you face unexpected or extreme changes in your life. 

Embracing uncertainty 

At WellBe&Co, we know that being surrounded by external stressors and anxieties can make it difficult to redirect your thoughts and introduce positivity in your life. With all the stress and despair that we as a global society have faced this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to find ways to embrace some uncertainty in your life so you can better focus on your own healing, health and well-being.

After all, the start of spring signals a time of change. That’s exactly why, in this week’s blog, we want to give you the ultimate guide to spring cleaning your mind and refreshing your approach towards unexpected periods of change in your life.

Here are out top four tactics for overcoming existential anxiety: 

1. Rethink your approach 

What better way to start off the new spring season than to reassess your attitude towards life? Embark on a healing journey towards improving your mental well-being by finding the motivation to change your mindset and embrace some of life’s more challenging uncertainties.

The key is to watch the thoughts that you feed your body. You can’t control everything, but you can control your language and the words you use. Approaching situations with a negative mindset and labeling challenges as “difficult” and “impossible” – or even dismissing your day as a “nightmare” or “the worst day ever” – is not going to help your situation. 

Remember, the thoughts you express throughout your day will manifest into your life experience. That’s why the goal is to always acknowledge your feelings, but to work on controlling the way you react to them better.

Start by acknowledging that you have full control over the stories you tell yourself, and recognize that you are able to deal with these uncertainties with a renewed sense of optimism and confidence.

How to be Happy

2. Set clear goals

When you set clear goals for yourself, it helps to reduce your stress about an unfamiliar future and, when done correctly, it becomes the vehicle that will drive you forward to achieve your ambitions. Finding the right motivation to accomplish your goals will give you a greater sense of purpose and certainty when it comes to your future and reduce some of those existential anxieties. 

Goal setting also serves as a measurement of your progress, giving you the right fuel to continue your journey towards building your desired future. This growth mindset will make your fear of change seem a little more manageable as there will always be a clear end-goal that you can return no matter what uncertainties you encounter.  

3. Meet unexpected changes with confidence!

The key to embracing uncertainty with confidence is to accept that change is natural, and that we can’t fight it or resist the forces pushing us towards a new path. 

The one thing most of us are still yet to realize is that there is absolutely no progress to be made by worrying about this change. More than anything, meeting change with confidence is about assuring yourself that you can handle any difficulty that you may face.

In her book, The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, Julie K. Norem discusses the concept of defensive pessimism. The idea is that, instead of worrying about the future, you consider the worst case scenario and calmly plan how you’d handle these tricky situations. Instead of obsessing over uncertainties, you can manage your anxiety logically, knowing that you have the ability to adapt.

4. Embrace the idea of many possibilities

When experiencing an existential crisis, our minds often trick us into believing that fear and apprehension are the only natural responses to unfamiliar situations or unexpected changes in our lives. This prolonged negative state of mind can often cause us to think that a change in our expected path is a threat to our security or stability. 

When we deviate from our expected future or immediate life plan, we often see this as a personal failure – but that’s far from the truth. Being open to new and unfamiliar territory can actually open unexpected doorways and opportunities for growth that you may never have even dreamed of. 

The biggest mistake that most people make is letting feelings of uncertainty or unease overwhelm the potential to grow or learn something new. Embracing the idea of new possibilities that come with change will help you to become mentally bulletproof towards life changes or unexpected upheavals in the future. 

Self-care with WellBe&Co

This spring, self-care is on the agenda. That’s why our team at WellBe&Co want to help you take a break from your daily anxieties and take time to put your mental and physical health first.

We know that coping with the anxiety surrounding future uncertainties can be difficult, but this spring season we want to encourage all our loyal readers to be kind to themselves and take time out of their day for self-care. After all, changing your mindset and developing a new attitude towards life starts at home.

This spring we want to motivate you to get up and get moving with our better body blueprint training guide! Dedicating time towards physical exercise and self-improvement is an essential part of snapping out of your existential crisis, staying motivated to reach new fitness goals and creating a renewed sense of purpose in your life. 

We also know that it’s easy for all these external stresses to sap your emotional energy. That’s why we want to encourage our readers to take time out of their day to work on their mental healing and start their journey towards living a more mindful life. 

Check out our website every week for our informative blog posts about mental health, nutrition, physical well-being and staying motivated to maintain a more optimistic outlook towards life. 

September 2, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on HOW TO SNAP OUT OF AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS AND EMBRACE LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES