Due to yet another health problem, my GP has given me the 'gift' of compulsory rest, so I'm writing this article from the comfort of my sofa, complete with fluffy throw and the cats for company. This has also meant that I've had to give up working on a project which I am very passionate about and that is proving to be very difficult for me to come to terms with. Once again, I find myself in the position of needing to adjust to the next set of life's challenges. It isn't easy, it's frustrating and frightening and a whole host of other emotions. Even for me, a 'glass half full' kind of person, it's difficult to stay upbeat and positive.
However, looking on the bright side... this period of rest has given me the opportunity to take stock of where I am, to look closely at my personal set of values, and to make sure that the work I'm doing sits in line with them. I know that what I've offered in the past has made a real and lasting difference to the lives of my clients, and now I feel a very strong urge to focus much more on clients who what to, and are ready to, 'move towards health, wealth and happiness'.
And it all comes down to the questions "what does having 'enough' mean to me" and "how can I move towards improving my life". So what does 'having enough' mean to me? Well here are a few quick thoughts (there are many more, but I have to keep this brief!):
Health: I don't mean the physical things - and goodness knows there are enough of them - but the real feeling of wellbeing which come from acceptance. To be able to accept the things which we can't change and to change the things which we can. Being an outdoors kind of person, it's being able to go out into the sunshine for a walk, accepting that I will probably have to crash on the sofa for the rest of the day, the housework will get left (again), and tea will have to be something quick and easy like baked beans on toast. It means being able to eat the food I want to enjoy eating, without getting a flare up of symptoms. Sometimes it will mean deciding to say to myself "to heck with a flare up" when I really want to eat a curry I will. I'll enjoy it at the time, and I'll also be prepared to pay the consequences - because it was worth it - especially if it's a take out, eaten in the company of family and good friends.
Wealth: By this I don't mean splashing out on the latest designer clothes, a big house, or a flashy car, but to have just 'enough'. In this I include being able to budget for fuel bills even if it means I don't get any treats that month, because I'd rather be warm and cosy, than having that fabulous new lippy, which can always wait until next month. It means making the most of what I already have without necessarily wanting bigger and better, so I make do and mend. It also means being grateful for other riches in my life, my husband, my children and my safe little home - these are my greatest treasures.
Happiness: For me this comes from knowing that all is right in my world and being very thankful. It's the feeling I get when I wake up looking forward to the day ahead, and I admit it helps if the sun is shining. It's all about celebrating the fact that I am perfectly fine exactly as I am - I don't need to be thinner, richer, or healthier. It's about the satisfaction I get from paying close attention to the little things which make the biggest difference in my day, like the first sip of a freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning, a chat on the phone with a very dear friend, a quick cuddle with my man, or the wonderful feeling of a nice warm, relaxing shower to soothe my aches and pains. True happiness is the warm feeling of contentment which spreads from the inside out, like soft caramel toffee.
Maybe we are sometimes so focussed on the negative things going on in our lives that we don't find room for the good things which are right in front of our noses. This month, why not make a list of all the good things you have right in front of YOUR nose.
I'd really love to hear what Health, Wealth and Happiness means to you!
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