Monday 13th January 2020 - Find that spark to lift yourself

Posted 2:00pm

2020 has been a real turning point for my own mental health.  I do not even know why.  I guess there is a natural excitement over a new year; in fact a new decade. That feeling of leaving some issues behind in the previous year, and the possibilities that can emerge from the new.

For HMHB we have a very exciting few months ahead, with opportunities opening up that we need to grab with both hands and prove our worth. A lot of people are showing faith in us - even some with small grants - and that is a massive responsibility. We cannot take things for granted, and need to work even harder.

But just knowing people have faith is a natural lift. It breeds motivation and encouragement. And, the biggest words, confidence, hope and self-belief.

I think we all need that. Confidence is such a crucial factor. Hope for the future too. We all have dreams and goals, but sometimes they can feel so far away we wonder why we are bothering to try and make them happen. Our goals feel within touching distance.

At the start of our courses we ask people what they would like to be feeling in six month's time. We stress this is an emotional question and not about physical products such as cash. We tell people that everyone, in our opinion, should want to feel happier, healthier, fitter, stronger, and when they wake up they are actually looking forward to the day ahead. This must be how we should all be thinking?  Then we ask them what they are prepared to do to get to that point in six months time. That normally involves some kind of sacrifice. Giving up something - possibly smoking, drinking, some bad nutrition habits, even people in our lives.  People do accept that to be the case, but are they really prepared to do it?

I was chatting to one of our users today who said her brother had recently found out he had a tumour on his lung (almost certainly caused by smoking). She said he was told to stop or he would die fairly quickly. However he told her he could not stop but would cut down. Actually, he could stop, but part of him clearly does not want to. And it will kill him.

This has been quite a personal entry. That's because I have rediscovered a spark for life again. I am losing weight nicely - 1 Jan to 13 Jan 3kgs down. That itself breeds confidence and a desire to push on. I am eating better, sleeping better, and it shows in my outlook.  We all can do it. We all have that ability. It just boils down to how hard are we prepared to work to try and achieve our goals. There is no guarantee that all will work out the way we want. But unless we are determined to make 100% effort there is little chance of that lucky break happening.

Push yourself. Decide on healthier changes, and make that plunge. You owe it to yourself, and your body, to be better every day.  Yay!!!