Review of Lifestyle Changes

I'm not reviewing my lifestyle goals in this post as I have looked at the ratings from last month and there is no change to report. In that post I also mentioned that I would be working towards achieving a good balance in the 'Four Bodies' - spiritual, physical, emotional and mental. This isn't something I intend to apply ratings to each month, partly because I'm in the early stages of achieving that balance but mostly because life is still upside down as a result of the numerous lockdowns. 

I read about the the seven types of rest every person needs with a list of suggestions of how those forms of rest can look in your life. This appeared in my Instagram feed, shared by numerous people, but the original poster and therefore the credit goes to Anahata Therapy. I don't know anything about this organisation but the list they posted is of interest to me.

I'm posting their list as I think some of you may find it interesting, but also because I'll be able to find it when I want to refer to it again! This is a list of suggestions and not a list of things that must be part of your life, but I do think the list links nicely with the 'four bodies' approach. I was pleased to see that I already incorporate a lot of their suggestions in my daily life so have a better balance than I'd credit myself with.  The suggestions in italics are ones that I don't want to consider at this stage and maybe never. All the other suggestions already feature in my daily life, some regularly, some occasionally, and the ones marked in blue are the ones I feel can be improved either in terms of quality or in terms of frequency, so are where my initial focus will be. I haven't set a timescale or specific goals for any of this as it's just something that will be bubbling away in the background. I hope you find it useful, or at least interesting, too!

The Seven Types of Rest You Need and how they look in your life 

Physical Rest can look like

• adequate sleep
• naps when needed
• breathwork
• stretching
• yoga
• massage therapy

Mental Rest can look like

• scheduling breaks
• spending time in nature
• turning off devices for a while
• listening to calming music
• engaging in grounding activity
• repeating encouraging mantras

Social Rest can look like

• spending more time with those who nourish and inspire you
• taking a break from socialising
• spending less time with those who may deplete you
• spending time alone if it feels safe

Creative Rest can look like

• nature walks
• reading something inspiring
• watching something inspiring/uplifting
• listening to something inspiring
• surrounding yourself with inspiration
• letting go of the pressure to create 

Sensory Rest can look like

• limiting time on electronic devices
• taking some time off social media
• turning down bright lights or loud sounds
• shutting your eyes for a few minutes to re-charge
• incorporating moments of silence within your day
• aromatherapy

Spiritual Rest can look like

• meditating and praying
• associating with like minded people
• volunteering your time to serve others
• listening to spiritual talks
• reading spiritual texts
• spending time in spiritual environments

Emotional Rest can look like

• setting boundaries
• journaling
• having a heart-to-heart with someone you trust
• surrounding yourself with people you can be yourself around
• freely expressing yourself
• seeking therapy