A-Z Restorative Tool Kit
Anchor
Anchor: Take a moment each day to appreciate the little things in your immediate life. This can help to soften your current life challenges by providing a backdrop of the positive things also present.
Drink Water
Hydration plays a fundamental role in maintaining our overall health. Did you know that water is essential for every bodily process; boosting energy, cognitive function and supporting lubrication within our joints?
Give Something Away
There is nothing like the feeling of giving something that you no longer need or use to someone who will value it. Also consider how great it feels to donate to charity, clear the clutter and make space in your closets, kitchen and life!
Join a Group
Do you enjoy crafting, singing, taking a hike? Connecting with a group of like-minded individuals provides social engagement opportunities that we humans really need. Group activities provide creative, playful and inspiring highlights to our week.
Read
Mindful Moments
Take in the seasons, walk in wonder, sit in your garden, breathe fresh air, sunlight and the space around you.
Spending 5 minutes several times a day checking in with your thoughts, emotions, posture and breath allows you to “get to know” yourself. Mindfulness takes on a curiosity and interest toward your internal space. Mindfulness fosters self-compassion and care.
Professional Advice
Do you need help with a family situation, your physical/mental/emotional health? Are you looking to create a more supportive framework within your life? Getting in touch with a support group and professional organisations provides necessary scaffolding, useful tools, information and guidance through complex experiences.
Stretch slowly
Aside from supporting joint health, increasing blood flow to muscles and increasing flexibility, stretching also benefits the resting branch of your nervous system. Stretch to digest, breathe, and settle into your day in an easy way.
Validate
The things that you really enjoy about yourself. In a world that expects us to be more, return to the simple things that are often unseen in the outside world but alive and well on the inside.
Yoga
Breathe
The first thing we come into the world with; breath truly is your companion and ally. Take time to get to know your breath and the messages it provides you with. Tapping into a gentle breath work practice can help to self-regulate your nervous system, lower anxiety, elevate mood, energise your body or simply bring you back to the present moment.
Ease
Take some time to consider what brings comfort and ease into your life. Is it a place in nature, a warm and open conversation with a friend, a hearty bout of laughter, Sunday morning resting, the unconditional love of a furry friend. Memory recall of these moments of ease can immediately provide a felt sense of calm, warmth and safety to bring into your day.
Hugs
The warmth of touch has a powerful effect on our oxytocin (feel good hormones) levels. Reach out to someone who cares, a friend, a beloved pet or even a soft fluffy pillow and melt into a hug.
Kind to Yourself
When we are kind to self and others, it releases neuro- chemicals which increase our sense of trust and makes us feel warm and engaged. Follow the kindness trail toward communities and groups who care.
No Thanks
Put your phone down and take a mini break. Invite in time to rest, cuddle your dog, recline on a sofa, sip tea and notice how good it feels just to be.
Pick up that book or find an audio version so you can listen while you drive. Reading can also stimulate the release of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. Take it one step further and read in the sunshine to further enhance the release of serotonin.
Therapeutic support
Take a moment to delete all those unwanted emails. We are bombarded by hundreds of marketing messages every day, so maybe it’s time to simplify and delete the unwanted distractions and spend more time on what matters?
Write Down Thoughts
There is nothing better than scheduling in time for a therapy that provides you with physical, mental, emotional and spiritual support. Hone in on what is most important to you right now and find something that is sustainable to your life and budget. Making the decision to reach out for care can radically shift your mindset around supporting your own wellbeing.
Zzz
Journaling can give you the space to clear your mental clutter and make sense of your day. Write down your worries, concerns and achievements and joys. It is also a great way to wind down for sleep as it will most likely decrease those middle of the night problem solving hours!
Cleanse
Use your shower time as a way to clear away the energy from your day or use some cleansing breaths; a sigh on the out breath, a drop of the shoulders and a loosening of the jaw. Let gravity take it and allow the body space to release and relax.
Food
Have a go at incorporating our 10 food tips for wellbeing. Shifting sustainable food habits to support your mental health and general wellbeing can take time and it’s important to step back from an all or nothing approach.
Insta Edit
Are you noticing the vacuum of time taken up by scrolling through your socials? Are you left feeling tired, anxious or unhappy? Bringing focus to posts & feeds that inspire, bring joy or a sense of connection to the things you love can make a big difference to how you feel. Find the socials that feed your sense of wellbeing.
Lo Fi Playlist
Lo-fi music can reduce stress and your enhance focus as it stimulates alpha brainwaves. Browse through Spotify and you-tube to find your calm, creative space.
Outside Time
When we habitually say yes to everything we can end up saying no to ourselves! Take a moment to consider how much you are currently juggling and how realistic it is for you to do that “one more thing”. No can provide a necessary pause in your busy day.
Quiet Time
The benefits of Yoga are well documented and evidence based as a way to lower your stress levels, stretch and strengthen your body, slow the mind chatter and deepen your sense of connection to energy and life force. Restorative practices target the Autonomic Nervous System and the effects of Chronic and Acute stress.
Xo
The simplicity of a loving word, thought or gesture to someone close or even yourself can reset your day. You have enough, you are enough, you do enough, and you are worthy of love.
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Sleep has an enormous impact on our ability to bounce back from stress, regulate our emotions and restore our nervous systems