Happy Times…

As most of you know it was Valentines Day this weekend!

It’s also a pretty memorable time for me and Sally as it’s our anniversary…

7 years ago (14/2/2009) me and the beautiful Sally committed to a relationship. We did so after sharing a bottle of Sainsburys basic ‘Rose’ wine (Yes I know!… I was quite the charmer!).

7 years later, many hrs of happiness, joyful memories, cuddles, more haircuts than David Beckham, and plenty of bickers (I’m usually always right!) it’s safe to say this has been the best era of my life and it’s largely down to this stone cold stunner…

We’ve gone from being skint, and reckless university students, partying like there’s no tomorrow, to both becoming self employed, renting our first flat together (also the birth of LEP Fitness!), and just recently we just purchased our first home…

Although much has changed one thing remains the same and that’s our deep love and devotion to one another.

As the saying goes… ‘time fly’s when your having fun!’ – it certainly feels that way, it really only seems like yesterday that we were living the ‘grand life’ in our university digs (although fun! the digs were far from grand haha!).

If you read my blog last week – Precious Times With The Family  (about my relationship with my Grandmother) you’d pick up on the fact that I’m feeling extremely grateful at the moment. I certainly feel very blessed and i’m trying to appreciate my life as much as possible, by reflecting on all that is good and trying to live in the moment.

I think this influence largely stems from some of the books i’ve studied the past year (Meditations – Marcus Aurelius, Sophie’s World – Jostein Gaarder and Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through The Storm – Thich Nhat Hanh). A combination of these books have definitely shaped my new found perspective – opening my mind to a whole new world, which I rather enjoy.

I genuinely believe that it’s so important to appreciate life, especially the life you have right now in this current moment. It’s important to appreciate  the blessings we take for granted everyday whatever they may be to you: being able to move, walk, talk, read, write, hear, think, sleep, breathe, swim, eat, friends, family, to be able to wrap up warm, a supply of water, a bed, computer, phone, TV, shower, books, the list is never ending!

But how many of us stop and appreciate all the wonders we have in our life everyday? We’re all guilty of this at times, including me.

One thing i’ve started to do each morning is set the tone for each day (a form of meditation). I’m thankful for what I have, and I go through all that I appreciate whilst washing in the shower every morning. The process lasts anywhere between 1-5 minutes and I feel invigorated once done.

I also reflect at the end of each day: what’s been good about today? what have I learned? what could I have done differently? I’ve also started to keep a journal where I write down my thoughts and feelings on paper – it’s very therapeutic.

I think in a day and age of distraction: phone apps, TV, and information overload it’s very easy to lose the concept of what’s most important. Keeping up with the ‘Joneses’ and leading a life guided by the influence of others – the unwritten rules of society (we have to look a certain way to fit in, be skinny, be beautiful and all the other BS!).

I believe that happiness is in our lives all the time, we just need to remind ourselves of all that is good. This has to be a conscious effort to start with, before it becomes a daily habit. So on that note I leave you with a challenge…

For the next 3 weeks (21 days!) I want you to:

1) Reflect each morning (bath, shower or commute to work) – think about all that’s good in your life right now

2) Reflect at the end of each day – what’s been good about today? what have I learned? what could I have done differently?

3) Write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal – I love to write mine down in a beautifully crafted Moleskin Diary 

Make it happen and let me know how you get on…

Nick

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For more of Nick’s blog’s please visit https://www.lepfitness.co.uk/blog/

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