Category: Health

Why do people post about their running on social media ?

Here is a free gift – 3 minutes of your time – We simply don’t know the answer to the question of ‘why people post sporting activity on Facebook’.  So now you can stop reading and carry on with your day.

I suspect however, that you are interested, so do carry on.

How do you feel when you read posts on social media?

So, its first thing in the morning, and you read on Facebook that someone has just been out for a run. How do you feel? What do you think? What thoughts do you harbour towards them?

This parody may seem humorous, yet would it be an acceptable approach if someone morbidly overweight was trying to lose weight and stay on track by posting updates on FB? How about someone recovering from a physical or mental illness and posting updates to not only keep their social group involved, but also, to be accountable?

What’s it like trying to start? It’s no joke

At a funeral of a friend (aged 43) recently, someone came up to me who I hadn’t seen for about 10 years, and said ‘my wife showed me a post on Facebook years ago when you said you were going for a run – we thought it was a huge joke’. 6 years later, 6 inches less around the waistline and almost 50 pounds lighter, he could see that there was no joking – but rather a huge change, mocking had turned to admiration and praise for me.

What about these constant updates?

For me, from going from a sedentary couch potato, to someone who exercises at 4:30am is an ongoing journey, not a flick of a switch, no set goals or targets, just a sustained change of behaviour.  Yes, I could have switched the Facebook and Twitter updates off, but we have a saying in Life Planning – ‘to be a life planner, you need to live your own life plan.’

Walk the walk and talk the talk

How hypocritical would I be if I was coaching and working with my clients to improve their health if I led an unhealthy lifestyle? How much credibility would I lose if, when working with people to create more time, space and help prioritise their days, my day was lazy, lethargic, and detrimental to progress?

If you saw a dentist with bad teeth, what would you think? It is the same in all walks of life.  Doctors who smoke! – surely that is one of the biggest levels of hypocrisy there is!

We are not health freaks at Serenity, but we do all take care of ourselves (and support each other), with a firm view on moving forward in our own life-plans.

Is social media about bragging rights or looking for support?

People post their activity on Facebook etc. for reasons best known to them – the truth is, you really do not know why they do it (you may think you know, but actually, you don’t truly know all about their journey to this point in life). For some, it may be for irritation, bragging and boasting (which may originate from insecurity – so go easy on them), however, for many it is for reassurance, support, energy, the will to keep going, accountability.  For others, it may be to offer a glimpse of inspiration to give others the belief that they too can make a huge change in their lives.

A runner never laughs at a fat or slow runner, you do not know how far they have come, or how far they have to go – but they are out there, working at it, one step at a time.

Don’t shift your own guilt by mocking others. The reality probably is, that you are simply angry and frustrated with yourself.

Together we can bring some Serenity to your life

How bad is commuting for your mental health?

Many of us acknowledge that the journey to work is a real drag, that arduous commute, changing from 1st gear to 2nd, or jammed into a stuffy bus or tube train.  That is no way to make you feel uplifted and positive about the day to come – far from it!

How has commuting changed?

According to research by the University of West of England (analysing 26,000 people over 5 years), not only has the commute time increased by 25%, but 1 in 7 spend more than 2 hours commuting every day – that is 10 hours a week!

What is the impact of commuting on your mental health

An increase in stress and worsening of mental health for workers (not to mention the impact that then has on their families).  There are of course only 24 hours in each day – so choosing how to spend them is a very important task indeed. Continue reading “How bad is commuting for your mental health?” →

How easy is it to save money?

Is saving money just like losing weight?

Well there is a question – and in short, yes – the principle is the same, and here is why…

How do most people go about losing weight?

Generally, people start by getting good idea of how heavy they are, figuring out where they want to get to, and start to monitor their progress. The progress is made by changes to behaviour, an approach of what is consumed, and how much energy is spent.

Is saving and weight loss just about will-power?

A disciplined approach to weight-loss is something many of us recognise, and in a way, is no different to how perhaps you should approach a disciplined structure to money management.

Discipline and structure is how to save

By figuring out how much money is needed to be saved, how the budget needs to be trimmed, or a particular financial focus is needed, you have the equivalent of a weight-loss goal.

Awareness of consumption is important

Follow this up with a mindful and intentional structure and monitoring of expenditure, the spending behaviour may well change (just like by eating apples instead of cakes for example). Less money is consumed (like less food), and perhaps less is spent (or at least spent in a more intentional manner).

Do I need a support group or mentor?

A sustained, monitored and coached approach is of huge benefit for many people with regards their finances in order to avoid the monetary equivalent of yo-yo dieting, yet it doesn’t seem to be widespread.  People happily spend over £4 a day on take away coffee, and another £6 on lunch, yet many would baulk at the idea of paying to be coached around their money.

Do people pay for financial coaching?

A good number of our Serenity clients around the UK, although they have accumulated wealth, may have done so by accident (through an inheritance perhaps, or even having it retained within their business), yet still need significant ongoing support and coaching to retain their understanding and reality of money. This is the value our clients find in our relationship with them – and that is what it is, a relationship with our clients, not their money.

Do I need investments to have financial coaching?

In fact, more and more people are now paying for financial planning, coaching and support and not even having investments in place.  Instead, they see the real value in changing their habits and being supported on a regular basis to keep them moving towards their goals.

That is what matters most – people arriving at their goals, and sustaining them.

Together we can bring some Serenity to your life

 

 

What is a financial life plan ?

Here is a questions often asked – what is a financial life plan, and why would I need that as opposed to a financial plan?  

More and more consumers are understanding that there is a difference between the old way of financial advice (selling as many products as possible) and financial planning (where recommendations are able to demonstrate that they are relevant and appropriate for the long term).

So where is Financial Life Planning different? Continue reading “What is a financial life plan ?” →

Is the financial advice experience negative or positive?

A question I have been mulling over – ‘is financial advice negative or positive’ – or is it aimed to create negative feelings, then solve them with overly positive predictions or scenarios, or actually, should it be to create positive feelings, then stay sensibly grounded, aware of what could happen (negative scenarios)? Continue reading “Is the financial advice experience negative or positive?” →

Belief, focus, time management, health and ignorance – that’s all it takes…

You probably have great intentions to move forward with one thing or another, yet doubt creeps in, you get distracted, run out of time, don’t feel up to it, or spend so long gathering information, that the time has passed.

There are 5 key non-negotiable disciplines of high achievers.   Continue reading “Belief, focus, time management, health and ignorance – that’s all it takes…” →

Are you a traveller or a tourist through life?

 

Very soon, your thoughts may well start to turn towards their holidays. Are you though a traveller or a tourist?

Travellers tend to enjoy everything, embrace the moment, experience, wonder, not over prepare or over complicate, and focus on enjoying the here and now.

Tourists however, tend to want to tick things off their lists, have to be over prepared, everything planned to perfection, collecting photos for Facebragging and deeply concerned with telling everyone else what a great time they are having – sometimes, to the detriment of their own real enjoyment. Continue reading “Are you a traveller or a tourist through life?” →

Leave the smoke and run to the sun

Are you one of those people who commutes around 90 minutes a day to get to work and again the same in evening as the return journey?

If you are – this true story of someone I was working with will resonate with you… Continue reading “Leave the smoke and run to the sun” →