We’ve had a MUCH better week so far…tantrums still hit occasionally but my boy is back to his normal sunny self most of the time. I’m going to put the constant tantrums of last week down to James feeling a bit under the weather/ teething/ going through a leap…and hope we’re through the worst (ever optimistic!).

Dealing with a toddler has been a steep learning curve. But the one thing I’ve realised is that James (like all children) responds really well to praise and encouragement. He’s trying to be as independent as possible at the moment. And getting frustrated has been the trigger for most of his tantrums. He doesn’t want my help but he does need my encouragement. If I give him some praise and encourage him to keep trying, he will. And every time he’s successful, I can see how proud he is of himself and that in turn gives him the confidence to try something new.

Of course this isn’t just true for toddlers but all of us.

Praise and encouragement IS the way forwards

It doesn’t matter how old we are, praise and encouragement will ALWAYS work better than negativity. It’s just as adults, we often forget this. Especially when it comes to our internal voice. You might be good at giving others encouragement, but how good are you are giving it to yourself?

If you’re guilty of telling yourself that you’re ‘rubbish’ at something, that ‘thing’ will seem harder and harder and become a block in your mind.

Don’t let your mind hold you back

I’ve recently started doing more yoga. I’ve tried it in the past and never got very far because I’m not naturally flexible. I would hide at the back of the class, embarrassed by my inability to touch my toes. As a result, I never really enjoyed it and often gave up quickly.

This time, with everything that’s been going on recently, I knew that yoga would be beneficial. I decided to let go of fear and embarrassment and be much kinder to myself. I’ll never be the ‘best’ in the class but actually I’ve realised that yoga isn’t about being competitive. No one else cares what I can or can’t do – they’re focusing on their own practice (which is also true about life in general).

By letting go of negativity, I’ve begun to enjoy the gentle flow of the session. Now I’m not overthinking every single position (or clock watching), my mind is quiet and I can let go of stress. And, of course, now I’m approaching the sessions with a completely different frame of mind, I am actually improving. You never know, in 6 months or so, I may even be able to touch my toes!

Treat yourself with kindness – be your own best friend

Have a think about how you talk to yourself. Don’t let negative thinking stop you from taking action. Instead treat yourself with the kindness you would show others. Encourage yourself and feel proud when you take a step in the right direction.

Take action right now by ‘liking’ my Facebook page. It’s where I post lots of tips and advice to keep you going and feeling positive. Click here to pop over there now. 

I’ve decided not to run another Back to Basics or Kickstart until Jan 2021…the rest of the year is going to be for me to take stock, reflect and get organised. Once we get nearer the end of the year, I’ll post more about programmes coming up but for now, enjoy my blog posts, exercise challenges and recipes. There will also be a ‘special’ advent challenge in December – completely free and designed to get you feeling good throughout the festive session. All very exciting! Stay tuned 🙂