PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EVERYONE - EVERYWHERE ISSUE 45 | September/October 2016
Mo Farah
Britain’s Greatest Athlete
Deepak Chopra
On Radical Beauty
Happy Cities
Make Your Hometown Smile
Creative Thinking
Unleash Your Inner Artist
The Power of When
With Dr Breus
MICHAEL PHELPS POOL
OF
GOLD
!
wETTER ne & B
ER GG BI
The Best You
£24.99
FOR A 1 YEAR Bi-Monthly SUBSCRIPTION OR £4.99 PER ISSUE
EDITOR'S LETTER | BERNARDO MOYA
Welcome to The Best You
Editor’s Letter
Bernardo Moya Editor-in-chief
Twitter: @Bernardo_Moya facebook: facebook.com/ bernard.moya64
The Right Reasons
IFort'sme,beenIt alloverstarted 12 years since I decided I wanted to do something different, something that would help and inspire others. with my NLP training, and next year I will have been in ‘the business’ of personal and professional growth for a decade.
I’m lucky enough to come across many inspiring and great professionals, but if there is any advice I would offer to anyone interested in making a living or succeeding in this industry it is to make sure you do it for the right reasons. Do everything in life for the right reasons and the rest will follow.. Here at The Best You we continue to evolve and grow. We are constantly pushing boundaries and we do everything with a big heart and, ultimately, with the intent of serving. We start our new programme called Turning Pro in October this year, and in 2017 we are moving forward The Best You TV, our E-Learning platform and The Best You Radio. You’ll notice this issue has a great, fresh feel thanks our new Deputy Editor Emma Ledger and new Designer Ian Watts. To service you better The Best You is now bi-monthly and will be distributed across London - so keep your eyes peeled for it. I personally love the content in this issue, and I hope you do too. We’d love to hear your feedback so do get in touch at editorial@thebestyou.co
www.thebestyou.co
03
Contents THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | CONTENTS
MICHAEL PHELPS
MO FARAH
18 HAPPY CITY PROJECT
22
INNER YOU
26 09 10 15 18 22 26
INNER YOU
AND BREATH ENJOY LIFE MICHAEL PHELPS MO FARAH HAPPY CITY PROJECT
28 32 35 36 38 42
BOOK CLUB 10 BEST WAYS TO A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP LIVE LOVE LEGACY CREATIVE THINKING THE POWER OF WHEN AVOIDING SELF SABOTAGE
09 45 48 50 52 56 63
FEEL & LOOK GOOD THE POWER OF YOGA
MINDFUL MEDITATION ROOMS WITH A VIEW 21ST CENTURY VLOGGERS THE LAST WORD
The Best You
10 BEST WAYS TO A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP
Magazine
Be Inspired
EDITOR/PUBLISHER
Bernardo Moya info@thebestyou.co DEPUTY EDITOR
Emma Ledger editorial@thebestyou.co GRAPHIC & DIGITAL DESIGN
Ian Watts design@thebestyou.co THE BEST YOU EXPO, PARTNERSHIPS & ADVERTISING
32 BOOK CLUB
THE POWER OF YOGA
Louise Dockery louise.dockery@thebestyou.co Luciano Moya luciano.moya@thebestyou.co THE BEST YOU ADVISORS
Steve Kelly steve.kelly@thebestyou.co Julian Daley julian.daley@thebestyou.co Katie Wright katie.wright@thebestyou.co OFFICE MANAGER
Francesca Guidali francesca.guidali@thebestyou.co
48 28
The Best You Magazine is published by
The Best You Corporation Ltd, 5 Percy Street, W1T 1DG TEL : +44 (0)207 927 6502
ROOMS WITH A VIEW
EMAIL : info@thebestyou.co Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect The Best You Corporation Ltd, policy. The Best You Coporation Ltd accepts no responsibility by views expressed by its contributors.
THE POWER OF WHEN
38
52
Advertisements and reader offers are not endorsed by The Best You or The Best You Corporation Ltd.
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | CONTRIBUTORS
EMMA LEDGER
is deputy editor of The Best You. This issue she chats to Mike Zeidler about how cities can make us happier, explores the best ways to a good night’s sleep, and finds the UK’s best ‘rooms with a view’ which offer a slice of tranquility away from the rush of daily life. @TheBestYou
LUCY LYUS
is a Yoga Alliancecertified teacher who teaches invigorating vinyasa flow classes and believes that there is no such thing as a perfect body, and there is no such thing as a perfect yoga posture. Just feeling alive in your body is enough. @lucylyusyoga
DEEPAK CHOPRA
ANNA BLACK
DR MICHAEL BREUS
VICKI PSARIAS
is the world famous Indian American author, public speaker, alternative medicine advocate, and expert in the field of mind body healing. His latest book sees him explore how we can transform ourselves from the inside out. @DeepakChopra
is a clinical psychologist who specialises in sleep disorders. In this issue Dr Breus –AKA The Sleep Doctor - explains how tweaking your schedule based on your own natural bodyclock, enables you to achieve more and live a fuller life. @TheSleepDoctor
has been teaching mindfulness since 2006, and has worked with organisations including the Department of Education and the NHS. She also has over twenty years’experience in publishing, and explains howto stay mindful while managing a busy workload. @AnnaBlack
AKA Honest Mum, Vicki founded her lifestyle magazine and mummy blog to share an honest and funny take on parenting. Her energy-filled posts cover everything from family food, life, style, business, travel, and beauty. @HonestMummy
REBECCA DENNIS
MATT WINGETT
MIKE ZEIDLER
LOU HAMILTON
became a qualified Breath Coach after studying Transformational Breath with Judith Kravitz, the founder of the selfhealing technique. She now runs workshops across the UK, and in this issues offer and introduction to one of the most powerful breath works on the planet. @RebeccaDennis
left his is job working at the Bristol Chamber of Commerce to dedicate himself to the Happy City project which he founded with wife Liz. They train individuals, schools, communities, the public sector and businesses in the principles of developing wellbeing. @HappyCityuk
is a Portsmouth-based author who is also an NLP master. He uses skills learned from hypnotist Paul McKenna and NLP co-creator Richard Bandler in his work. For The Best You, he writes about the life and career of Olympians Michael Phelps and Mo Farah in this issue. @MattWingett
is an award-winning filmmaker, artist, author, life coach and mumof two grown up children. Lou focuses on coaching women around the world to fear less and be more, and uses creativity to help them achieve just that. . @CreateLab
www.thebestyou.co
07
Treatments
Be Inspired
INNER YOU ‘MINDFUL MATTERS’ Learn to breathe in a conscious, connected way thanks to Breath Coach Rebecca Dennis.͛ Anna Black teaches you how to be mindful even when experiencing the stresses of work.
PUT YOUR COMPANY IN THIS SPACE! TO SPONSOR THIS PAGE AND BE PART OF THE BEST YOU, EMAIL US AT ADVERTISING@THEBESTYOU.CO
www.thebestyou.co
09
EVERY BREATH YOU INNER YOU
TAKE
How aware are you of breathing? Rebecca Dennis explains why the answer to that question should be ‘very’
PROFILE: Rebecca Dennis became a qualified Breath Coach and workshop leader after studying Transformational Breath with Judith Kravitz, the founder of the technique. This self-healing practice is one of the most powerful cutting edge breath works on the planet.
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE
The most important thing in life is to breathe – after all, we live to breathe and we breathe to live. We cannot exist without it. The first thing wedo when we make our entrance into the world is breathe, and it is the last thing we do when we exit. A little statistic for you: we inhale and exhale around 20,000 times a day, yet most of us pay little attention to how we breathe or how deeply it affects us. So, why should we notice how we breathe? It’s a sad fact that in our increasingly demanding and complex world very few people are aware of the detrimental effects that improper breathing can have on our health and general well-being.
INNER YOU
We teach our young to walk, communicate, bathe, eat and socialise, yet educating them about the healing power of their breath is not a priority. I want to encourage people to be aware of their breath and share the multitude of wonderful benefits that emerge from breathing consciously. How we breathe is indicative of how we feel about life. As we are all unique we all have our own unique breathing pattern, a bit like our thumb print. Our breath pattern shows our story and the way we perceive the world around us. Some of us are chest breathers whilst others are belly breathers. When you see a baby breathing you will notice that they are breathing in their belly, midsection and chest. I discovered the technique of Transformational Breath eight years ago, and there’s no doubt in my mind that it has helped me to overcome the depression I’d lived with for nearly 20 years. It is not about learning new tricks but getting the body to remember to breathe inparticular ways. This technique helps us to let goof unhealthy patterns and allow the breath to flow in the way we can in life. Breath is our anchor and although we cannot always control what is happening around us it can help us to feel balanced, centred and calm. When we open our breath and use our respiratory system to its full capacity we can let go of any emotional past drama or trauma we are holding onto in our body. This helps our general wellbeing on a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level. Today, I see clients for one-on-one sessions at Indaba Yoga in Marylebone and also in Kent. People come tome with many various issues including stress, anxiety, panic attacks, addiction, abuse, de-pression, ME, respiratory problems, trauma, sleeping patterns, focus, lack of energy, physical problems and low self esteem. I recommend between three and five sessions to fully feel the benefits and understand the technique. I also run workshops and retreats, and co-founded www.inspirationspace.co.uk, a health and wellness collaboration of conscious breath work experiences with combined therapies.
ARE YOU A BELLY BREATHER OR A CHEST BREATHER? - You can do this sitting up straight or lying down. - If you’re sitting up, keep your spine straight. - Relax your shoulders, try not to hunch them. - Close your eyes. - Take a deep inhale through the nose and let go of the exhale through the nose. - Repeat this two or three times, breathing in and breathing out. - Now place one hand on your belly and the other handon your chest. - Breathe in through the nose andout through the nose. - Notice where you can feel the breath more. - Can you feel it more in your chest or can you feel it more in your belly?
CONSCIOUS CONNECTED BREATH EXERCISE Transformational Breath is a cutting edge breath technique. Here’s a simple exercise you can practice on your own. 1.Prop yourself upon the bed at a semi-reclined angle with cushions or pillows behind you so your chest is higher than your legs. Make sure you are warm and comfortable, and that your head and neck are supported. 2.Place your hands on your lower abdomen - a few inches below the navel. Relax the jaw and open the mouth wide and take a deep inhalation, belly should rise like a balloon, and exhale with a quick sigh. 3.Stay present with the inhale and the exhale. Inhalation should be about twice as long as the ex-halation. Exhalation should be quiet and relaxed like a soft sigh. 4.Keep the breath connected sono pauses between breaths and coming in and out like a wave motion. 5.Repeat upto 1-2 minutes and notice any physical sensations in the body. Rest for one minute as you return to a normal breathing pattern – breathing through the nose.
Copyright Rebecca Dennis @ Breathing Tree For more info visit www.breathingtree.co.uk
www.thebestyou.co
11
MINDFUL MATTERS Mindfulness practitioner Anna Black explains how living in the moment at work (yes , really) can help us perform at our best.
Stress at work is a leading cause of absenteeism and can have long-term health consequences. Regularly practicing mindfulness meditation can help, both physiologically and psychologically, because it helps us to become used to noticing what we are feeling in the head, heart, and body.
Whatever you do and wherever you do it, the bottom line is that the workplace is where all of us spend the majority of time as adults and, regardless of whether we enjoy it or not, we work to earn a living and contribute to society.
This awareness can cultivate a pause that is long enough for us to stop and stand back, thereby turning an automatic reaction into a considered response, which can have a valuable practical application. Take this example, from Alex: DzI was exchanging emails with a client who, I thought, was being needlessly obstructive about something I’d been hoping to finalise that day. As I typed a reply to him I was aware of how annoyed I was - I could feel it in the way I hammered the keyboard! Noticing this was enough to make me pause.
Work gives us an identity and often a particular status in society. This is significant because if our identity is defined by what we do, and we spend the majority of our waking life at work, when something goes wrong or becomes challenging inour work environment, the effect on us can be devastating. Evidence suggests that many ofus find the workplace challenging. The Health and Safety Executive in the UK reports that one in five employees feels very or extremely stressed at work. That’s the equivalent of five million people in the UK.
Alex’s awareness of what was happening in her body as well asof the rising irritation and frustration had been cultivated through regularly practicing mindfulness. Her awareness acted like a red flag, giving her the ability to stop rather than react impulsively and potentially damage a relationship.
But how can we slow down and avoid getting swept up in the fast-paced world of work and home-life? One way we can do this is by practicing mindfulness meditation.
“
WORK GIVES US AN IDENTITY AND OFTEN A PARTICULAR STATUS IN SOCIETY
“
The “workplace” can take different forms - for many of us it is an office, but it could be a hospital or clinic, a school or college, a prison or law enforcement agency, a shop, oran establishment in the service industry. You might work at a desk or in the outdoors, within a team of people or perhaps from home, interacting rarely with others.
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | MINDFUL MATTERS
Mindfulness is commonly defined as ’deliberately paying attention to your experience as it arises without judgement’. As the evidence base for the therapeutic uses of mindfulness based approaches to health is growing all the time, the wider applications of mindfulness continue to be explored. Today there are mindfulness programmes in schools, prisons, in sports as well as healthcare, and it is practiced as much by healthcare providers as by patients themselves. In addition, there is an entire area of mindfulness in the workplace. The evidence for the benefits of mindfulness at work is compelling. Transport for London (TfL) employees who received mindfulness-based training reported improvements in their relationships (80%), in the ability to relax (79%), in their sleep patterns (64%), and in happiness at work (53%). These improvements continued long after the course had finished. Absenteeism due to stress, anxiety, and depression fell by 71% over the following three years. We all suffer from stress at some point in our lives, and learning to be present can make our lives feel richer and more fulfilling and help us manage the ups and downs of everyday life.
For more info visit - www.mindfulness-meditation-now.com
86%OF PEOPLE AGREE THAT “PEOPLE WOULD BE MUCH HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER IF THEY KNEW HOW TO SLOW DOWN AND LIVE IN THE MOMENT”
www.thebestyou.co
13
Be Inspired
17
GOOD NEWS
From around the world
ENJOY LIFE Fed up of bad news? Enjoy good news from around the world. Olympic stars Michael Phelps and Mo Farah reveal the secrets behind glory.
18
26
MICHAEL PHELPS 22 - Mo Farah
HAPPY CITIES Mike Zeidler
Plus, why your city might just be the key to improved wellbeing.
PUT YOUR COMPANY IN THIS SPACE! TO SPONSOR THIS PAGE AND BE PART OF THE BEST YOU, EMAIL US AT ADVERTISING@THEBESTYOU.CO
www.thebestyou.co
15
WE SUPPORT... Refuge opened the world’s first safe house for women and children escaping domestic violence in Chiswick, West London, in 1971. Women and children flocked to our doors because, for the first time, someone was saying it was wrong to beat your partner. Back then, domestic violence was seen as a ‘private matter’, to be dealt with ‘behind closed doors’. Society turned a blind eye. Since 1971, Refuge has led the campaign against domestic violence. We have grown to become the country’s largest single provider of specialist domestic violence services. On any given day we support 3,700 women and children.
WHAT WE BELIEVE Refuge is committed to a world where domestic violence is not tolerated and where women and children can live in safety. We aim to empower women and children to rebuild their lives, free from violence and fear. We provide a range of life-saving and lifechanging services and a voice for the voiceless.
HOW WILL WE ACHIEVE OUR MISSION? Refuge operates a three-pronged approach which involves:
PROVISION Providing a range of high quality services for abused women and children. Our national network of services supports women and children to regain control of their lives and move forwards in a positive way.
PROTECTION Advocating for improvements to domestic violence policy and practice, and the implementation of legislation to meet the needs of abused women and children. Encouraging other agencies to develop best practice services and approaches.
PREVENTION Helping to prevent domestic violence through campaigning, education, training and research. We work in partnership with other agencies to raise awareness of domestic violence, its causes and solutions.
To find out more about Refuge, visit REFUGE.ORG.UK or call 0808 2000 247
ENJOY LIFE
GOOD NEWS
From life-enhancing innovations to planet-saving designs
1
THINK INK Bangalore based company Graviky Labs capture soot found in air pollution and recycle it in to new ink. Called Air-Ink, it uses a cylindrical retrofit on vehicle exhausts which can capture up to 95 percent of particulate matter pollution. The captured carbon is then separated from the other heavy metals and carcinogens and combined with oils to make the final products, including pens, oil-based paints and spray paints.
2
GREY MATTERS Whoever said you stop making friends after a certain age was wrong. The Freebird Club is an international scheme designed to connect people aged over 50 as they travel around the world. It works ‘peer-to-peer’, enabling members to travel and stay with fellow members who have opted to make their spare rooms available for nightly rent.
WWW.FREEBIRDCLUB.NET
3
WANT A FLAKE IN THAT? An Indonesian library has been built using upcycled ice cream containers. Over 2,000 of the plastic tubs were used to build the Taman Bima Microlibrary’s facade, which ventilate the air naturally. It provides a space for teaching and other activities aimed at combatting the country’s high illiteracy and school dropout rates. Better think twice before you chuck out that empty mint choc chip.
4
STUCK UP The number of homeless people in Paris has skyrocketed over the past year, so a new scheme has been introduced to let those in need know where that they can ask for a drink, meal,to use the bathroom and more. Le Carillon stickers are placed in shop windows and each sticker features an icon representing a free service www.thebestyou.co
17
Pool of Gold
With 28 Olympic medals to his name, Michael Phelps is the most decorated
Olympian ever and has won more Golds at a single Olympics than any other athlete. He has broken world records repeatedly in many different styles and distances, and has been described as the world’s most successful athlete of all time. Having announced his retirement after the Rio Olympics, The Best You looks at the phenomenon that is Phelps.
www.thebestyou.co
18
MICHAEL PHELPS WHAT I DISCOVERED SOON AFTER STARTING TO
“
“
SWIM WAS THAT THE POOL WAS A SAFE HAVEN. “I started swimming when I was seven,” Michael Phelps remembers. “Mom put me in a stroke clinic taught by one of her good friends, Cathy Lears. ‘I’m cold’, I remember saying... ‘I have to go to the bathroom... Can’t I just sit here and watch the other kids? I’ll stay here by the side’.”Most of all, Phelps remembers he didn’t like putting his face under water; but when it came to the programme Cathy had for him, she was firm: “You’re going to learn,” she would tell him, “one way or the other.”This led to more complaints and more whining, though Phelps concedes - “ I finished every item on her plan.” It wasn’t the most auspicious start to a swimming career. In fact, though no-one knew it at the time, Phelps had ADHD – which meant he had boundless energy and terrible concentration. “All everyone knew, in particular my mom, my sisters, and my coaches, was that I had all this energy and that I could bleed off a lot of it by playing sports: baseball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, you name it,” he says.Swimming turned the negative of ADHD into a positive. “What I discovered soon after starting to swim was that the pool was a safe haven. I certainly couldn’t have put that in to words then but can look back and see it now. Two walls at either end, Lane lines on either side. A black stripe on the bottom for direction. I could go fast in the pool, it turned out, in part because being in the pool slowed down my mind.” So, after that early reluctance to put his face in the water, how did Michael Phelps come to dominate his sport so spectacularly? Some of this comes from his personal traits: determination, stubbornness, imagination, attitude and having a bigger picture. But it also comes from outside: discipline, strong support and absolutely brilliant coaching. Debbie, his mother, introduced him to swimming when he was a baby, taking him to the pool while his two older sisters swam. An educator who was used to working to bring out the best in children, Debbie recognised a passion in her children for swimming and did everything she could to help them. But there was no spoiling. Her disciplined approach applied at home, too. Homework, chores, tidiness were all given importance. Phelps asserts: “That work ethic, and that sense of teamwork, was always in our home. All of that went to the pool with me, from a very early age.”His dad, Fred, was a good athlete - a college football player, and from him he got his athletic and competitive genes. “My father’s direction was simple: Go hard and, remember, good guys finish second. That didn’t mean that you were supposed to be a jerk, but it did mean that you were there to compete as hard as you could.”Later in life, Phelps recognised that he had the perfect physique for swimming. He was tall at 6’4”,, and had an even wider “wingspan” at 6’7”. His body is long in comparison to his legs, allowing him to plane on the water, and his hand’s and feet are big, allowing him to get purchase through the water. But natural ability wasn’t the whole story, as Phelps is quick to point out:
“In some sports, you can excel if you have natural talent. Not in swimming. You can have all the talent in the world, be built just the right way, but you can’t be good or get good without hard work. In swimming, there’s a direct connection between what you put in to it and what you get out of it.” Having seen the potential in him, Debbie sacrificed much of her time in supporting her son. It re-quired “enormous dedication” he says. “It was a total reflection of who she is. And that’s something I am forever grateful for.” So, what did she expect in return? “We had to have goals, drive, and determination. We would work for whatever we were going to get. We were going to strive for excellence, and to reach ex-cellence you have to work at it and for it.”Debbie introduced Phelps at the age of 11 to a coach who could bring him on.
Bob Bowman remained his coach all the way through his swimming career. A highly intelligent man from a back-ground of psychology and with interests ranging from sports to literature, science and classical music, he was far more than a coach. He became a close friend and guide to Phelps. In many ways, he became a strong father figure, especially because Phelps’s father and mother separated when he was seven. The relationship between Phelps and Bowman is unique. At times it could be stormy, with Bowman seeming to need to break the wild unruly horse that was the young Phelps. They would chew each other out – and one time when Phelps wouldn’t do what he was asked as a teenager, Bowman called in both parents to back him up. There was nowhere for Phelps to hide, and he finally did as he was told. Bowman introduced him to training techniques that are wellknown among the elite sport world. What is surprising is just how effective they are in Phelps’s case. Take, for example, the practice of visualisation, which is a technique Phelps swears by. Phelps often uses visualisation during the nap periods he takes in the day in between training sessions. “Before I doze off or immediately after I get up, I can visualise how I want the perfect race to go. I can see the start, the strokes, the walls, the turns, the finish, the strategy, all of it. It’s so vivid that I can see incredible detail, down even to the wake behind me. It’s my imagination at work, and I have a big imagination. Visualising like this is like programming a race in my head, and that programming sometimes seems to make it happen just as I had imagined it.”Phelps also uses ‘visualisation’ to overcome problems: “I can also see the worst race, the worst circumstances. That’s what I do to prepare myself for what might happen. It’s a good thing to visualise the bad stuff. It prepares you. Maybe you dive in and your goggles fill with water. What do you do? How do you respond? What is important right now? You have to have a plan.” This ‘programming’ Phelps does can have startling effects. He believes strongly that if you can imagine it, you can make it happen. Where his mind goes, his body follows. This is more true when combined with another technique
To find more about Michael Phelps download a digital version of THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO or get The Best You App from Apple Store or Google Play
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | POOL OF GOLD
“
DREAMS REALLY CAN COME TRUE
There is also a deeply private and practical part to Phelps’s attitude. He won’t badmouth his competitors, and believes in keeping his own counsel. “People who talk about what they’re going to do, nine times out of ten don’t back it up. It’s always better, and a whole lot smarter, not to say anything, to simply let the swimming do the talking. There’s a saying that goes precisely to the point, of course: Actions speak louder than words. That saying is 100 percent true.” These are just a few of the mental techniques and attitudes Phelps uses, but there is also the physical side of things. No surprise to say that Phelps trains almost religiously, and sums it up in a simple phrase: make a habit of doing things others aren’t willing to do. He explains: “Are you willing to go farther, work harder, be more committed and dedicated than anyone else? If others were inclined to take Sunday off, well, that just meant we might be one-seventh better.”
“
introduced to him by Bob Bowman: setting goals in writing. The results were startling, with Phelps finishing in exactly the times Bowman set him, down to the hundredth of a second. And these were all time he had never swum before!
He goes on: “For five years, from 1998 to 2003, we did not believe in days off. I had one because of a snow-storm, two more due to the removal of wisdom teeth. Christmas? See you at the pool. Thanksgiving? Pool. Birthdays? Pool. Sponsor obligations? Work them out around practice time.” Meanwhile, the training was gruelling, with Bowman getting Phelps to concentrate on both speed and endurance. At times Phelps recalls climbing from the pool hardly able to stand, only to climb on the platform and dive back in to swim more lengths. At times, he averaged 85,000 metres per week in the pool. He certainly did not think that to have the confidence to take on the world, it was enough to visualise. As Phelps puts it: “You can’t dream up confidence. Confidence is born of demonstrated ability.” So, how does Phelps sum up his own achievement, now that he was retired? His answer: “With hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits. Perseverance, determination, commitment, and courage―those things are real. The desire for redemption drives you. And the will to succeed―it’s everything.” He pauses. “Dreams really can come true.”
Michael Phelps wins gold at Roma 2009
Michael Phelps in action at the Rio Olympics 2016
DOCTOR AND MIND COACH
STEPHEN SIMPSON
EXPLAINS MICHAEL PHELPS’ RISE TO THE VERY TOP “I work with elite performers, and it doesn’ t matter whether they’ re a top banker, golfer, or poker player - the methods I use are the same, albeit with some creative adaptation for each individual. This is good news for me - and more importantly itis good news for you too - because it means you can use these secrets to achieve more in your life, too. I use seven secrets. There are many more, but seven is about the most that any person can remember. These are more than enough for anybody. As you’ve read, Phelps uses them all and it’ s a tough call to suggest which is the most important one. My suggestion is that it is the power of ‘Phelps’ s visualisation skills. He has taken them to the nth degree. It’ s one thing to play comforting movies in your mind of you swimming the perfect race, then receiving the gold medal and biting it. It’ s quite another thing to construct a different movie painting a lurid picture in agonising detail of all of the possible things that can go wrong.
“
ALL CHAMPIONS DO THIS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE DANGER OF SURPRISES
However this exercise is at least as important as building a compelling visualisation of success. All champions do this because they know the danger of surprises. Concentration is broken, the power of the moment has been destroyed, and in these circumstances competitors often freeze.
Be Inspired As a mind coach Dr. Simpson counts many luminaries from the sporting, gaming, entertainment and business worlds among his clients. He has appeared on the BBC, ITV, Sky, Voice Of America and other top international TV and radio programmes, as well as in the Sunday People, Glamour, Golfing World, The Best You Magazine, WPT Poker and more. Dr. Simpson’ s latest book “Get Lucky Now! The 7 secrets of lucky people” is out now, for more info visit www.drstephensimpson.com
Last year I wrote an article in this magazine about Formula One world champion racing driver Lewis Hamilton is just like Phelps. Hamilton spends hours in a simulator practising all the things that can go wrong in his race, and so is prepared for the unexpected, with nothing that has not been imagined. Phelps reinforces his visualisation by adding another step to his process. He writes notes tohim-self, putting his goals on paper. This is a powerful way to hardwire a virtual thought so that it becomes an unconscious reality. It is an illuminating example demonstrating that ‘ thoughts become things’ , as highlighted in the book The Secret. So write a note to yourself now, date it in the future, and describe the celebrations associated with your success. Add in as many details of what you can see, feel, and hear in your mind. Do not forget your emotions either, because these are powerful anchors, and will prime your next project for ignition and success too.”
www.thebestyou.co
21
Hero in a strange land
He’s one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes —but Mo Farah’s career almost didn’t happen. Fresh from gold medal success at the Rio Olympics, The Best You looks back at a career built on sacrifice and hard work
M
o Farah’s story shows how it isn’t enough to have great talent, a dedicated team, and teachers and coaches rooting for you. There has to be something else, that comes both from the inside and out. Born in humble beginnings in Somalia, the younger of twins, Mo moved to the United Kingdom in 1992 when he was nine years old, to join his dad who had already moved to London for work.
Alan, however, took him under his wing and at times Mo showed real passion for racing. He speaks of the athletics community as friendly and one big family –and perhaps that emotional drive also pushed him on. Mo was soon winning races, and as he began to see more results in the circuit, and build up a reputation, he became increasingly committed to the sport.
Due to unfortunate circumstances, he left his twin brother, Hassan, behind in Somalia, and didn’t see him again for 12 years. During this time he moved in with his Aunt Kinsi, attending Feltham Community College, West London. At school, Mo struggled to learn English, partially because he is dyslexic but also because he was so full of energy he found it hard to sit still. He continually got into trouble for misbehaving, though he was well liked by his classmates, and would make animal noises at the back of the room for their entertainment. He recalls that he was perpetually being sent to see the headmaster. It would have been easy for him to fall in with a bad crowd, with so much energy and with no point of focus, but an outlet came for Mo in the form of sport.
A turning point came when Mo was selected to attend the British Olympics futures camp in Florida when he was 14. He met sporting greats and saw the amazing facilities a top athlete could expect to use. It resonated with Mo, and on his return he was sure he wanted to be runner. Mo began to train harder and soon after he won the English schools cross country championship - his first major national title - and in 2001 aged just 15 he won the 5000m junior championship title - his first international title.
Though he was an avid football player, his Physical Eduction teacher, Alan Watkins, saw that he had a natural ability to run distance, and persuaded him to take part in athletics at the Borough of Hounslow Athletics Club. Mo was far more interested in playing football - it was his deep-seated passion, and it was only when Alan did a deal with him, allowing him to play football for an hour before heading to the track, that he finally relented and went along regularly. The Hounslow track was far from ideal. It was run down, with the spectator stands long gone, and with only a portakabin as a shelter for the athletes. Mo continued to be lukewarm about his running ability, relying on his natural talent to see him through races. But at the same time he began to find satisfaction in his obvious aptitude for running. Mo’s progress to becoming a serious, world-beating athlete was not entirely conventional. Though he had been talent spotted, he continued to be easily distracted from races. Perhaps this is understandable –Somali culture doesn’t understand the value of running as a sport, and members of his family never attended his races as a child.
After college, Mo was tempted to join the army but was talked out of to by Alan Storey, a coach and Head of Endurance for UK Athletics. Instead, Alan persuaded Mo to attend the recently formed Endurance and Performance coaching centre at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. Mo had all the support he needed, and this moment could have been the start of a powerful surge for him, but his commitment wasn’t yet sealed. Though he started well with his training, he was blown off course by a return to Somalia and a reunion with his twin brother. A two week trip became a two month stay with his family, and Mo admits that in the following year his heart was not in the sport. Mo had left college hoping for a change. At this point it was quite possible that like many other young athletes, he would not make the transition to adult professionalism. So what changed Mo? The answer comes with a stay he was offered at a low rent in a house in Teddington. The house was used by Kenyan athletes while they were staying in Europe to take part invarious competitions around the continent. At this time, there had long been a limiting belief among British and many European runners that the Kenyans were in a class of their own. The thinking was that it didn’t matter what the Europeans did, they would always be outclassed by their African rivals. Mo began to see things differently.
“
HE BEGAN TO SEE MORE RESULTS IN THE CIRCUIT, AND BUILD UP A REPUTATION,HE BECAME INCREASINGLY COMMITTED TO THE SPORT”.
www.thebestyou.co
23
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | HERO IN A STRANGE LAND
“
ANALYSING TECHNIQUES AND DISCUSSING STRATEGY. IT WAS A COMPLETELY PROFESSIONAL APPROACH
“
By living among the Kenyans and taking part in their training regimes, he discovered that the key to their success was not necessarily a natural orbiological advantage, but their extraordinary commitment to their sport. On his first night staying in the house, Mo was astonished to see them go to bed at 8.30 in the evening, and get up at 6 amto eat home cooked and simple foods, including ugali, a kind of Kenyan maize dumpling rich in carbohydrates. The team would train, then take part in a long warm down. They would sleep in the afternoons to allow their bodies to recuperate, then in the evenings watch videos of runners and races, analysing techniques and discussing strategy. It was a completely professional approach. Having come from what he considered a high level of training and entering into this new regime, Farah was struck by how much a way of life the Kenyans regarded their running. He began to train with them, stopped going out in the evening and even changed his telephone so he wouldn’t be distracted by friends who wanted to go out. From being a happy-golucky and not entirely focussed young man, he professionalised. The effects of that experience with the Kenyans, of his decision to dedicate his life to his running - and of later visiting Kenyans athletes in their home country, were revealed in his new abilities onthe track. Soon, he began to beat East African runners, applying their own training regime to win against them. It was nothing short of a turning point, and Mo’s limiting beliefs were broken. After his double gold win at the 2012 Olympics, Mo ran his way to global recognition –and his celebratory dance, dubbed The Mobot further helped him to stand out in the public consciousness. Since then Mo has gone onto become the most decorated person in British athletics history. In 2013 became the first British athlete to win two gold medals at the same World Championships, his five gold medals at the European Athletics Championships make him the most successful individual athlete in the championship’s history and this year at the Rio Olympics he claimed another two gold medals in the 10,000 and 5000 metres. No wonder runner Brendan Foster has dubbed him “Britain’s greatest ever athlete.” Part of the lesson that Mo teaches is that in order tobe with the best, it is vital to learn from the best. Support from the establishment is a powerful plus, but you have to find exactly how you are going to go forward to beat the world. Watching and learning from the Kenyans gave Mo the extra push he needed, as he modelled their approach to training and then combined it with what was on offer from GB athletics. It is that realisation that transformed Mo in to an international athlete of the highest order.
To find more about Mo Farah download a digital version of THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO or get The Best You App from Apple Store or Google Play
ay
REACH PEOPLE
INTERESTED & PASSIONATE
ABOUT PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. ADVERTISE
ONE MONTH, Be Inspired
GET ONE FREE
Call today + 44 (0) 207 9276500 or email us at advertising@thebestyou.co
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | HAPPY CITIES
How happy does your city make you?
Mike and Liz Zeidler founded the Happy City project, which believes our cities hold the key to improved wellbeing
their lives thinking about what the word really means, and getting people talking about what matters most in order to improve lives.
Husband and wife team Mike and Liz co-founded the charity and community interest company Happy City (happycity.org.uk) in Bristol seven years ago. It was set up to equip individuals, schools, communities, the public sector and businesses in the city with ‘ happiness skills’ to improve lives and encourage environments to truly prosper. The couple, who between them have a diverse background in sustainability, international development work, cultural projects and,in Mike’ s case, six years on the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, felt a calling to do something to‘ lift spirits’. “We’re not saying we’ re able to make everyone happy, or that everyone can be happy all the time,”Liz says. “After all, if we never had any sadness in our lives, we wouldn’t understand the concept of happiness. But we just want to help Bristol to be a city where success is measured in ways other than purely financially.” Mike adds: “Certainly ‘ happiness’ is a difficult word, because it’ s clearly subjective. But we believe that actually, as humans, what we’re all constantly searching for is happiness. But with the single exception of the tiny nation of Bhutan, countries all over the world base happiness levels purely on wealth –and as we know, money alone doesn’t necessarily make you happy.”
Instead of seeing cities as alienating or unfriendly, Happy City identifies them as being key to improved well-being for people and planet. The Happy City project works with existing community groups in Bristol to discuss how happiness levels can be lifted without relying entirely on money. They also produce an annual Happy List to honour individuals and groups who have selflessly gone out of their way to create the conditions for happiness to flourish.
“
PEOPLE LOOK AT IT AND FEEL PLEASED AND PROUD TO LIVE WHERE THEY LIVE
“
T hink of the word prosperity and you’d be forgiven if your mind turns immediately to money. However Mike and Liz Zeidler have spent much of
“The Happy List measures what really matters, and it encourages people to do more happy things, or say thank you to others,”says Mike. “People look at it and feel pleased and proud to live where they live.
“
Happiness spreaders Mike and Liz Zeidler
HAPPINESS IS THE GOLDEN KEY THAT INVITES EVERYONE IN TO DISCUSS EVERYTHING FROM JUSTICE TO EDUCATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE, BECAUSE EVERYONE CAN ANSWER
“
“We need to redefine what it means to prosper because GDP growth is too narrow a definition. There are objections that happiness is fluffy or subjective, but it is a powerful motivator. Happiness is the golden key that invites everyone in to discuss everything from justice to education to climate change, because everyone can answer ‘would this make you happy?’ ”With growing interest among politicians and councils in understanding and increasing the population’ s happiness, Mike and Liz have seen interest in Happy City surge. They have helped other cities including Nottingham, Brighton and Bath produce their own Happy Lists.
Growing wellbeing with Happy City Mike Zeidler explains how to teach happiness skills
Our designs are memorable, practical, thought-provoking and fun, with as much ‘ learning by doing’ as possible.
They have also received interest from places in France, Australia, the United States and 14 other countries. Their dream is that within five years the Happy City initiative will take on a life of its own, with Bristol leading the way. To make that dream a reality Mike and Liz are busy training individuals, schools, communities, the public sector and businesses in the principles and practice of developing wellbeing.
We’ve woven together the best learning from a wide range of specialists to reflect all that wellbeing involves.
We might be some way off using “happy” as the primary adjective for Britain’s cities, but there is no doubt that they all have the potential to be “happy-making”.
The ‘ entry level’ programmes, based on the 5 Ways of Wellbeing, are designed to strengthen the foundations for resilient lives.
For more info visit www.happycity.org.uk
There’s a two hour introductory workshop, adaptable for different audience needs, and a ‘ Wellbeing Champion’ programme to train people how to run the introductory workshop themselves.
The result is a pair of programmes which work for individuals, community initiatives or organisations of any size.
The champions training takes 2 days, including ‘ learning about learning’ as well as the content itself and ‘ alumni ’ get to join a national network of continuous peer-to-peer learning and support. The higher level programme is intended to be transformative - giving deeper insights in to developmental thinking and practices which lead toward flourishing lives. Three 2.5 hour‘ Pulse’ workshops explore ‘ Being’ , ‘ Doing’ and‘ Connecting’ skills. This training really comes into its own when combined with better measures ofprosperity, like our own Happy City Index. Finally, for those already on the journey, Happy City tailors support, advising how best to grow wellbeing for people and planet in an affordable way.
For full details of the Happy City Initiative visit www.happycity.org.uk
www.thebestyou.co
27
WIN! Feeling in need of some inspiration, exploration and pure relaxation? The Best You Book Club has something for every mood, and we’ re giving one lucky reader the chance to win a copy of every book featured. To be in with a chance of winning, simply send us an email with your name and address to PRIZEGIVEAWAYS@THEBESTYOU.CO before 31st October 2016. Good luck!
B
Book Club The Best You’s guide to the new reads you need in your life BRAVE NEW GIRL - HOW TO BE FEARLESS By Lou Hamilton Rates of anxiety in under-30s has risen by 70% in the last 25 years and now 1 in 6 people are said to suffer some level of symptoms. Lou Hamilton has dedicated her professional life to helping people combat their anxiety, and this book combines her creative methods and coaching tips with gorgeous illustrations to inspire people to fear less. Lou was to create the book after youngest child Ruby left home. She wanted to create something that Ruby could take out into the world with her, and that would also help Lou adjust to the huge change in her own life that it would cause. Even if you have never experienced anxiety, this is a timely and poignant look at how we can all look after ourselves better in order to live rich, free and full lives.
BEST FOR : Helping you adjust to change.
UNCOUPLING By Sara Davison Ever since Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin coined the term ‘ conscious uncoupling’ in 2014 to denote the amicable end of their marriage, the term ‘ uncoupling’ has kept tongues wagging. Is it really possible to navigate the pitfalls, anger and upset that come with a break up in a positive way? Reading Sara’ s fresh, sympathetic and constructive approach makes you feel like it would be.Uncoupling combines Sara’s extensive training in lifecoaching techniques, her work with people ‘uncoupling’, and her own personal experience, and it focuses on helping you take emotional control of the situation in order to move forwards. This is the book that Sara looked for - and couldn’t find - when she was going through the process herself and found very few places available to turn to for compassionate and practical advice. This means the book not only offers tried-and-tested advice but it also comes with the reassurance that you will get through this time and come out the other side.
BEST FOR : Giving strength and perspective during a break up.
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | BOOK CLUB
www.thebestyou.co
29
MINDFULNESS @ WORK By Anna Black Work-related stress is an all-too-common part of modern life.The rise of digital media means that many people never really “switch off” from work and the culture of presenteeism causes us to spend more time at work than ever before. Many workers spend a lot of time either ruminating on past work stress or worrying about future work-related problems. By applying the principles of mindfulness –an ancient Buddhist practice –to our working lives, we can become aware of our habitual negative thoughts and behaviours and learn to recognise and manage the warning signs of stress. Anna Black suggests short and simple meditations that can be used throughout the working day to strengthen focus and concentration, enhance working relationships and improve empathy –all of which help you to perform well and keep calm at work, whatever your job. Anna’ s suggestions are applicable to both office-based workers and those who work from home and she covers a range of topics including working mindfully with others, paying mindful attention in meetings and using meditation to cope with stressful situations.
BEST FOR : Dealing with work related stress.
Be Inspired
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | BOOK CLUB
RADICAL BEAUTY By Deepak Chopra and Kimberly Snyder You are what you eat - or so goes the famous adage which means that eating a balanced, nutritious and not forgetting enjoyable diet has the power to delight, heal and even transform both mind and body. But with so much advice on everything from superfoods to diet fads, it can be hard to know what to listen to. This book, from the world-renowned physician and author Deepak Chopra and leading nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, offers a practical guide to help. It focuses onsix pillars of healthy living; internal and external nourishment, beauty sleep, primal beauty, movement and spiritual beauty. Radical Beauty will teach you which oils to use to help soothe the nervous system or reduce stress, which resulting in fewer wrinkles, or inform you about subtle dietary shifts which can optimise digestion. There’s also advice on reducing toxic chemicals, radiation and pollution in your personal space, breathing techniques and yoga positions. Ready, set, glow.
BEST FOR : Looking good & feeling great. AND BREATHE By Rebecca Dennis Breathing coach Rebecca’s book is a guide to the art of conscious breathing, using techniques to help boost energy, combat stress and improve heart health. Rebecca suffered with depression for nearly 20 years before discovering Transformational Breath, which she later went on to study with founder Judith Kravitz in Mexico. In And Breathe she lets us in on what she’ s learnt, offering techniques to consciously connect to your breath and encourage its natural rhythms in order to harmonise the body and mind, live life fully, find emotional freedom and feel empowered. Rebecca’ s coaching has helped people experiencing issues including stress, anxiety, addiction, abuse, and low self-esteem. She teaches ways to let go of the unwanted patterns of emotions and tension, and includes simple to follow exercises, tips, case studies, interviews and testimonials. Reading the book gifts you an awareness of your breath that you will likely never have experienced before, and will leave you feeling calm yet energised. Now the challenge is to try to keep Rebecca’ s teachings with you next time you feel you’ re stressed...
BEST FOR : You feeling calm yet focused. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
One entry per household. Entry implies acceptance of rules and conditions. No purchase necessary. Open to all UK residents aged 18 years or over, other than employees of The Best You and companies associated with it. Draw will be conducted by The Best You Corporation. Prize is as stated and will be awarded to the entry drawn at random on the draw date. No cash alternative is available. No correspondence will be entered into. Delayed entries will be deemed invalid. Winners’ names may be published and the winners may be required to participate in publicity. Promoter: The Best You Corporation.
www.thebestyou.co
31
10 BEST WAYS
TO A GOOD
NIGHT SLEEP
You might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere with sleep, but you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep Feeling worn out? Getting your nightly eight hours is key to your body and mind functioning at their best - from keeping your appetite in check to lowering blood pressure and even protecting your brain. Help remove the factors that can interfere with a good night’s sleep with these top tips:
1.
6.
2.
7.
Try to nod off and get up at the same time every day as it helps set your body’s internal clock. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm.
Avoid screens two hours before your bedtime. The bright blue light emitted by your phone, tablet, computer, or TV can be disruptive. If that sounds impossible, turn the brightness down.
3.
Make sure your room is as dark as possible when it’s time to sleep. Use heavy curtains orblinds, or try a sleep mask.
No TVs in the bedroom. The light from a TV suppresses melatonin, which helps sleep, and many programmes stimulate your brain to be more alert.
If you get sleepy way before your bedtime, do something mildly stimulating, such as calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day.
8.
Keep the lights down if you get up during the night to use the toilet. If you need some light to move around safely, try installing a dim nightlight in the hall or bathroom.
4.
9.
5.
10.
Avoid a weekend lie-in. The more your weekend/ weekday sleep schedules differ, the harder you’ll find itto regulate your natural sleep-wake rhythm. If you need to make up for a late night, go for a daytime nap.
However, while napping is great to make up for lost sleep, if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, it can make things worse. If you must nap, limit them to 20 minutes in the early afternoon.
Think about investing in sleep-aid technology, such as the Lark wristband and app. It wakes you with a gentle vibration, tracks your micro-movements all night, and gives you a full report about your night’s rest..
Use an alarm clock to wake you up, not your phone’s clock. If possible, don’t keep your phone in your bedroom when you sleep. It will help remove the temptation to check it if you stir during the night.
www.thebestyou.co
33
4
Be Inspired
36
CREATIVE WELLBEING Lou Hamilton
LIVE LOVE LEGACY It’s time to pick up a pen and get creative, Lou Hamilton shows you how.
38
42
THE POWER OF WHEN Dr Breus
AVOID SELF SABOTAGE
Dr Breus’s lessons in learning the power of when might just change your life. Plus, how to avoid self-sabotage in order to reach your goals.
PUT YOUR COMPANY IN THIS SPACE! TO SPONSOR THIS PAGE AND BE PART OF THE BEST YOU, EMAIL US AT ADVERTISING@THEBESTYOU.CO www.thebestyou.co
35
T here is something old-fashioned about this time of year, with its harvest festivals, bonfire nights and sweet-smelling roasted
chestnuts; something that reminds us of homemade jams and thick needles clicking and clacking on new winter woollies. The blustery weather seems to blow in echoes of the adage “the devil makes work of idle hands”, but in these times of round the clock treadmill technology when do we swap our smart phones and stress inducing schedules for a spot of tapestry or carpentry? We’re more likely to be checking emails while watching telly than putting the finishing touches to our latest clothes peg doll. In days gone by, knitting and cross-stitch, crotchet, sewing, flower arranging, playing the fiddle or singing at the piano were passed on one generation to the next. In Scandinavia, children would whittle rough wooden toys with no expectation of brilliance. It was just creativity as an activity that kept hands and minds busy in the evenings after work and school, done over candlelight in the embrace of family and friends and warmed by the fire. The tradition of handmade and homegrown, is exemplified in the Danish concept of Hygge - to live well in creative contentment and simplicity. And those vintage wooden toys are now collectors’ items, not because they are masterful but because they are hewn in a heartfelt way by the small hands of curious children.
When I was a child, my parents built a pottery in the garage as a hobby, simply for the joy of spinning clay into crockery, some of which still survives 40 years on. My grannie painted with me in the summer holidays. It was never about ‘talent’. It was just considered important to be ‘using your hands’. And it was fun to share a table top of brushes and paints while we chatted in the sunshine about something and nothing. In her last few years at 90 odd years old with macular degeneration, she could barely see but she kept up her embroidery, using larger holed canvas, bigger needles and thick, brightly coloured wool. Her fingers dipped the wool in and out, mostly from memory as she quipped “it doesn’t look like much but it keeps me out of mischief”. She was never bored or lonely and when her eyes failed her, her fingers took over. I keep those odds and sods, her fragments of wool and last bits of stitching. They have as much meaning and memory for me in her passing as they gave her pleasure in life. With the comeback of all things craft and baking - just think of the recent boom in adult colouring in - we can all indulge our spare time in creating and de-stressing. Past generations understood that life was hard and that respite came through the routine of winding down with thread, wool, paint and wood.
Lou Hamilton is an award-winning filmmaker, artist, author and life coach. She lives with her partner on an island surrounded by water in London has two grown up children called Sol and Ruby. She has a rowing boat and an allotment, cycles everywhere and swims outside all year round. She is addicted to books, travelling, movies, drawing, painting, writing and coaching people worldwide to fear less and be more.
One doodle at a time, embracing courage through creativity, she’s no work of art; just a stick girl who knows what she wants and sets out to get it without harming anyone else. And so simply for the therapeutic pleasure of spending a bit of time each day letting the world get on with its busyness, why not take up a spot of doodling, painting, stitching, or whittling, or whatever takes your fancy. Replace your stresses with a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. And you never know, you might also find you’ve created some little gifts for loved ones at Christmas.
“
I DISCOVERED THE PLEASURE OF MAKING MARKS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT”
TOP TIPS FOR GETTING CREATIVE 1. GET A SKETCH PAD, SOME PENCILS, A COUPLE OF BLACK
Now you can buy a meditation colouring book and a pack of felt tips and as an adult, sit down and do what you did as a six year old, and know that it’s good for your spirit. And you don’t have to be Van Gogh or Damian Hirst to enjoy a bit of me-time in the rainbow world of crayons or a Pinterest image mood board. Disarm yourself of the thought that creativity is for the artistic. Artists do their own thing but history has always encouraged everyone to turn their hand and their eye to crafts that simply take a bit of enthusiasm, practice and pause in the day. Just as surely as you take the time to check your phone, you can doodle on your commute, or in a cafe in your lunch break, or in the playground while your kids run around with their friends. And instead of feeling tied to your daily concerns you’ll feel the worries of the world float away as your hands get to work and your mind drifts off into imaginative daydream. When my youngest child was about to head off to university, I felt a longing to return to something that ‘used my hands’, something to distract me from the empty nest, from the silence replacing the hustle and bustle of family life. I went right back to basics and picked up a pencil again. In a way, with an art school background I had the disadvantage of expectation. But I let that go and just started to play. I practiced an alphabet of shapes and patterns and I discovered the pleasure of making marks just for the sake of it, building up random designs for no other function than the therapeutic absorption of my attention. And then as I sat in the very chair I had inherited from my grannie and which had seen her knitting, doodling, darning and stitching throughout her life, I started to draw this little character. Out she popped from my meditative markings, part girl, part woman, part animal, part ninja. She felt like a gift from my grandmother, telling me to be Brave as my children leave home and a new life starts for us all. Brave New Girl was born, with a taste for adventure, invention and fearlessness.
DRAWING PENS (I USE 0.5 OR 0.05) AND A SMALL TIN OF WATERCOLOUR AND BRUSHES.
2. SLOSH DIFFERENT COLOURS ACROSS THE PAGES OF YOUR SKETCH PAD. LET THE PAINT DRIBBLE AND SPLURGE IN THE WETNESS OF THE PAPER. WHEN IT’S DRY, TAKE YOUR PEN FOR A WALK ACROSS THE PAGE. EXPLORE THE DRIED COLOURS, THE DARKS AND THE LIGHTS. DON’T TAKE YOUR PEN OFF THE PAGE, JUST LET IT DRIFT AND MEANDER. SEE WHERE IT TAKES YOU.
3. TAKE YOUR PENS AND SKETCH PAD WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. START TO COLLECT AN ALPHABET OF PATTERNS. THE FABRIC ON THE TUBE SEATS, THE WALLPAPER IN THE CAFÉ. MAKE REPEATED MARKS, LINES, SQUIGGLES, SPIRALS, CIRCLES, TRIANGLES. OBSERVE AND COLLECT.
4. CHOOSE A COUPLE OF THEMES TO FOCUS ON; FLOWERS, FOOD, CAKES, HORSES, ANYTHING THAT INSPIRES YOU. COLLECT IMAGES AROUND THESE THEMES AND CREATE INSPIRING MOOD BOARDS ON PINTEREST. YOU’LL START TO NOTICE THE WORLD AROUND YOU IN A NEW LIGHT. YOU’LL HAVE MORE FOCUS AND INTEREST.
5. PUT ASIDE AT LEAST 10 MINUTES A DAY TO DOODLE. NEVER JUDGE WHAT YOU DO, JUST PICK UP YOUR PEN AND MAKE YOUR SQUIGGLES. YOU CAN COLOUR THEM IN, WRITE LITTLE POEMS AROUND THEM, ADD FOUND OBJECTS LIKE DRIED LEAVES, PETALS, POSTCARDS OR LITTLE NOTES. THE ART IS IN THE LETTING GO OF THE OUTCOME AND ENJOYING THE PROCESS.
On 11th October Lou is running a workshop at The School of Life in London on Becoming Fearless. For more info visit - www.bravenewgirl.co.uk www.thebestyou.co
37
The Power Of When
Michael Breus PhD explains why learning your best time to do everything could be the greatest life hack of all
D o you want a simple, straightforward life hack that requires little effort and gets you closer to happiness and success? Of course you do!
Your sleep drive is genetic, and it determines how much sleep you need and your depth of sleep. Those with low sleep drive don’t need a lot of sleep, so the night seems very long to them. Low sleep drive people are This might sound like a promise waiting to be broken. It’s not. easily woken up by sound and light disturbance, and they wake up feeling You’ve probably already seen a lot of tricks and tips about the “what” and less than refreshed. “how” of success. “What” and “how” are excellent and necessary quesThose with high sleep drive need more hours of sleep, so the night feels tions. But there is another crucial question that must be addressed in order to make fast, dramatic, lasting improvements in the quality of your too short for them. High sleep drive people sleep deeply, but they wake up feeling less than refreshed no matter how much sleep they get. life across the board. That question is “when.” Those with medium sleep drive sleep somewhat deeply and are satisfied and refreshed by seven hours of continuous rest. “When” is the ultimate life hack. It’s the foundation of success, the key that unlocks a faster, smarter, better, and stronger you. Knowing “when” enables you to perform “what” and “how” to your maximum potential. If The MEQ wasn’t designed to take into account the individual’s personalyou didn’t change a thing about what you do and how you do it, and only ity. But personality turns out to be incredibly important for figuring out chronotype. For example, morning types tend to be more health-conmade micro-adjustments to when you do it, you’d be healthier, happier, scious. Evening types tend to be impulsive. This has been confirmed in and more productive, starting . . . right now. dozens of studies. In a comprehensive evaluation of chronotype, personalTo explain we need to think about something called ‘chronotypes’. Every ity is too big and relevant to ignore. person has a master biological clock ticking away inside his or her brain, My second issue was that classic definitions didn’t match up with my and dozens of smaller biological clocks throughout his or her body. patients. The three established types excluded 10 percent or more of But not every person’s biological clocks keep the same time. Your friend’s the general population: insomniacs. Although bad sleepers can be found among early, late, and normal risers, true insomniacs - I believe - are a inner clocks might run at a different pace than yours, or your partner’s, distinct chronotype. or your kids’. You know this already; you’ve observed that some people wake early, or don’t feel hungry when you do, or are full of energy when you are winding down. Different people fall into different classifications, I decided to redefine the groups, rename the chronotypes with the names of relevant mammals and write a questionnaire of my own that took all or chronotypes, based on general morning and evening preferences. the important factors into account. According to conventional wisdom, there are three chronotypes: Larks, the early risers; Hummingbirds, neither early nor late risers; and Owls, the late risers.
Once you know your chronotype, you have the secret to working out the best time of the day to do everything from drink coffee, go for a run, ask for a raise, go to sleep, - or even have sex. It’s a fascinating discovery of becoming in sync with your body and scheduling your day, week or month to maximise peak well-being, productivity and efficiency, leaving you the time and energy to feel your best and enjoy life.
Psychologists and sleep doctors have long used a standard Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) to determine an individual’s chronotype. Having worked with patients and studied in the field for over fifteen years, I’d always been bothered by the three categories and how You can take my quiz in my book The Power of When or online here they were determined. By only assessing an individual’s sleep/wake/activity preferences, the MEQ didn’t match the patient popuhttp://thepowerofwhenquiz.com/. lation in my clinical practice at all. The established chronotype assessment didn’t include both measures of the two-step system for sleep. Along with wake preference, there is “sleep drive” — your need for sleep. Some people have higher sleep drives than others, just as some have stronger sex drives than others.
Be Inspired
What’s Your Chronotype?
1.
Dolphins. Real dolphins sleep with only half of their brain at a time (which is why they’re called unihemispheric sleepers). The other half is awake and alert, concentrating on swimming and looking for predators. This name fits insomniacs well: intelligent, neurotic light sleepers with a low sleep drive.
2.
Lions. Real lions are morning hunters at the top of the food chain. This name fits morning noriented driven optimists with a medium sleep drive.
3. Bears. Real bears are go with the flow ramblers, goodsleepers, and
anytime hunters. This name fits fun-loving, outgoing people who prefer a solar-based schedule and have a high sleep drive.
4. Wolves. Real wolves are nocturnal hunters. This name fits
night-oriented creative extroverts with a medium sleep drive.
The Power of When is out now...
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | THE POWER OF WHEN
www.thebestyou.co
39
from Nov 2016
D OUBLE DOUBLE
VVISION ISION HOW CREATIVE EXPRESSION THROUGH COLLAGE AND VISION BOARDING CAN AID SELF DEVELOPMENT AND WELLBEING.
When Art Therapist Andrea Watts was asked to run a creative
workshop for a bereavement group, she chose collage to help the group’s members depict their journey through grief. It proved immensely powerful, enabling participants to open up, acknowledge their feelings and progress through the grieving process. This success inspired Andrea to launch UnglueYou, which offers workshops and 1-to-1 sessions in creative collage and visual communication for individuals or organisations. The process of mindfully creating vision boards is fast being recognised as more than just ‘collage fun’. An increasing number of Hollywood celebrities, Olympic athletes, TV stars and top motivational speakers use them to help sustain their success. Not long after Beyoncé admitted she kept a photo of an Academy Award near her treadmill, her film Dreamgirls went on to be nominated for an Oscar. Andrea helps people to get “unstuck” and create boards which act as both manifestation tools and a meditative process, drawing out suppressed desires and feelings in order to get a better view on what they want from their lives. Still not convinced? Scientifically speaking, every time our brain learns something, neurons create a new pathway. The more we use this pathway the more it becomes a habit. So the more we can see and think about what we want, the more the brain becomes aware of opportunities for us to achieve it. You literally can rewire your brain. If manifesting through vision boarding is good enough for Beyoncé, it’s good enough for us.... for more info visit - www.unglueyou.co.uk
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | DOUBLE VISION
www.thebestyou.co
41
DO YOU HAVE SELF SABOTAGE
SYNDROME? If you often end up ruining your own plans or making life difficult, you might just be a self saboteur. Here’ s how to defeat your own worst enemy (that’s you by the way...)
W e can all be guilty of self sabotage. Whether it’s procrastinating when something important is due at work, or maybe picking fights
Here’s what to do:
“I constantly see self-sabotaging behaviour in the clients I work with,”says psychologist Dr Andrea Bonior. “Counter-productive habits manifest themselves in two ways.
This makes you more aware of your issue so that when itis activated through an argument or certain behaviour like not replying to your texts straight away - it’ s shaken like a Snow Globe, and instead of reacting to that fear, you’ re able to think and act a bit more rationally, ideally communicating your fears to your partner.”
with a great partner just as you get past the three-month mark. Or and this one must be all of us - having one more biscuit after starting a new diet.
They’re either rebellious coping mechanisms in times of stress - such as overspending or drinking too much, or they’ reways of staying in our comfort zone due to feelings of unworthiness - like never asking for a promotion. ”So before you end up wondering “Why did I do that to myself? ”again, here’ s how to take your finger off the self-destruct button and get out of your own way.
Relationship ruiner - This could be you if these ring true; I constantly find fault in potential partners I have a very rigid idea of who I want to meet; I’ m easily bored in relationships; I’ m often attracted to unavailable people. Here’ s why:
“We’ re all born with an innate fear of abandonment, ”says psychologist Michelle Skeen, author of Love Me, Don’ t Leave Me. “And if you’ ve experienced rejection as a child, or had a painful break-up in adolescence, these feelings can rear their head in later life when you start to get close to someone. It’s this fear of being vulnerable that causes us to sabotage a relationship before it gets off the ground or means that we will find a way to force the other person to leave us, so at least we’re in control.”
“Create what I call a ‘Snow Globe’”, says Skeen. “This is where you focus in on a particularly painful memory of being abandoned and then write down all the details and emotions around it.
Social suicide: This could be you if these ring true: I feel fear of missing out [AKA FOMO] if friends meet without me; I get jealous when a friend has success; If I fall out with a friend; I immediately phase them out; Friends tell me I’ m too needy. Here’ s why:
“Sabotaging our friendships often happens when we ourselves are feeling stressed,”says DrBonior. “If we’re not feeling good enough about ourselves, we’re more likely to lash out at friends or feel needy and jealous of them, and of course this just drives people further away. It’ s a vicious cycle.”
Here’ s what to do:
“Label your thoughts”says Dr Bonior. “The more you battle your thoughts, the more you deny yourself the opportunity to work through them, and the more you keep yourself locked in a negative pattern. Try acknowledging and facing them instead. For example: ‘ I’m having the thought that all my friends hate me. That’s probably because I’ve been stressed out. I don’t have to be afraid of this thought; it is human. I will get a bit more sleep, get over this bad week at work, and see if I feel differently. If I don’t, I’ll think things through further.’”
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | AVOID SELF SABOTAGE
The career crusher This could be you if these ring true: I feel like I let myself down in job interviews; When it’ s an important week at work, something always goes wrong at home; I never put myself forward for promotions or ask for a pay rise; If a have a big project, I put it off as long as possible. Here’ s why:
“Many clients I work with have an unconscious fear of doing too well at work,”says careers coach Alice Stapleton. “It can come out in strange ways like oversleeping when they have an important meeting, or never applying for the jobs they really want. I call it success phobia and it often comes from not wanting to do better than a parent or mentor, or having imposter syndrome where your confidence is so low that you believe you don’ t deserve to be where you are in your career.”
Here’ s what to do:
“Ask yourself ‘ What would happen if I really did get that promotion or that dream job that I want?’”says Stapleton. “Visualising success in this way can make you confront your fears and realise what it is you’ re actually scared of. “Then write your a list of everything you have to do at work tomorrow, and notice the order you’ ve written those things down in. Success phobics often put the most important things at the bottom of the list - or neglect to even write them down at all because their self-conscious mind doesn’ t want to tackle it. And if it’ s been more than two years since you’ ve had a pay review, and you feel your job has changed in that time, add asking your boss for a rise to the top of that list.”
The money mangler: This could be you if these ring true: I start saving up but then blow it all on a shopping binge; I’ ll never be able to afford a house/car/holiday; I buy lots of little treats like take-away coffees; I’ m just not good with money. Here’ s why:
“It’ s a classic trait of the self-saboteur to bury your head in the sand about your money,”says Jasmine Birtles, editor of Moneymagpie.com. “By not taking control of your earnings, you’r actually denying your future self the things you deserve and limiting your freedom and peace of mind. It’ s also very common to feel defeatist about saving, so after a period of denying yourself, you then blow it all on something for instant gratification, and then of course you end up back at squareone.”
GET OFF FACEBOOK. 83% OF 18-34 YEAR OLDS SAY THEY FEEL LONELY, AND THOSE WHO USE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE THE MOST LONELINESS [THE BIG LUNCH, 2015]. INSTEAD USE WEBSITES LIKE MEETUP.COM AND HEYLETS.COM TO CONNECT WITH NEW PEOPLE.
Here’ s what to do:
“Start thinking long-term,”says Birtles. “Just £20 a month into a stakeholder pension now can set you up for retirement. And if you’ re saving for something big, break it down into a manageable amount per month and transfer that into a high-interest savings account via direct debit as soon as you get paid. Small sacrifices now - like one less night out a month can translate into buying something really satisfying later down the line.”
www.thebestyou.co
43
Be Inspired
46
RADIANT BEAUTY Deepak & Snyder
FEEL & LOOK GOOD Radiant beauty is within reach, thanks to expert advice from Deepak Chopra Yoga’s transformative power is no secret. Here’s how to get started – or how to re-start.
48
THE POWER OF YOGA Ali Bastian
PUT YOUR COMPANY IN THIS SPACE! TO SPONSOR THIS PAGE AND BE PART OF THE BEST YOU, EMAIL US AT ADVERTISING@THEBESTYOU.CO
www.thebestyou.co
45
Feeding Your Body
To Heal Your Mind
Deepak Chopra, pioneer of mind and body medicine, and US nutritionist Kimberly Snyder explain how the six pillars of healthy living have the power to balance, heal and transform.
D eepak Chopra is the author of more than 80 books, which have been translated in over 43 languages, including 22 New York Times bestsellers. As well as being trained in internal medicine and endocrinology, Deepak is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. It’s fair to say he knows a thing or two about the human body.
Here are some suggestions for your evening routine.
Deepak’s latest book, Radical Beauty, sees him team up with renowned celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder to enlighten us all on the six pillars of healthy living. Those are: internal and external nourishment, beauty sleep, primal beauty, movement and spiritual beauty.
SIP SOMETHING SOOTHING
By focusing on these, Deepak and Kimberly offer an exciting and practical guide to help you transform yourself from the inside out. And the best bit? It’s all achieved through simple and easy to follow lifestyle tweaks.
GET DIM
Radiant Beauty explains everything from why certain foods help achieve greater health and beauty - such as what to eat for optimised digestion - to which massage oils can soothe the nervous system and reduce stress. This is a book to live by - but it’s not only about what you eat, drink or rub on your body - it’s also about the when and the how. Establishing a routine is key, according to Snyder. “While your overall daily routine is important to promote Peak Beauty Sleep, the most important piece of the routine takes place in the evening before bed. it is so important to help you achieve Radical Beauty.” Snyder goes on to explain: “Followed daily, a regular evening routine will help you prepare mentally and physically for sleep by giving cues to your internal clock. This will help you get the best possible beauty sleep every day and in the long-term, which is where the real benefits are to be had. What you choose to do for your evening routine is completely up to you. Every person will respond differently to each activity. “You can choose one of these suggestions, a combination of them, or come up with your own ideas for how to wind down in the evening before bed. The most important thing is that you pick something that makes you feel relaxed and that you do it at the same time every day as often as you can.”
After dinner, sip some herbal tea or hot almond or hemp milk while relaxing or getting ready for bed.
After 6pm in the winter or 7pm in the summer, start dimming the lights in your home. Try using candles at dinner and in whatever room of the house you are in to start reducing your exposure to artificial lights. You don’t have to go full precolonial style, but any time you can reduce artificial lighting, the better. PRACTICE ABHYANGA If you are too rushed in the mornings, you can perform your abhyanga routine in the evening. Or practice a shorter variation of abhyanga foll- owed by a relaxing hot bath or shower. If you completed your abhyanga in the morning, a nice warm bath or shower might be relaxing by itself. RELAX TO MUSIC Try a routine of listening to some music you find truly relaxing. Music can help to powerfully relax your mind. Find some music you connect to with a slower vibration that leaves you feeling soothed and chilled out. No stimulating hip-hop or hard rock at this time!
To find more about Deepak & Kimberly download a digital version of THEBESTYOUMAGAZINE.CO or get The Best You App from Apple Store or Google Play
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | RADIANT BEAUTY
FOR M FOR ORE TIP A GO S NIGH O T’S S D TUR N TO LEEP PAG E
32
HONOUR THE SACRED HOUR Treat the last hour before bed as sacred time for you. Try reading something relaxing or spiritually uplifting, or meditating. There are excellent ways to set the energetic tone as you drift into sleep. Your night time reading should be done with real books instead of an electronic reader that can disrupt your internal cues and sleep patterns. During the sacred hour, what you avoid is just as crucial as what you engage in. Avoid stressful or stimulating activities. Late at night is not the ideal time to complete last-minute work on a presentation, hit the gym, or engage in a dynamic Vinyasa yoga flow. It’s also not the best time to get into a big emotional discussion with your partner or a friend. You’ll be better off saving that for morning tea or a Saturday hike, if you can put it off until then. Stressful activities just have no place before bedtime. They can induce your body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which can make you feel more alert. Chill out and steer clear of anything non–chilled out. SECURE THE BEST BEAUTY SLEEP POSE Research has shown that exactly how you sleep on your pillow can influence wrinkle formation. One study from the journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology studied mechanical forces on the face and how they influenced wrinkles and superficial facial changes, including the formation of crow’s-feet and lines around the mouth. They found that redistributing pressure could help reduce wrinkles. So what can you do? First, ensure that you have the right kind of pillow and avoid sleeping on your stomach, which may create pressure and enhance wrinkles to an even greater degree. Also avoid crossing your legs when you sleep. It’s not only bad for circulation, but can also twist your spine, leaving you feeling unbalanced in the morning. Try sleeping with a pillow between your legs, which will keep your legs and hips more balanced.
RADICAL BEAUTY By Deepak Chopra and Kimberly Snyder
www.thebestyou.co
47
www.thebestyou.co
49
Mindful Meditation More and more people are practicing mindfulness in one way or another, proving that far from being just another buzzword it’s here to stay. The Little Pocket Book of Meditation explains how to get started
ON THE MOVE
1. Start the exercise mindfully by preparing for your walk; bring your
focus to the preliminary activity of pulling on your boots or zipping up a Wherever you happen to live, exploring the places we know and love can jacket to help set yourself in the right frame of mind. bean interesting way of turning our attention to what is already around us. Taking a leisurely walk around your local area is the perfect opportu- 2. As you leave your home, bring your attention to the activity in hand. nity to integrate a mindfulness practice. It is likely you will be carrying your cellphone, and I realise that this is a necessity for most people, but if you can turn it off temporarily, all the If you have difficulty walking, this exercise can be done just as well by better. You could always let your loved ones know that you won’t be finding a spot outside where you can sit and take in your surroundings available for the next 30 minutes, or however long you plan to be, so that in greater detail. Becoming more mindful awakens the senses and helps they have peace of mind. Alternatively, just switch your mobile phone to usto notice more around us. How many times, for example, have you silent so that you can check in if you need to. stopped in your tracks to answer your mobile phone and, as you look around, your gaze lands on something you hadn’t noticed before, even 3. As you set off on your walk, keep your pace even and steady. though you might have passed bythat spot every day. You can, however, make time for yourself, so you don’t miss what is right in front of you. 4. As you walk, think about how your body feels and the impact of each step: Are you balanced and in control? What terrain are you walking on? Are you on a flat surface, stones, grass? Think about what you are experiencing underfoot, not just your location.
5. Halfway through your walk, sit down and take in a more stationary
perspective; this will give you the opportunity not only to refuel, but to take stock of your surroundings.
6. As you continue on the move you will also find yourself having to
interact with other people, such as minding your step or stopping and starting to allow people to pass. Although we may be taking our time to walk with consideration, many others will not, so don’t let them be a distraction. These need not be obstacles to your mindful walking, but can be integrated in to the experience.
7. When you arrive home and have come to the end of your mindful
walking, take a moment tothink about what you experienced. You will likely be surprised to find that you remember your walk with much more clarity and in more detail than usual.
To conclude: Walking with a greater sense of presence can help The Little Pocket Book of Meditation by Stephanie Brookes, published by CICO Books (£9.99), is out now.
usto enjoy something assimple as getting out of the house; it becomes a richer, more rewarding activity. To add variety to this exercise, walk in various different locations to keep yourself interested.
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | MINDFUL MEDITATION
GYM MEDITATION If there wasn’t already enough evidence to convince you of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, this next meditation is doubly convincing, providing a mental and physical workout. The beauty of the gym is that it provides a structured setting where we are less likely to slack off, so it can be the ideal place to carry out a mindfulness practice. This exercise works particularly well on the treadmill, but could equally be used onan exercise bike or other stationary exercise equipment. This meditation can be carried out for the duration of your workout session. For example, ifyou usually use the treadmill for 15 minutes, this could be your time frame.
1. Set about your walk or run as you normally would, but rather than paying attention to the music in the background or the television on the wall ahead, keep your focus on your breathing and be aware of any changes as you increase your pace on the treadmill.
2. Bring your mindfulness practice to the fore and become more aware of your body as you work
it; think about the effort that is required as you adjust the incline or pace. Starting with your feet, working up through the legs, torso, your shoulders and neck, until you reach the top of your crown, become closely aware of what you are experiencing in your body as you exercise. When we notice this level of detail we can cultivate more of an appreciation for how hard our body works and the level of effort required to carry out an activity. This can also bring a sense of satisfaction in what we have achieved, which can often be taken for granted.
3. If you find at any time that your attention has wandered, or you feel you are drifting off in to your own thoughts, bring yourself back to the exercise with your breath as the focus.
4. Once you have finished the exercise, take a moment to ground yourself and feel how your body responds as you begin the cool down.
Illustrations ŠCICO Books
To conclude: By incorporating mindfulness into your gym session, you will develop a greater
appreciation for your workout and you will also have a new, more thoughtful perspective on your fitness routine.
www.thebestyou.co
51
The Best You’s pick of perfect UK rural hideaways to relax and unwind in this Autumn.
Be Inspired
Rooms With A View
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | ROOMS WITH A VIEW
Kylesku Hotel, Kylesku, Highlands This 17th-century former coaching inn stands by the old ferry slipway, still used by creel fishermen, on Loch Glendhu, against a backdrop of mountains. There are waterfront views to delight your inner bird-watcher, plus you might even spot a seal if you’re lucky.
www.kyleskuhotel.co.uk
The Shingle House, Dungeness Bleak yet beautiful, Dungeness is the world’s largest stretch of shingle, with a roaring soundtrack provided by the sea and the wind. This fantastic house was built by Scottish architecture group NORD as part of a project to allow more people to experience contemporary building design in some of Britain’s most astonishing landscapes.
www.living-architecture.com/ the-houses/shingle-house/ accommodation
Hanmers, Lundy, Bristol Channel There are 23 self-catering cottages on Lundy, but Hanmers is particularly special. Built by a savvy fisherman in 1902, it’s on a spot that is sheltered but has a wonderful view out to sea towards Devon. The wooden interior makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time.
www.landmarktrust.org.uk/ search-and-book/properties/ hanmers-8218
www.thebestyou.co
53
Blakeney Hotel
Blakeney Hotel, Blakeney, Norfolk If unforgettable views are what you’re after, this hotel looking out over the estuary and salt marshes to Blakeney Point, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is hard to beat. Panoramic views from the restaurant, bar and terrace are shared by many of the 60 stylish bedrooms – splash out on one with a balcony. www.blakeney-hotel.co.uk
‘Sleeping in a new place changes your perception’ writer and philosopher Alain de Botton
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | ROOMS WITH A VIEW
Blue reef cottages, Isle of Harris Set in the beautiful remote village of Scarista on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, this turf-roofed luxury self catering cottage has its own sauna and Jacuzzi and looks out over mountains in the north and an archipelago of islands, Totally isolated and secluded yet only 10 minutes walk from an award winning restaurant, it’s like a dream come true.
www.stay-hebrides.com
Elmley Nature reserve, Isle of sheppey If you’re after a wildlife-packed escape, Elmley is the place to stay. This cattle farm and national nature reserve on Kent’s Isle of Sheppey boasts wading birds, hare, watervoles, an array of lizards and even seals, who fish of the mudbanks. Get back to nature by staying in one of three shepherd’s huts, soaking up the big skies and leaving your phone behind.
www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk
Llancayo Windmill, Monmouthshire
Swinside Lodge, Newlands, Cumbria
Balancing luxury and child-friendly is no mean feat, but it’s something the quirky Llancayo Mill offers a masterclass in. Located two miles north of the former market town of Usk in Monmouthshire, it sleeps 12 people, and every bedroom has a flatscreen TV, games aplenty and polished wood floors.
There are spectacular views from every one of the seven bedrooms at Mike and Kath Bilton’s idyllic Georgian country house hotel. This is pure Lake Poets countryside: close by is Derwentwater and the market town of Keswick, surrounded by fells and water to help stress melt away.
www.ruralretreats.co.uk/wales/monmouthshire-holiday-cottages/llancayo-windmill_ mo007
www.swinsidelodge-hotel.co.uk
www.thebestyou.co
55
Inspirational Vlog
1 Honest Mum Vicki Psarias is Honest Mum; effortlessly adding a dollop of realism and humour to parenting. Her multi award winning lifestyle and parenting site features diverse features about family life, food, fashion, beauty and travel.
www.honestmum.com
The kids are back at school allowing parents everywhere to breathe a sigh of relief, including these three straight-talking mums who’ve made a career out of truthful vlogging
THE BEST YOU MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 | 21ST CENTURY VLOGGERS
oggers: Parenting special
3 Mother Pukka Molly Gunn is the founder and editor of Selfish Mother, a site she created for like-minded women back in 2013. With vlogs including ‘how not to look knackered’ she’s helping to change the image of modern day mums.
Vlogs about Anna Whitehouse’s nonPhotoshopped parenting have been watched almost 270,000 times. Hers is a portal for news, events, fashion, reviews and honest comment for people who just so happen to be parents.
www.selfishmother.com/
www.motherpukka.co.uk
Selfish Mother
2
Get exclusive content from Honest Mum and other inspirational vloggers on
www.thebestyou.co www.thebestyou.co
57
1st & 2nd October 2016
To advertise here, please contact us on +44 (0) 207 927 6500 or email adverstising@thebestyou.co
Speak
& exhibit at Book Today
call 0207 927 6500 email louise.dockery@thebestyou.co or luciano.moya@thebestyou.co
or please visit www.thebestyouexpo.com
To advertise here, please contact us on +44 (0) 207 927 6500 or email adverstising@thebestyou.co
The Event of Champions® is back & it’s even BIGGER & BETTER. 12 World Class Speakers (1 surprise), 2 Full Days of Content Rich, Life Changing Information, Private Dinner at the Ritz London, people from around the world and an event that promises to be UNFORGETTABLE. The Event of Champions® brings together the BEST & BIGGEST names in Personal Development, Financial Education, Law, Marketing, Networking, Entrepreneurship, Online Marketing, Fitness, Leadership, Publishing, Sales and so much more, to teach other entrepreneurs how to start, build, run and grow successful businesses or brands both locally and internationally. 12 WORLD CLASS and GLOBALLY Recognised Speakers who are all coming together to inspire a global audience in becoming a CHAMPION.
Be Inspired
The Last Word Inspirational quotes for reflection and motivation ‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’ Theodore Roosevelt ‘The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.’ H.Jackson Brown, Jr ‘Have humility—you can make it much faster with help.’ Eric Finnigan ‘Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.’ Stephen R. Covey ‘Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.’ Albert Schweitzer ‘The true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.’ Ann Landers ‘It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.’ Harry Truman ‘Many of the things you can count, don’t count. Many of the things you can’t count, really count.’ Albert Einstein ‘The man who has no money is poor. But the man who only has money is even poorer.’ Anonymous
www.thebestyou.co
63
To find out more please call + 44 (0) 207 9276500 or email us at info@thebestyou.co