positive thinking – Page 3 – Miranda Adams Coaching

Faith vs Fear

Life can be a challenge between Faith and Fear. A lot of what we may need or want in life lies in the unseen, therefore requires an amount of faith in its manifestation, without faith a state of fear can arise.

We need an amount of certainty in our lives to know that our basic needs are going to be met, sometimes we can not be sure that they will be so it can bring about fear – this is where our faith comes in. Faith is believing in the unseen with absolute certainty and conviction, knowing that that which you need will appear , having this type of faith is very empowering and is what can often give us the strength and courage to come through the difficult times and to manifest our needs and more than we thought possible.

This is also how visualisation and mindfulness can be so powerful as they can bring about this state of faith and certainty, and take us away from the state of fear and uncertainty.

Fear on the other hand is like a trap, it can control our lives if we allow it to, it is false however and also yet unseen but will have very different results to that which we desire. I have as many been in both of these places, that of intense fear and that of intense faith and I can say with absolute certainty that I much prefer the latter. Fear is perpetual doubt and until you decide to beat it with your own faith it will keep winning and keep you trapped there. Faith is in your hands, your heart and your mind, and it is also extremely powerful.

When you next feel a state of lack and you need something or you are setting goals to stretch yourself and you start to feel fear or uncertainty, remember to choose faith over fear. Dont give fear any power, dont allow it to trap you and to confine your life.

Have faith in yourself and your environment and the results will come.

‘Take the first step in faith, you dont have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.’ ~ Martin Luther King

Chronic Pain Management

Chronic Pain can be a very frustrating and debilitating condition to manage so I would like to share with you some of the methods I have learnt through personal and professional practice on how best to manage it. It is my hope that anyone who struggles with this may find some of these methods helpful because I know how frustrating this problem can be when it is severe.

Firstly I’d like to identify that there are different types of pain; the type I am referring to here mainly is chronic muscle pain<land fatigue, as I know this can be very difficult to manage and also frustrating when you feel that it is limiting your life.

Although I am referring more to chronic muscle pain and fatigue in this post, much of these methods will also be of help for more short term muscle pain such as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which is experienced after heavy gym sessions. The reason for this is these methods will help to speed up the recovery process. It will also be helpful for some other types of chronic pain.

In terms of pain it is very important to identify the role of our perception. All people have different pain thresholds and so will have different coping degrees. However you can also learn to raise your pain threshold through re-focussing your mind. For example when you are focusing on the pain itself it will feel far more painful than if you direct your focus elsewhere.

Stress can also be a major contributor to the perception of pain; this is another reason to take your focus off the pain. If you know that the pain you experience is chronic then, other than painkillers, much of how you perceive it is under your control. This can either be scary or empowering once you have the necessary tools. Our minds respond to pain as a warning sign as this is what it often signifies in the short–term.

To clarify my point here

– The main thing you can do to help yourself once you know this pain is chronic, is focus your mind on something else. All the following techniques I will give you will be an addition to this.

Coping Methods

First things first, Eat Well, this is so important I cannot emphasise it enough. The main priorities here are that you need a good balance of food to meet all your nutritional requirements ensuring you are getting enough protein (for muscle growthand repair). Wholegrain carbohydrates (for sustained energy release) and a variety of fruit and vegetables(for micronutrient needs). It is also highly important that you eat regularly so that your metabolism runs effectively. Little & often is best if you can – around every 3-4 hours.

Stretching/ Yoga – This is very important and very helpful when you have muscle pain. By stretching properly you will help to release the tension and that has built up in your muscles and is causing you more pain and fatigue. You only need to do a stretching session for 10 – 15minutes to obtain benefits. Yoga and stretching will also help you to relax and take your mind off the pain.

Meditation
Although it can be difficult to re-direct your attention when you are in pain. This is very powerful and will benefit your life in every way by allowing you to focus better on the task at hand and be mindful wherever you are. You do not have to meditate for long, just 5 minutes can be helpful. There are lots of different meditation techniques but essentially what you are doing is directing your focus on to one thing (that is not the pain), such as your breath, and allowing all thoughts and distractions to pass by. This will bring you in to a state of peace which can be very blissful and a welcome relief from any form of pain. If you are unsure of which method to use then please contact me and I will happily help you with this.

Massage/ Heat – As with stretching this method will also help to relax your muscles and release toxins. The added benefit here however is it requires no effort on your part other than getting there. Massages can be wonderfully relaxing & therapeutic and are not just for pampering as some may think. If you make it a regular thing such as once a month I am certain you would notice a difference. By heat I mean either using a sauna or having a hot bath – these methods alone will help to release built up tension and toxins. In addition something I would highly recommend that is natural and extremely effective is Epsom salts – You add these to a hot bath and you will almost instantly feel the tension release.

Other methods –
The above methods I would say are the main methods for you to try, However below are some methods that are also useful that you may want to try;

Swimming moderately ( 20-30 minutes is adequate )

Positive thinking and visualisation

Acupuncture

Social support

Laughter (The best medicine as they say:)

Writing/Art – (this helps you to process your thoughts and feelings)

Understanding your limitations and using necessary tools i.e. A Journal, time management.

Qigong / Tai Chi.

Adequate Rest & prescribed exercise.

EFT– Emotional Freedom Technique.

I hope you have found this blog post helpful. If you require any further help or advice then please do not hesitate to contact me via email/phone. Much of the above has come through my knowledge of holistic health and fitness and through personal experience. If you are unsure in anyway of the causes of the chronic pain you are experiencing, then please consult a medical practitioner.

‘Those who have the greatest struggles have the greatest strength.’

The power of exercise

When an exercise plan is first started it can feel like a struggle, real hard work to many, or at least this is how it may be perceived and so this is what puts people off sometimes. However like many things that can begin with ‘hard work’, the results are many and can also be very powerful and often transformative.

This is the perception I now have of exercise itself because of the many transformative experiences I have luckily had from the power of exercise itself. This does not stop at just the physical; to me the physical benefits are important but just a part of what you can gain.

In my last post I talked about the benefits you can gain from exercise of which there are many. Here I particularly want to talk about one of the immediate benefits you can gain from exercise. The benefits that are immediate but can also have a lasting effect if you let it. Our aim at Mirala Health is to help people see the full benefits that can be gained from a health programme that takes the whole approach; I hope that this blog post can help you with this.

No matter what your current health state is, you can experience the benefits of exercise in this sense almost immediately. All it requires is that you take the action to go and do the exercise whatever form it is and begin with the intention that you will enjoy it.

Have you ever been in an exercise class or doing some form of exercise and felt really good, lifted, happy and totally in the moment? Some may call it a buzz. This feeling can be experienced every time you exercise, and over time if you exercise regularly your emotional state can be lifted more permanently. Exercise is one of the best anti-depressants and it can also be free. Just going out for a walk or run can really lift your mood. Try this next time you are feeling low.

Although it can be hard to get started it is always worth it. It is known that when we exercise feel-good hormones called endorphins are released and this can be what causes us to feel good. But whatever the cause, one thing is for sure is it works as a great mood enhancer and there are no really bad side effects, only long term benefits. If you view exercise in this way I am certain that if you are not already, then you will be far more motivated to participate in regular exercise.

In addition, it doesn’t matter how long you have been exercising for this benefit never goes away, if anything it increases. I like to explain it sometimes as an experience of satori – (this is a Zen name for an experience of mini enlightenment) where true reality is experienced and true joy- everything is one and there is no detachment. This is how we should feel and want to feel so why not have more of it. When I experience this level of joy it is often during cardiovascular exercise such as sparring or a spinning class, many runners will also experience this. Exercise in itself can be a form of mindfulness meditation which is perhaps what leads to this experience of Satori.

It is a state of euphoria and one that is free and of course healthy. Who wouldn’t want this and if not why? The next time you feel unmotivated when you have arranged to go for an exercise session remind yourself of the mood enhancing benefits that can be gained from it and see if it helps:).

Overcoming common barriers to personal growth

I wanted to share with you today some of the ways I have learnt in how to overcome our limitations and our very often unconcious defences and limitations. We are often not aware of these and how they can limit our personal growth and I believe support in this area to be of much need & importance.

There are methods we can use to overcome our limitations and barriers to personal growth, however awareness is the first and perhaps most important step. Many of our defences and limitations may be operating subconciously, but they can often be brought to the surface with enough self- awareness.

‘Awareness in and of itself is transformative’ ~ Ken Wilbur

THE BARRIERS/ LIMITATIONS – IDENTIFY THEM.

Firstly and I think most commonly is the barrier of fear, this can be a tremendous barrier for many and can take various different forms. It could be fear of failing, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, amongst many others, but essentially the barrier is always the same – the feeling of fear.
Doubting your ability or the possibility that you can achieve what it is you’ve set out to do. These doubts can also come from others around you, who may knowingly/unknowingly cause you to doubt in your true abilities.
Not being specific enough about the goals you have set out to achieve, this is highly important to create self belief and the cause to take necessary actions.
Not taking responsibility for your own life & outcomes.
Expecting immediate results – in short this is being impatient with both yourself and your environment therefore putting you out of line in the process of being and becoming. Although we all may have goals we want to achieve, the greatest gifts I believe come from the journey to achieving them.

WAYS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS/LIMITATIONS

For each person the journey is different, but I think essentially the ways in which we can successfully overcome these barriers in particular can be common to us all. These are specific ways that are commonly used towards success.

Awareness – as we have already identified if you know your limitations you can overcome them – ‘Knowledge is power.’
Have Specific set goals and write them down to increase certainty. There is a specific method you can follow when setting goals and this is called the SMART approach which stands for; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. So ensure that the goals you set meet these objectives, this will increase your confidence and motivation in achieving them. Break the goal down in to smaller steps to make it more realistic, measurable and achievable and ensure you are specific in what you want to achieve and set a date.
Believe in yourself – This is critical, you must believe that it is possible. Tell yourself everyday that you can do it and take specific daily actions until you achieve it. This will increase your self-bellief and when you do achieve your goal, which you will, you will become more and more confident in your ability to achieve further goals.
Take full responsibility for you life and outcomes – you have the power to make changes what ever your current circumstances may be. As Bruce Lee states ‘To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.’
‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’ ~ Susan Jeffers. If you haven’t read this book I would highly reccomend it. It changed my life dramatically. As a child and throughout my teens I struggled tremendously with fear and it had a lot of power over me. However after reading this book I decided to not allow it to have that power anymore and I took it back. As Susan Jeffers explains in her book , by acting in spite of fear you take away its power and increase your own. In my experience this is the best method by far of overcoming any fear, it is hard at first but the confidence and self- belief you will gain from doing it makes it highly worth the effort.
Let go of the fixation on the outcome. As I stated earlier although you have set a goal which you wish to achieve, it is about the journey; this is where you learn about yourself, your purpose and where all the memories and rewards come. If you remain too fixated on the outcome, you will likely miss out on all these benefits and give up if you dont see results quickly enough. In my experience within the health and fitness industry, I see this very often and so I try to get people to focus on the more short term benefits that are gained from exercise, of which there are many. Focus on these and the long-term results will come.

Miranda.L.Adams

Mirala Health.