When was the last time you did something for yourself?

This is a subject i have been speaking to more and more people about recently.

Its something i am pretty poor at and its something that is having a huge impact on my happiness at the moment.

It seems im not on my own

Part of my coaching role is to help people look at there lives differently and help them implement new habits to bring long term happiness through health and fitness.

This is exactly what clean eating is about

Feeling good and comfortable within yourself through the smart choices you are choosing to make

Food really does have that power.

Its been a very busy week once again for new people applying for our help

This has mainly come from our ever growing Bootcamp in Broadstone and Wimborne

However we are no building a fantastic online program that is reaching out to other parts of the UK which is very exciting.

The majority of people when i speak with them during there free consultation have had one thing in common when applying for my program

They want to do something for themselves

I get this, i really do and until you are able to implement some things into your current lifestyle that are seriously just about you, i think deep down you will never truly be happy.

We seek happiness in material things nowadays

We are led to believe that the big car and big house is the true happiness we want

Its not

From my experience of helping a lot of people over the last 5 years is happiness really does come from within

Having that life that you are fully in control of

Having that time to yourself to do something you can enjoy

So let me ask you again

What thing or things do you do on a weekly basis that are just about you?

I had a lady this week decide to not join my program because her friend was not interested

That friend has different beliefs and different needs

That friend didnt apply

That friend is not interested in bootcamp

She was!

Do things for yourself, i guarantee your friends will!

As we get older i think it is the one thing we all start to realise

Everybody looks after number 1

So are you?

I am a Dad to 2 beautiful little girls

One aged 5 and one 2 years and 11 months

I also run my own business where i work very early mornings 3 days a week and evenings 3 times a week on top of Saturday mornings.

My business is very busy which is fantastic and i only have myself to motivate me

This is where i have been struggling recently and it falls back to the title of this post

I have been working long hours

When i dont work im sorting the kids out or looking after them when my wife works
We are not blessed with great options when it comes to babysitters

I have recently been feeling like im burning out

I love my job, i love the people i train, i love my environment

But 2 weeks ago i had a moment

A moment when i realised that i was putting everyone else first in my life and had started to hate my life

Yep, i said it, HATE MY LIFE

How sad is that!

I started putting a lot of pressure on myself and withdrew from the public eye

I was putting a game face on at work, pretending that everything is ok when it wasnt

I was smiling at home but behind those smiles was frustration and a feeling of just wanting to go to sleep

I started questioning what i was doing

Why?

Because i was feeling like i couldnt get away

I couldnt have any time to myself

A feeling that my job was ruling me and it was stressing me out

During this period i lost my cover for work meaning that i only have myself to run my 10 bootcamp sessions a week all whilst having children off on holidays and telling my wife we cant stay over anywhere as i have bootcamp.

How bad is that!?

My wife must have felt amazing!

It was only 12 months ago i had stress and anxiety counselling and i could feel myself going down this route again

So whats changed?

I talked to people in my line of work and got some advice

I spoke to my wife about everything

I got help

Its amazing when you chat to someone how different your life looks

Its amazing the picture you build up in your head is so different to the actual picture around you

You get bogged down and fail to see the light

The biggest thing i did was accept things had to change

and then i changed them!

Its something i am still trying to get right

However, since going self employed i have really struggled to have time off

A lot of things were staring me in the face

I was wasting a lot of my time on social media when i could have been doing something with my kids

Time management is probably the biggest thing i have changed

I was replying to emails and facebook messages as soon as they came in

I was telling myself if i didnt clients would leave because they would hate my service

Now, if an email comes in after 8pm, i pick it up first thing the next morning and enjoy 2 hours with my wife rather than just ignoring her with my head in a laptop

I have 30 minute windows 3 times a day to check my facebook groups and answer any questions

and guess what, NO COMPLAINTS!

The biggest thing i have done this week is tke some time out to be with the people i love

My wife and 2 daughters

Yes i have had to run sessions but i have worked my days out around these sessions

I have had to cancel my Thursday night session this week which i hate doing but as i have no cover i dont have any choice as im in Devon for the day with my family

Man that has dipped into my anxiety but i need this day off and not to rush back for Bootcamp or cut my family day short

Its funny i feel that way as i have only cancelled 2 sessions in the last 9 months.

Its amazing how many PT’s have the same battle, in fact i would go as far as saying how many self employed people feel the same way.

If you are reading this and feel the same way

ITS OK, YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Whilst my main business goal moving forward is to get cover for sessions the bigger goal is to keep doing things each week for me

So i now schedule me time into my week

I plan it and make sure i follow it

It might be a workout
It might be a book
it might some time with my kids

either way its about freshening the mind and putting yourself in the best frame of mind to deliver

What do you do for yourself?

Many of my bootcamp ladies see that as there time

Some time to get away from the hussle and bussle of family life for 45 minutes 2-3 times a week

My PT Clients like that 1-2-1 session, its all about them for 60 minutes focussing on improving themselves

If you dont currently make time for yourself

Ask yourself why?

Then sit down and look at your time and start to see if you can improve the way you send your time

Look for opportunities to fit things in for yourself

It may just 15 minutes a day to squeeze a sit down and a cup of tea in

It maybe freeing up 45 minutes to get to bootcamp

But do it

MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF AND YOU WILL BECOME A HAPPIER PERSON

I PROMISE