Remove & Delete!

We all have them. The areas in our lives that we know are stealing valuable time or in other ways damaging our health. The areas we wish we didn't engage in, as they are either hurting us, numbing us or in other ways contributing to a negative outcome of some parts of our lives.

Pause here for a moment and notice your thoughts - what came up for you? Don't censor, just listen. Your mind immediately took you to your health stealer. Make a note of it and read on.

Very common areas would be sugary foods, snacking, processed foods, binging tv, social media, game apps, alcohol and/or smoking/vaping.

I have a challenge for you: Remove and delete these areas. Even if only for two weeks, remove all processed foods from your cupboards and avoid ordering take-away, throw all snacks and sugary foods in the bin, place the tv in the attic, delete the social media apps so you can only access them by actively searching for them, throw out all alcohol/leave it with someone else for the duration of the trial, throw away cigarettes/vapes and don't purchase more.

Once you have done this; notice. Notice what goes on inside during those moments where you would have snacked (because your body will take you to the kitchen as per usual), had a drink or binged some tv. Notice what you're feeling when you reach for your phone to play a game or scroll social media or feel the urge to have a cigarette or vape.

All these areas have been serving a purpose in your life, so for some it can be a very emotional thing to let them go. What has the snacking been doing for you? What function has the doom scrolling had in your life? Has the binging been acting as a bandaid? Has the alcohol been numbing painful emotions? Has the gaming been filling a void? Are you feeling bored? Lonely?

Every time you automatically feel the urge to do that thing you used to do, but no longer can do (because you removed it): What’s going on? And what can you do for yourself in this moment? Is it a matter of just sitting with your feelings? Just being? Maybe writing out your thoughts could be helpful - without censoring of any kind? Would it help you to reach out to a friend or family member for support or simply a catch up? Are you feeling called to be productive? To create? To read a book? To cook? Go for a run? Play an instrument?

While removing the excess noise, the time consumers and the health robbers can bring up heavy emotions and insights, they also come with new opportunities. Opportunities to take life into your own hands, which for many people is a very empowering feeling. Suddenly you have hours available just for you! Or if you've gotten rid of the sugary and processed foods your energy levels have most likely increased and there you are with all this new life force! Who would you like to spend it with? What would you like to do? Or is it time to take up a hobby?

Most people are stuck in a consumer lifestyle. We consume from the moment we wake up and numb ourselves in the process, which can have detrimental consequences to our physical and mental health.

I urge you to give this little exercise a go and really notice what goes on within. If the idea of doing this on your own feels overwhelming, feel free to reach out and we can work on it together.

You can do this. And your future self is thanking you for it.