© Copyright 2020 Artwork by Cordi Neckermann
Attention is our most valuable asset and yet most of the time, we give it out too easily and far too carelessly. We let others steal our attention as we ourselves pay attention to the constant stream of information that rattles through our mobile phones. But what about you? What about yourself? Paying attention to you and how you feel physically and mentally is more important now than ever before. Taking some 'me-time' to reboot and focus on what you need (or don’t need) is priceless. As little as 10 minutes of stepping away from your daily responsibilities can reduce your stress levels and is proven to make you more productive.
But what to do?
Just sit still for 10 minutes?
Hide in the bathroom?
No, the answer is: Get a hobby! It sounds old-fashioned, but ever since the Internet, Netflix and the smart phone, we humans let our attention be taken away or 'stolen' from us far too easily. We are consuming more digital content instead of spending time doing something we love. And let's be honest, most of the information we consume on our smart phones is useless and in reality, not so smart.
Dare to listen to your thoughts
One of my favourite hobbies to escape information overload is yoga. I don’t do yoga to be able to stand on my head or bend backwards until I can kiss my toes. I do it to hear myself think and choose which thoughts to take seriously or not. You won’t believe the things the mind comes up with...it can be absolutely hilarious! Learning to separate yourself from your thoughts can be a major stress buster.
Let the colours do the talking
Another way of spending quality me-time is being creative. I love spending time doodling in my sketchbook, even if it's for just 10 minutes. Don't think you're not creative? Think again. Creativity is hard wired into all of us as humans, otherwise we wouldn’t have survived for so long.
A sketchbook is a great place for expressing yourself in colours, lines, splashes and brush strokes and a little tip from me; keep it for your eyes only! Just 10 minutes of sketchbooking (yes, it's a verb!) can recharge your batteries, giving you new, refreshed energy for the rest of the day.
Just shake it
A more energetic way of nurturing the relationship with yourself is through exercise. My preferred form of exercise is dance fitness. Dancing gives you a full body and brain workout. It improves coordination, concentration, posture and confidence all at the same time . Because we get lost in the music and movement, any stress just melts away and you actually feel refreshed after an hour of dancing.
Indulging in your hobby for a small amount of time every day goes a long way and discovering your love for a hobby will be so rewarding. You may develop into a happier, more relaxed and focused version of you. Taking time for yourself is another one of your super powers and can give you an infinite source of energy.
Where to start? Right here. I love sharing my favourite hobbies and meeting people who love doing the same things I do.
I have free drawing tutorials on my YouTube channel to get you started on your sketchbook adventure. Click on over and take a look.
If you visit me on CordiPower.com you can learn more about my Yoga and Dance Fitness classes.
Hope to see you soon,
Cordi