Getting your 5-Day

Now before you go running for the fruit and veg this isn’t what I mean. In fact our 5-a-day is all about pies(s).

To help you maintain a balance across your intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being and to create a wonderful relationship with yourself we show you how to do something from each of these 5 areas every single day:

Something Physical

Something Intellectual

Something Enjoyable

Something Spiritual

and Something Sociable

and by doing so find a balance with the perpetual energy in the universe allowing it to flow through you and work positively in every area of your life.

Let me explain each one.

Doing something physical is pretty obvious really.

I just make sure I do some form of physical activity every day. This doesn’t have to be a trip to the gym of an exhausting jog around the park although I do aim to do this level of activity at least 3 times a week. Some days I just go for a brisk walk in my lunch hour or even make an effort to use stairs instead of lifts and escalators all day. It may even be as simple as walking to the shop rather than jumping in the car.

Doing something intellectual is often the most tricky but I tend to keep it very simple.

My most common intellectual  activity is reading. Reading anything is educational. Fiction, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers or even internet blogs can all be educational. Obviously you can be a little more adventurous and I have actually learned to play both the piano and saxophone in my intellectual activities over recent years.

Doing something enjoyable isn’t always easy to master, particularly if you are in the habit of blaming everyone else for the way that you feel and therefore the way that you act.

To make this truly work you have to do something that YOU enjoy. Not something that your partner or kids enjoy and you go along to make them happy. Albeit there can be a sense of enjoyment from making your loved ones happy.

Often the other 4 of my 5 a day are actually very enjoyable but I always aim to include something specific just for me. It doesn’t have to be grand or meaningful and often it is the simple things that bring the most enjoyment. So, some examples are watching a television programme that I really enjoy or listening to a radio show or Internet podcast that interests me (usually comedy). I sometimes make myself a special lunch or treat that is just for me or occasionally buy myself a bag of Haribo to eat whilst driving. Like I said, sometimes the simple things are the most enjoyable.

Doing something spiritual will undoubtedly mean different things to different people but for me regardless of religion or beliefs being spiritual is about connecting with yourself or with your environment.

So for me a twenty minute meditation just focussing on my own breathing is truly spiritual. Other examples I use are reading some philosophical or religious text, taking a walk in the park and being mindful of nature and my surroundings or listening, uninterrupted to some meaningful music.

Anything that connects me to my own self and my own feelings is for me, a spiritual exercise.

Doing something sociable is simply doing anything with other people.

Our relationships are key to a Wonderful life and therefore doing any activity with other people helps to fulfil this need. I often make a point of doing some work as part of a group or joining in with other peoples tasks. They often see this as me doing them a favour or lending them a hand which brings its own sense of satisfaction. Other examples of doing something social may be taking part in a team game or sport or even going down to the pub and enjoying the company of friends over a drink or game of darts. I even include sitting around the table with my family to eat our evening meal together as a Social activity. These social activities are the outlet for all of your energy. Allowing your energy to flow in a social situation creates a positive reaction in those around you and on some level has a positive impact on your life and those around you.