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Push yourself to get up before the rest of the world

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“Push yourself to get up before the rest of the world –
start with 7am, then 6am, then 5:30am.
Go to the nearest hill with a big coat and a scarf and watch the sun rise.

push yourself to fall asleep earlier –
start with 11pm, then 10pm, then 9pm.
Wake up in the morning feeling re-energized and comfortable. Lie in your garden, feel the sunshine on your skin.

Get into the habit of cooking yourself a beautiful breakfast.
Fry tomatoes and mushrooms in real butter and garlic, fry an egg, slice up a fresh avocado and squirt way too much lemon on it. Sit and eat it and do nothing else.

Stretch. Start by reaching for the sky as hard as you can, then trying to touch your toes.
Roll your head. Stretch your fingers. stretch everything. Buy a 1L water bottle. Start with pushing yourself to drink the whole thing in a day, then try drinking it twice.

Buy a beautiful diary and a beautiful black pen. Write down everything you do, including dinner dates, appointments, assignments, coffees, what you need to do that day. No detail is too small.

Strip your bed of your sheets and empty your underwear draw into the washing machine. wash, then hang them in the sunshine with care. Make your bed in full.

Dig your fingers into the earth, plant a seed. See your success as it grows everyday.
Organise your room. Fold all your clothes (and bag what you don’t want), clean your mirror, your laptop, vacuum the floor. Light a beautiful candle.

Breathe. Practice your deep breathing. Ground yourself. Have a luxurious shower with your favourite music playing. Wash your hair, scrub your body, brush your teeth. Lather your whole body in moisturiser, get familiar with the part between your toes, your inner thighs, the back of your neck.

Push yourself to go for a walk. Take your headphones, go to the beach and walk. Smile at strangers walking the other way and be surprised by how many smile back. Bring your dog and observe the dog’s behaviour. Realise you can learn from your dog.

Message old friends with personal jokes. Reminisce. Suggest a catch up soon, even if you don’t follow through.

Find a book about it and read it. There is a book about literally everything. Become the person you would ideally fall in love with. Let cars merge into your lane when driving. Pay double for parking tickets and leave a second one in the machine.

Stick your tongue out at babies. help an animal. Compliment people on their cute clothes. Challenge yourself to not ridicule anyone for a whole day. then two. Then a week. Walk with a straight posture. Look people in the eye. Ask people about their story. Talk to acquaintances so they become friends.

Lie in the sunshine. Daydream about the life you would lead if failure wasn’t a thing. Open your eyes. Take small steps to make it happen for you…”

(This article appeared in Fearless Facebook on 08/06/20)

Alan holds a Masters Degree and Graduate Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy from the University of Limerick. He has worked in private practice in Limerick and Ennis for many years. He has lectured on research on the Psychotherapy M.A. in U.L., and worked as a group facilitator on the M.A. in Music Therapy in U.L. Alan also holds a Higher National Diploma and Bachelors Degree in Irish Music, and has taught guitar on the B.A. in Irish Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy. As a professional musician he has toured extensively throughout Ireland and Europe with various artists. Alan’s interests include auto-ethnographic and heuristic approaches to research, personal development, and transpersonal approaches to psychotherapy. He continues to get great enjoyment from music, playing regularly in the Limerick and Ennis scene, as well as working on various recording projects. He values the personal development of student therapists and the effective integration of this with skills and theory.