•  Start by having a good general daily routine. Begin bringing balance and regularity in areas that you can do something instantly about such as having regular meal times, for example, as well as the following:

•  Get to bed early. Having early nights whenever possible is the quickest way to waking up refreshed every morning.

•  Take daily exercise - just like your car, your body needs some activity every day to help keep everything working well. If you're not used to exercise, why not just make time for a short walk after meals to begin with, or walk or cycle instead of using the car for shorter trips?

These things alone can make a huge difference to how energized and balanced you feel in a day. Yoga and Tai Chi are also good forms of exercise with a strong balancing effect.

•  Nourish your mind too! Why not reduce the time you and your family spend in front of the television every week and use that time instead to pursue exciting new interests and learn new things? You could pick up that instrument or sign up for that art class you always wanted to do and have fun and meet new people in the process!

• Breathe! Yes that's right - most people don't breathe properly. By breathing deeply and slowly, in through the nose and out through the mouth, using the full capacity of the lungs, you can increase the clarity of your mind, your sense of calmness, energy levels and well-being. Oriental and Asian cultures have been using this simple technique for thousands of years!

•  Spend time in nature. We come from Nature and we go back to Nature at the end of our days. We eat Nature and we breathe Nature and there's never a time when we're not really connected to Mother Nature. However as humans, with our modern, unnatural and fast paced way of life, we make a very good attempt at disconnecting ourselves from our heritage. Pathetic! By doing so, we greatly miss out on this life-giving force. Whenever we really make time to connect with and enjoy the natural environment then we allow ourselves to become infused with beauty, abundance, nourishment and peace.

•  Make time for fun and play in your day or week. Don't save it just for when you are on holiday on the beach - you can feel that light and carefree most days if you choose. Try dancing for five or ten minutes every day to your favourite loud music or a bit of clowning around can always lift your mood.

•  Nurture yourself. Include in your day or week anything else you know that is nurturing to you.

Whenever we find ourselves off track in life or
simply during periods of change and transition,
by introducing the things listed above, which
don't have to cost a penny, we can make a huge
difference to how we feel everyday and help to
keep ourselves balanced, strong and nourished.

TOOLS FOR

YOUR

INNER

SELF

•  Take time out to be alone with your soul and turn off all the usual distractions. Having quiet periods in the day can help keep things in perspective.

•  Always trust your intuition. It's that quiet little voice within which has been whispering to you since the moment you were born and will be with you till the moment of your last breath. It cares only about your highest good; it is your best friend for life.

•  Learn to meditate for relaxation and a sense of well-being and inner peace.

•  Use your mind for good positive things. If you constantly dwell or think about all the negative things that happen in your life or in your environment on a daily basis, then you will only create more of this in your experience. Therefore, if you catch yourself dwelling on the negative - STOP and make yourself think a more positive thought by looking for the positive message in everything that happens, it's always there just below the surface. This has the power to raise your energy levels in a flash.

•  Read inspirational books which can uplift your spirit and give you a sense of well-being, hope and even joy. An excellent one is even listed on this website.

"The thoughts we choose to think are the tools we use to paint the canvas of our lives"                   Louise Hay

•  Keep a daily journal of your thoughts, feelings and experiences. This alone is a powerful tool to get all those repetitive thoughts that swim around your head all the time out of there and onto paper - it does bring some peace!

•  At the end of every day count your blessings - all the good things that happened in the day, however small, write them in your journal and give thanks for them. This takes you out of your own self-centred world, helps you stay humble and connects you with the larger truth of life which is bigger than just ourselves and what we get up to in a day.

•  We all have unique gifts so... Never be afraid to express who you are, your dreams or what is in your heart. It's a little scary at first, if you're not used to it, but will quickly bring enrichment, empowerment, confidence and strength to you.

"You are the gift you have come to receive and you get it by giving it away" Neale Donald Walsch

•  Keep a list of compliments at the back of your journal; it will help you to continue believing in yourself.

•  Do charitable deeds unasked. Start where you can - right where you are! We all have some family member or neighbour we could assist or do some good deeds for. This can bring you much enrichment, take you off your own treadmill for a while and may even help to get your own challenges more in perspective.

•  Tell your friends about this website. What you give out always comes back to you in some way. They may benefit and be inspired by these tools and at some other time may be able to support and inspire you in some unexpected way in return. In fact this website was created with the purpose of giving out freely the tools and words contained here in order to benefit as many people as possible. So do make use of them for yourself in daily life and also share, share, share!

•  Stay familiar with the feelings that come with being on track in life so you can spot when you are off course and can quickly do something about it.

•  Keep In Touch. Subscribe to our free e -newsletter and stay inspired!

•  Review this website regularly - youcanbeyourself.com - it will remind you of all the important points and keep them fresh in your mind.