My week of ‘wellness’ in Turkey…and how it has reminded me of why I do the work that I do!
I am feeling incredibly fortunate to have just spent a week in a truly idyllic spot near Dalyan in Turkey, on a wellness retreat. Each day we did about 4 hours of yoga (hatha, ashtanga, vinyasa, yin) and were encouraged to put our iPhones (mostly) out of site, eat only the freshly made vegan food given to us, get to bed early, and take time out to just ‘be’ and to simply enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Palace Gokbel. This gorgeous retreat is set in the mountains above Dalyan, over-looking the UNESCO listed Itzuzu Beach (where every summer the Loggerhead turtles come to hatch and nest), designed and built with so much love and attention (and patience!) by Naomi and Sean who made this their home eight years ago and have not looked back. I have emerged feeling well-rested, energised and ready to face a busy week back at work and home, and determined to keep in place some of the good habits and practices that I know make such a huge difference to my sense of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
If I am honest, this is the sort of place where I am at my happiest and it was not actually a hardship for me to eat and live this way, though I do appreciate many might find it restricting in some ways (apparently lots of people try to sneak food in!).
After a wholesome and restful week, we arrived at Dalaman airport this afternoon, and I was immediately struck by all the fast-food kiosks and restaurants in the terminal; indeed it was really hard to find something to eat that was not processed and/or presented in plastic, and I must confess I found it somewhat depressing to see how difficult it has often become to make healthy food choices in much of the world around us. I am aware that I had just emerged from a unique environment, so the culture shock was perhaps enhanced, but it made me think, and understand just how passionate I am about wanting to help coach people to become the healthiest versions of themselves. I know this may sound a bit cheesy, but it reminded me of just how much I love what I do, and that I want to do more to help in any small ways that I can.
I believe that being able to eat healthfully, sleep better, find ways to rest and relax that help to reduce our stress levels, and being able to move with freedom and without pain is everyone’s birth right. But it often seems totally overwhelming knowing where to start. We are constantly being bombarded and misled – supermarket shelves and endless fast-food outlets and kiosks bursting with highly processed sugar-laden ‘foods’ and drinks, or the seemingly endless promise of ‘magic bullets’ by way of expensive supplements, fad diets, cosmetic treatments or even medical procedures that promise to prevent/reverse ageing, make us slimmer/more beautiful, and which often seem way quicker and easier than actually making any changes to our lifestyles at all.
As I have said before, but I repeat again, it is by starting with small and sustainable changes that bigger transformation can occur, but you do have to be serious about change, and even be prepared to push yourself a little out of your comfort zone if you really want to see progress. Like basically everything in life, there seems to be a direct correlation between what you put in, and what you get out 😉
Come, work with me so I can help you on your journey…we will work together, and I will nudge you, make suggestions, encourage, hold you accountable – whatever it takes to help you rediscover your vitality, improve your sleep, increase your energy, shift those extra kilos, or beat one of the many and often reversible chronic diseases (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer) that can have such a devastating impact on the lives of us or our loved ones.
Contact me now for a free discovery phone call to see whether I might be able to help you. More information can be found on my Health Coaching pages.
