Written by Tanya Tsikkos, CEO
Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewelry designer who promotes mental health and wellbeing. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewelry creations and empowering messages.
Let your life burst at the seams with good wholesomeness and mindful living. Bring your life back to life with easy-to-follow tips and watch your world flourish!
You know, it's taken me a very long time to get to this point in my life, where I don't worry about the things I cannot control, and I just enjoy the things I can. I find life more gratifying that way. I have now started to realise just how invigorating it can be to live in the moment, to make those moments count, and to create more of what makes me happy. Bringing your version of goodness into your own life is far more enriching than comparing yourself with others and thinking you want what they have, when you know deep down that you don't!
I know what makes me happy - walking my dog in quiet woodland areas, so I can appreciate my time with him and the beauty of nature around me; mostly spending time indoors (I'm a hermit at best) with my hobbies and interests to fill me with joy and peace; watching my favourite TV shows on repeat because they bring me pure comfort; often enjoying quality time and good food with the people I love, because it adds value and substance to my life as a whole.
Whatever brings happiness into your life, makes you feel good, and brings colour into your days is exactly what to indulge in and invest more of your time into.
Tips for a more fulfilling and enriched life
Discover, play, repeat
Figure out what you love doing and then carve out the time to do lots of it!
It is when we learn how to switch off from the daily grind, and give ourselves time to play, that we find the true goodness in life. Often, we forget the joy that a pastime or hobby can give us. We don't realise how it can enrich our life and make us happier.
The child within is always there, ready to dance like no-one can see them, sing like no-one can hear them, laugh until it hurts, and love with everything they've got! Make sure to schedule in some 'playtime' and let that inner child out to play!
And remember, there is no need for perfection here (there's no such thing anyway). You don't have to be particularly good at what you love to do. It's all about enjoying what you are doing. Relaxing into your 'play' and allowing yourself to have fun. This will release those feel-good endorphins, meaning you get to feel happier. Embrace your passions and let them envelop you with all their loveliness!
Explore, create, enjoy
Find your secret hideaway and enjoy the peace it gives you.
Explore your surroundings and discover those little places where you feel content and safe to be in. The haven where you can relax and be still in. The bolthole that takes you away from the mundane and gives you back pockets of happiness.
There are so many gorgeous outdoor spaces to enjoy, where you can feel renewed, revitalised, and reawakened.
Whether it's a local nature reserve, a park bench sheltered by a gorgeous giant weeping willow, or even your own back garden, if it makes you feel safe and at peace then that is your special place. Of course, if you prefer being indoors, then there too you can find your sanctuary. A place to visit regularly, to sit and reflect, to pause and to breathe life in.
If you can, I'd recommend that you try to do this every day. It doesn't matter how long for, but just creating the habit of making the time for yourself to be in your happy place will enhance the quality and value of your life immensely. It will bring you wealth like no other.
Feel, release, heal
Allow yourself the time and space to express your emotions when you need to.
Give yourself the freedom to fully feel your emotions. Acknowledge these emotions. Recognise why you are feeling them. Accept them as they flow through you, and as a result this will help you to let them go and it will let you grow.
Emotional cleansing is an extremely cathartic and vital exercise to do. I used to be afraid of it myself, thinking I was a fool for succumbing to my feelings. Thought I should try to ignore them and that they'd go away on their own.
It was only when I came to breaking point one day that I just let myself feel my pain, and then I became awash with so many suppressed emotions that I realised I didn't know why I felt the way I did.
It prompted me to dig a little deeper and figure out what my triggers are. Only then could I start my journey of self-compassion and understanding.
Recognising that my emotions were driven by my inner child and how I needed to protect her from the things she could never protect herself from, allowed me to show her the love and care she needed all along.
I finally understood and made peace with my past. I released the hold that my emotions had over me and then my healing journey began.
Try to factor in some regular emotional offloading time. Not only will you feel lighter and freer, but you will also open yourself up to more meaningful experiences and connections that will add richness to your life.
Allow the thoughts to come, welcome them in, give them a seat at your table, acknowledge them with kindness, and then let them go into the ether with a respectful nod and a fond farewell. This is the ultimate mental release that will gain you so much freedom and will help you to master the art of acceptance.
Pause, reflect, acknowledge
Give yourself the time to notice what truly matters to you the most.
We all have moments in our day where we can briefly stop (even for a couple of minutes) to take a breath and to sit in the stillness of the moment, so we can reflect and be grateful.
Use this time to be still and to be present. Notice your breath as you breathe in and out deeply and mindfully. Think about your life. Think of all the goodness you already have. Look around you and see the natural beauty of the world you live in. Strip away the mundane daily chores, the annoyances/distractions that can regularly pop up, and just remember the things you have, the person you are, your loved ones. Allow this to fill you with positive energy, reawaken you entirely, and to keep your spirit alive and happy.
I often forget that I am living and breathing! I take it for granted most days that I'm even alive, and skirt over how important that truly is. I get so bogged down with all that needs to be done, and I berate myself for not living a perfect life (by whose standards? What on earth IS perfect anyway?!) that I don't see what's right in front of me.
For example, the house I live in (although I don't own it) keeps me safe, warm, and secure. The food in my fridge and cupboards is enough to feed me at least one decent meal a day. The fresh water I have available to me allows me to keep myself clean and to keep myself hydrated. My family, filled with some quirky characters (who at times can be a little dysfunctional – whose family isn't?!) are loving and supportive, even though we don't get to see each other often. I'm relatively healthy (albeit the odd ailment here or there) and I can use all my senses to experience life in a pleasant way. My car is not a 'top of the range' model but nevertheless I love it, and it gets me from A to B in comfort. My dog, who unconditionally loves me as much as I love him, is a wonderful companion and my best friend. There is love in my life, and I deeply mean something to someone – a true gift.
All these things are worthy of remembering and appreciating. Life is a precious gift that is denied to many, so please take the time to be grateful for yours.
Cup half full vs cup half empty = be thankful you have a cup at all!
Connect, share, love
Make the time you have now more meaningful, with love and kindness.
Bring those important connections more into focus. Think quality, not quantity. By being more present and mindful when spending time with your loved ones, you will notice an enhanced appreciation of your life. Fully engaging in these connections and valuing the time spent with the people that matter to you, makes these meaningful moments stand out, and makes your life's journey feel more worthwhile.
Hook up with that friend you haven't seen for a while and laugh about the 'good old days', catch a moment with your sister and enjoy a cuppa together in your favourite coffee shop, or call your mum up for a lovely 'catch up'. As well as enriching your own life, you will be surprised at just how much this will give to the other person you are connecting with also. Put a smile on their face and a spring in their step by showing them just how much they mean to you, and just how interested you are in their life too.
Spread a little love wherever you go, sprinkle kindness into your little part of the world, and recognise just how good that feels!
We all want to live a full and happy life, and sometimes the obstacles and challenges that come our way can make it difficult to find the joy in the everyday. But if you intentionally choose to fill your mind, body, and soul with experiences that you can learn and grow from, the results are most often worthy and valuable.
So, I encourage you to practise being more mindful with everything that you do. Do it with purpose and intention.
Keep learning. Keep cultivating a healthy relationship with yourself. Keep nurturing the relationships you have with others.
But most importantly, keep doing what feels right for you.
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Tanya Tsikkos, CEO
Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewellery designer who promotes mental health and wellbeing. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewellery creations and empowering messages. She has since dedicated her life to helping others to always feel good and empowered . She is the CEO of EntityUK, an online fashion jewellery company, that combines jewellery with empowerment in each design. Her mission: To inspire, uplift and empower all, to live their best lives, with confidence and style!
