Throw back to the 80’s of best books to heal from growing up with dysfunctional parents.

I was talking with a client today about the benefit of a morning and evening routine to actively become mindful and help reframe the self comments of "I don't have enough time in the day" and "don't want to waste time".

Mindfulness is an easy word to say but sometimes challenging to do.

The Five Minute journal is truly an easy way to set intention in the morning for a great day and before bed to congratulate yourself on another day well lived.

Here is a 4 minute video overview of the journal practice and product created by UJ Ramdas and Alex Ikonn – you can find their story and the product at www.fiveminutejournal.com.

You can either buy their pre-made journal or use the prompts in your own journal (which is what I do).

The prompts that you answer in the morning before you get out of bed are:

• 3 things I am grateful for – I add a mental appreciation of why.

• 3 things that will make today great

• 1 affirmation for my day – I add my word of the year to this.

The prompts you answer at night as you get into bed:

• 3 amazing things that happened today

• How could I have made today even better?

• I add – a rating out of 10 of how I did with my intention word in my affirmation and congratulate myself on whatever I had done.

This works for me when I consistently do it because it helps to positively frame the beginning and ending of each day.

When I do this I have a brighter and more positive outlook and motivation for each day. As well, in the evening I like looking back at my "make today great" answers to check if I did them.

Remember - This is a practice and if you forget some days, that’s okay.

Just pick up where you left off.

Image by Annie Spratt

Gabor Mate is a well-known doctor and author of “When the body says No”. Here is a 12 minute video of his work outlining how your self beliefs that you may not be aware of show up as illness. I highly recommend you check out his books and follow his videos.

Somatic therapy connects the mind and body through touch, sound or movement. It is used to help process trauma that is stored in the body.

Often called tapping, Emotional Freedom Techniques is an easy-to-learn healing technique that clears emotional distress and reregulates the body's energy system..

What you believe today creates your reality tomorrow