9 ways to help your inner ecosystem flourish

Have you ever considered that you are a beautiful manifestation of nature?

That the same intelligence that you see in the natural world is the intelligence that created you?

We are currently witnessing the fine balancing act that needs to be respected in order for our planet’s ecosystem to function optimally and to support life.

We too have a delicate ecosystem that can flourish with the right ingredients.

Looking after ourselves is so important because it makes us stronger and more effective when it comes to giving back to others, and to nature.

This week we’re excited to share a beautiful and insightful guest post from Rachael Hall, an ex-ballerina, Master Pilates teacher and Franklin Method Educator who runs an Online Wellness Membership supporting people to flourish by getting in tune with their individual ecosystems. You can find out more about Rachael’s work here.

Here are Rachael’s 9 simple ways that you can make a big impact on your health and well-being, to support your inner ecosystem to flourish…

1. Move

Your body loves to move, it is designed to move. Allow movement to feel like a pleasure and not a chore. Engage in classes that inspire you (not stress you out) and move outside whenever you can, a daily walk or a swim in the ocean can totally reset your mindset and a dose of vitamin D does wonders. I have a beautiful workout that you might enjoy here.

2. Rest

The human heart rests twice as much as it beats. What an ingenious design. We are not designed to be in perpetual harvest and productivity. Rest is just as important as activity. Constructive rest and sufficient sleep allow your mind and body to process and to deeply heal. I have a beautiful relaxation session for you to nourish yourself with here.

3. Drink

The human adult body is made up of around 60-70% water. Water transports nutrients to your cells, it hydrates your brain which will improve mental clarity and concentration and supports the healthy functioning of your internal organs. The ideal amount of water to be consumed each day is 2.5 – 3.5 litres.

Here are some of my water hacks:

• Start the day with a large cup of warm water and fresh lemon (which will help to hydrate you and to support your digestive system)
• Purchase a reusable glass bottle that you can fill and drink twice per day
• Add Doterra essential oils or fresh fruit/ herbs to your water to entice you to drink more often.

4. Breathe

We breathe 20,000 times per day – if you can improve something that you do this often it will, no doubt, have a big impact on your life. Take a moment, notice your breath. Breathe in and out through your nose. Breathe in for 3 seconds and out for 3 seconds. Allow your belly to rise as you inhale and to fall as you exhale.

When your breath is calm your nervous system knows that it is safe and it can prioritise healing (which is not a priority when you are in survival mode). When your breath is calm your mind is calm and it experiences a whole new perspective of reality.

5. Think

We think on average 60,000 thoughts per day. That’s 3 times as many thoughts as the breaths that we take per day! When we have a thought, our body has an immediate physiological response. Think about a stressful scenario and you can literally produce more cortisol and adrenaline, imagine a happy thought, your muscles relax and you can produce more oxytocin and serotonin.

What thoughts are you thinking? Are they moving you in the direction of your desires and the feelings that you would like to feel?

“The fastest way to change your body is to change your mind” – Eric Franklin.

6. Joy

Surround yourself with people, books, places, podcasts and anything that makes you feel good. When you feel good your whole system will react, your tension releases, your immune system is boosted, you breathe more fully and you interact differently with the world around you.

7. Listen

As bonkers as it may sound – your body is always talking to you. Your brain and body are networks of communication which work day and night to keep a sense of equilibrium in your body and mind.

By taking a minute, noticing your breath, listening to your heartbeat, sensing the tension you may be holding, you can dial into this constant communication and work with it. Your body will only talk louder until you begin to hear it (hello neck tension, back ache, anxiety) and when you do listen and take action on it’s requests it will be so grateful and it’s likely that ailments will subside.

8. Eat

The gut microbiome hosts 60-80% of the body’s immune cells and an estimated 90% of the serotonin that you produce (the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness) is produced in the gut.

Nourish your gut with as many plant based foods as you can to improve the diversity of it’s microbiome, consume fermented foods and beverages (kombucha, sauerkraut) and above all enjoy your food, ‘make a meal of it’ allow yourself time to digest the incredible fuel that you are consuming.

9. Nature

Being in nature has an incredible effect on our mental and physical well-being, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

Is it possible to make small changes to your lifestyle so that you can reap the positive effects of being in nature a little more? Have your breakfast outside in the morning? Grow your own veggies? Embark on a daily walk? Wrap up warm and get outside to enjoy the sunset?

I remember when I lived in London I truly didn’t even have a sense of where the sun would set each evening, now I am so deeply inspired by the incredible intelligence in nature, the inherent natural rhythms (that we too experience) and so much wisdom from years of evolution and mastery that we can learn from.

We are nature. Without the natural world we wouldn’t exist. We are in a delicate balance and dance with the natural world- when it flourishes, so do we.

I would love to hear your insights on this post – are these pillars of support already in place for you, or is there an area that you feel could do with a little improvement?

My feelings are that when we are in rhythm with ourselves and removed from unnecessary stress, comparison, greed and destruction we quite naturally want to support ourselves. I also believe that this has a spontaneous knock on effect into us supporting our natural world because we quite distinctly sense that we are one and the same. We cannot exist without the natural world and it is communicating its needs for us to care for it, to respect it and to make some positive changes.

If there is any way in which I can support you on your journey to optimal health please don’t hesitate to reach out – you can find me here:

Instagram: @_rachael_hall https://www.instagram.com/_rachael_hall/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachaelhallfranklinmethod/
Website: www.rachhall.com/yourdreambody

Warm wishes,
Rachael x

Rachael Hall is a Mum, an ex-ballerina, a Master Pilates teacher, Franklin Method Educator and Teacher Trainer and runs a Pilates studio and an Online Wellness Membership supporting people to flourish by getting in tune with their individual ecosystems. She lives in beautiful North Devon with her young family.