Author name: Kay Charalambous

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:   Focus for you Focus for the future you Focus for a loved one Switch the shoulds Switch the “shoulds” with “can” and “get to”. When you say “should”, it becomes an obligation. It is not. You have a choice. You get to go to the gym because you can. You are physically able to go, so what it’s your excuse? You get to go to school so you can have knowledge and opportunities. You get to do something with a friend or partner because you care about them. the list goes on.  Write down when and why you use the word “should”. Replace it with the sentence” I get to…, so I can…   Remove negative words from your vocabulary Pain is necessary. Suffering is not. You choose to keep suffering. Stop coming back to it, if you want to move forwards. As Tony Robbins said: “Suffering comes from three thought patterns: loss, less, never”. Remove them from your vocabulary. Remove these words from your mind. When they do pop up, entertain them, and then let them go. We want to improve the quality of life with real positivity. That too, is a habit. Tell them they can Following on the second point, help a person today. Tell them they can do something they are saying to you they can not.  It is their mind that doesn’t allow them to do it. Believe in them and cheer them on. Support them and guide them, if you can.  I am cheering for you. Let the day flourish, as it is supposed to do and enjoy the journey. Let the shoulds fall and the cans to rise.  Love, Kay 

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:   Focus for you Focus for the future you Focus for a loved one Clean after you Clean the environment you work or workout in. Whether this is outdoors, home or in the office, clean after your mess or others. Just because someone else doesn’t care about nature or being messy, it doesn’t mean you don’t. It is your duty as a responsible person to clean, if you have seen the mess. Don’t ‘close’ your eyes and pretend you didn’t see the dirt. What other things do you pretend you don’t see? If you do this with the small things, imagine the impact of your inaction to the big things in your life. Do your duty.  Example: I was running this morning in a school’s track and it was dirty. The above thoughts came into my mind. I did my job (my training), and as i was cooling down, i walked around the track and picked up all the rubbish around me. I have seen enough of them for 40 mins.  All I am asking is: can you do the same? The park, gym, or nature you visit today to keep it clean, and if you see rubbish, pick it up and bin it. Thank yourself.  Check in with your desires What do you allow to control you?  In moments of desperation, what is your escape? Whatever that is, it has control over you. Think; how can you have a healthier relationship with your desires, instead of abusing them. I am not saying cut off what you like, but to start realizing when are you doing something for pleasure and when to escape from negative emotions. It is a process and it does take time. I believe in you. I believe that you can become aware of the triggers and minimize them. I believe you are stronger than what it’s putting you down and stopping your progress. What you allow to control you, you give it power to destroy you.  Accountable friend Following on the second point, could you find a supportive friend to keep each other accountable? Having someone by your side, trying their best to be a true version of themselves, helps you do the same for yourself. Stop feeling pity and take control of your desires. By doing that you help that friend to do the same. Imagine what you both can accomplish, when you are in check with your true selves.  I am cheering for you. Hope today you get in touch with your true self, or to explore to find out who you really are.  Big hugs,  Kay 

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:   Focus for you Focus for the future you Focus for a loved one Focus on what you can control What can you focus on when facing a challenging situation? Your attitude towards it! Stop blaming everyone and everything else and take responsibility of your thoughts, emotions and actions. Will you persist until you make it or give up on the first inconvenience? Can you take a minute to check with yourself before you lose your temper on someone else?  Focusing on what you can control and letting go of all the rest that you can’t, gives you peace. It helps you to calm down and trust that everything will turn out as it is supposed to be.    Eat raw, anti-inflammatory food Eat raw garlic, ginger and onion. Choose one or two per day. All three of them are anti-inflammatory, help you to fight a virus or prevent sickness entering your system in the first place, and make your immune system stronger.  I was sick the previous week, and I was eating 2-3 small pieces of raw garlic every morning. Don’t worry about smelling, better to be healthy. 🙂 Gratitude to a friend Name 3 friends you are grateful they are in your life. Why? How do they make you feel? Perhaps you can share it with them. They will be also grateful and you will receive gratitude back.  It will make you happy by making a friend happy.  I am cheering for you. Hope you are making the best out of your day. Go after your visions, because why not? Big hugs,  Kay 

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:  1 focus for you   1 focus for the future you                                            1 focus for a loved one 1) Workout of the Day 2) Upgrade your craft. 3) Voice message to a friend. Specifically: 1) AMRAP 5:00  10 Cals (any machine)   5 Devil Presses          Rest 2:30     AMRAP 5:00  DB Plank Pull Throughs  *If you break:  10 single arm Devil Presses  Notes: Go fast, it’s just 5:00. Consistent paces on the bike(around 85%)and breathe in at the bottom of the burpee and breathe out on top of every rep of the press. For the second Amrap, try to hit 30-50 reps before breaking. Aim for big sets, 2-3 or see if you can go unbroken. Core tight, keep breathing.  For scaling: Keep the cals the same, push the tempo. For the devil presses, choose a weight were you can comfortable do 5 unbroken steady reps. we want to keep the intensity up and you moving. You can further scale it by performing the burpee part on a bench, or to the floor and keeping the elbows extending ( no push up portion). For the second part, for scaling you can go lighter, or drop the knees down when performing the plank. Single arm Devil press can be scaled the same way as Devil press.  2) What can you learn today to upgrade your craft? Something you didn’t know before, but essential to learn? Plan a specific time today and stay disciplined to make it. Respect your craft and the dedication you have to it. Even 20 minutes is enough. It adds up if you repeatedly do it.  3) Send a voice message to a friend. It makes it more real and that you do care about them. Ask them how their day went and let them know how was yours. How you can support each other and grow together? What troubles your mind and what troubles them, discuss and figure out a way together. 

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:  1 focus for you   1 focus for the future you                                            1 focus for a loved one 1) I believe in you.                                           2) Grab a book.                                  3) Beware of your ego.  Specifically: 1) If no one else told you this today, find a mirror and say it to the person in front of you. Do this repeatedly and you’ll see all the excuses you catch yourself saying, will gradually disappear. You can’t cheat yourself anymore. Believing in yourself, helps you to take action towards your goals.  “Believe, really believe you can move a mountain, and you can…When you believe I-can-do-it, the how-to-do-it develops”. – David Schwartz      2) Grab the nearest book. Go to page 100, line 5. What does it say? Was it interesting? Did you  keep reading? You can share the line with me. 🙂 Mine says: “What can I do to help them to become more effective?” – David Schwartz, The magic of Thinking Big 3) Put aside your ego and think how the situation is perceived from the other side. How is the way you are behaving, affecting the other person? Is it something you would accept? If not, then why are you doing it to the other person? Think before you say or do something.  Is it true? Is it kind? Does this have a purpose?

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:  1 focus for you   1 focus for the future you                                            1 focus for a loved one 1) When was the last time you did something for the first time?                                             2) Save some money.                                    3) Observe people. Specifically:1) It is unknown and frightening to try something new but on the other side of fear is a whole new world. Try a new route to home, a new food, a sport, an activity. Can be anything, small or big.  Example: Today, I experienced some new emotions and abandoned some others while dancing with a group of women under the city. A new place and project for me to explore further myself.  2) The power of small making a big impact. I am not suggesting how much you can and willing to save, that’s on you. Choose a number where you can consistently set aside that amount of money for savings.  Repeatedly doing something for 30 days adds up. The money will add up and then you can use them as you wish, because you were consistent enough to save them in the first place. There is value in that discipline of waiting and taking small steps to do something bigger. 3) Sit for 5-10 minutes still, quiet and just observe people outdoors or at your home. Watch them as they pass by, how they move into space, what they are doing and how. What you might start identifying is how different we all are, yet something connects us. All wondering around, some lost, some in mind of a destination.  While you are watching someone  rushing to go, do or be, you are sitting there still.  Just being. Enough. You feel the breeze on your cheeks and the smell of living. Try it 🙂    

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:  1 focus for you   1 focus for the future you                                            1 focus for a loved one 1) Go for a walk by yourself.                                             2) What is 1 thing you can invest on yourself ?                                     3) Listen to them. Specifically:1)Set a time today to go for a walk alone. No distractions, no other people, or other people’s thoughts. Just you and yourself. Try not to think of problems, but observe what is around you.  What can you see? What can you touch? What can you hear? What can you smell? What can you taste? Example: Today I decided not to go to the coffee place to write some programs, but instead to go to the park. I knew that there I had to do some thinking, so on my way there, I was trying to enjoy the walk and observe. It’s either observing or thinking. The brain can’t do both at the same time.  2)Think of one and go for it. Don’t rush, take your time. We are just planting the seed today. It can be something on a personal or a professional level. It can be one goal you had for a while or for years or a sudden decision. Think about what impact can this investment have in the long term and if you think it’s worth the try, then what are you waiting for?  All you have to do is ask.   Example: The last investment I made was dealing with my nutrition. My goal is to gain 2 kgs, for a 58kg bodyweight, for performance reasons. I invested on RP diet (Renaissance Periodization), on a yearly plan. So far, steadily and slowly going up. What matters most is your dedication to the investment, not the actual investment. No one will push you to do it or stick with it. You need to have the discipline and persistence when things get tough, to keep going.    3) On the next meeting you have with someone either you know them personally or professionally, listen to them. I don’t mean hear them, so you can reply back fast but listen and try to understand them. What is their view on the subject? Are there any feelings behind that discussion? Any benefit on their side? How can you ‘peel more layers of the onion’, of them? What can you ask them for more clarification? 

Simple Steps for Personal Growth and Connection In the hustle of daily life, small actions can make a big difference.  This guide suggests three simple focuses for today:  1 focus for you   1 focus for the future you                                            1 focus for a loved one 1) Holds                                             2) Write a gratitude/ appreciation letter to yourself.                                        3) Think of 1 person. What did you learn from them? Specifically:1) Follow this format for a total of 6 minutes. You can repeat sequence (12 mins) with 2 different movements. 1:30 – 1:00 – 30 sec (Movement 1) 30 sec – 1:00 – 1:30 (Movement 2) Choose between:  Plank/ Side plank holds Wall sit/Squat variations holds Hollow/Arch holds Handstand Holds (wall, freestanding, box) Barbell Deadlift holds Deadhang bar holds You name it Learn to find stillness in a movement. That is how you master it. By being able to breathe under tension and hold.   2)  It might be intimidating, scary or unknown to begin with but stay with the discomfort until you free yourself and see how good you are. Write it and you will thank me later. When ever you feel down, read it. Even better, read it everyday, (place it somewhere that you can see it) to keep you motivated/ disciplined ( depending on your perception) for your day and staying true to your potential.  Here is the link of a piece of my appreciation letter. Just click on the envelope. I keep writing everyday, so it is not the end product. That’s life.  Envelope 3) Think of 1 person. What have you learned from her/him? Could be someone you love or someone you are having a difficult time with at the moment and want to improve your relationship. Each person comes in our life to teach us something.  So, what lesson did (or still is) that particular person give you?  Is it knowledge? Is it a value? How to deal with something?  You don’t know everything. Accept that and learn to be teachable.  *While the author has used her best efforts and applied these applications herself, the advice and strategies may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult a professional of the topic where appropriate. The author is not liable for any loss, damage, or negative consequences.