Start Gentle.

It's so easy to just pummel through every minute of every day. We think we need to push harder, go faster, shove that breakfast in your mouth, guzzle the life elixir that is coffee down. BUT all we are doing when we follow this pattern is drain ourselves MORE.

Our immunity needs good fuel, our vervous system needs calm and soft starts and our brain needs a warm up session like yoga or meditation to be ready for the race called 'everyday modern life'.

I am going to admit that I am the worst culprit, for years I drove my body at maximum capacity, then kids came and I thought I had to amp it up more, then...

As you might know If you follow my story, I ended up with post natal anxiety.

Anxiety so bad I couldn't leave the house or enjoy a simple joy or laughter.

When I couldn't recognise myself anymore, I heard a little soft voice inside say, 'it's time to change Montse. Now please.'

So I embarked on a journey of self rediscovery. What DO I really like now? Who DO I want to actually spend time with? What really MEANS something to me?

The tools I used to get those answers were meditation and mindfulness.

Learning the basic mindful principles, making daily time - usually in the morning - to meditate, eating a more plant food, good lean meat and legumes diet, ensuring I got good sleep and breathing.

Breathing not just air, but allowing myself to EXHALE any negative thoughts, feelings and even some people, while INHALING white cleansing light and thoughts of 'I can do this'.

I was even very stringent and stopped any alcohol, I mean after kids, it didn't taste the same anyway, but I also found that it made me more sad or anxious, so for a time, that was put aside, to allow for a mind that could think clearly. Now you might ask, but how will I cope with the stress??

Well, first you need to understand that most of the issues you might have are actually with how you treat yourself.

Yes, this might seem out of wack, but it's true. When I wasn't feeling good or myself, it's because I wasn't loving myself anymore. I put others before me, I compromised my needs and wants for others everyday. I thought that's what a good mum or wife or person in a family did, but I found that's not true.

WE must take care and be gentle with ourselves.

We must make new routines for our lives, start the day slow and gentle, stretch out in the bed. Say a few things you're grateful for, meditate, have a soft easy breakfast with good nutrition like a smoothie with some spinach, banana, some cacao and any milk you like.

Then do a short walk or a yoga or pilates session on youtube.

Then as you sit at your desk with a coffee or tea (peppermint is great to calm nerves before any new ventures), breathe in and out, setting the intention for your day. You take control of your thoughts and heart.

I have a specific imagineering meditation which helped me set myself up subconsciously for a new and different path. Investing in these tools for myself, I became a more chilled mum, wife and friend.

The house isn't perfectly cleaned and the dinners may not be the most exotic of recipes, but we are doing fine. I can laugh again, I can see the light at any tunnel, because when I take control of my mind, I can see where truth lies or my egos' fear mongering words dwell.

Starting your day gently, cultivates a kind head space, it means you believe that YOU count and you give yourself permission to be your own best friend.

Your family WILL see a difference and it might even rub off or even better, why not ask them to join you.

Breathe ....you got this.