A year ago I was admitted to hospital … and nearly said goodbye.  

It’s been the most extraordinary past 12 months of priceless lessons. So on Ashley 2.0’s birthday I wanted to share what I’ve learnt about life, myself and each other. 

Nothing would make me happier if they can help you as much as they’ve helped me.
 
 To commemorate this all, I proudly made this podcast.   And complied this list:

1. Compassionate connection.
2. Mutually fuelled friendships.
3. To give and receive a thinking-of-you message or call
4. Helping others is selflessly selfish. You both end up happier.
5. Cooking for yourself. And others.
6. Intentional breathing.
7. Quality sleep.
8. It’s ok to not be ok. And to share this with those around us.
9. Listening to how you are feeling more than how you are doing
10. The small moments of joy are the big moments - a heartfelt hug, a smile with eyes, a contagious giggle, a spontaneous compliment, to wake up to a healthy body. Even a fashion compliment from your teenage niece;)
11. To be active. And then be still
12. Rest 
13. Being  in nature: the forest, a lake, a river, the beach, the mountains, fresh snow, warm rain, gentle sun, bright flowers.
14. Being with animals: dogs, horses, ducks, birds… 
15. Smiling. With family, friends and strangers.
16. Losing your inhibitions.  Laugh, cry, shout, sing, dance. 
17. Accepting help with gratitude 
18. Asking for help with courage 
19. Offering help with no conditions 
20. Be grateful, and kind. To yourself.  And others
21. Cycling.  Moving your body, being outside, boosting your mental health. Chance to contemplate and be with yourself.  Or be social and connect. Some of the best chats and ideas have come on the bike.
22. 80:20 rule. Don’t have to like like a saint or monk all the time.  It ok to let yourself go every once in a while. The mood boost is usually worth it.  
23. I’ve learned about myself. The body is an extraordinary machine, if we let it do it’s thing.  It tells us what we need. We just need to listen. And fuel it with more of it needs and less of what we want. 
24. To be vulnerable is to be brave. 
25. Takes bravery to accept help and ask for it
26. Treating yourself is not selfish, it’s self care
27. Your mind is powerful in guiding your actions. Your heart is powerful in guiding your instinct. In how you most honestly live out your Your life 
28. How you’re feeling is more important than you’re doing.  Feeling comes from being aware of your own energy and that of the world around us. To lean into this is your best guide.
29. To be honest with yourself. By feeling more and thinking less. To then be more honest with those around us.
30. To be self aware, you need to be at peace with your past. To accept the emotion of trauma and your personal grief.  To survive and then thrive, unburdened and free.
31. Sometimes you can feel the most alive when being the most still.
32. To be in, and grateful of, the moment.  By digitally switching off. (Irony noted, as you read this on your mobile;)
33. Social media isn’t all bad.  As long as you control it more than it controls you. 
34. To surrender and let go. Of fear, self-doubt, the future, and people that take more energy than offer.
35. Real love enters your life when you embrace who you are.  Your vulnerability.  Your strength.  Your gift to yourself and the world.  When you love yourself!

You can contact me on:
Email: ashley@thegiftofhelp.org
Facebook: Ashley Usiskin
Instagram: @gift_of_accepting_help_podcast
Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyusiskin/