As the year draws to an end, I've been thinking about my 2020 resolutions, the ones I've done in 2019 and why I actually do this! 

I've done monthly resolutions for the last 2 years, and it's not something I'm giving up just yet...even though it becomes harder each year to think up 12 new or unique challenges for the year. I love having a new and different focus each month, and a month seems more of a doable task than a whole year! Sometimes I struggle to complete a whole month, but we are only human after all.

This year I've struggled with some more than others. Here's a round up of what my challenges have been:
January- Whole30
I did this one last year, and I always find it's such a great way to reset the body after an overindulgent Christmas. A lot of people judge Whole30 before they've tried it, thinking there won't be enough choice of what to eat, and that the foods you're allowed to eat are boring. You do need to be a bit more experimental, and plan ahead a bit more than normal, but I would really recommend doing this to anyone! There are loads of Whole30 recipes online and the cookbooks are great too. 
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February- 2 Veg days a week
Another great one that I found very easy to do. I loved getting experimental with my veggie recipes and trying lots of new things. 

March- New recipe each week
One to get even more experimental in the kitchen! I love cooking and trying new recipes, and having this challenge gave me a focus to get out of the routine of always cooking my favourite things. 

April- No shopping
I failed! I was good at this one last year, but this year I had 2 weddings in April and one of them was in Girona...so I had to do some shopping! Next year I'll try again...

May- New workout app
A good one to do before my wedding!

June- Calm app
I had my wedding in June so to keep me cool, calm and collected I did a daily meditation session on the Calm app, which I found was great. 

July-  Read an interesting book
The book I chose was "A Little History of the World". I am admittedly still trying to get through this book...

August- explore London
This one didn't go so well...I was hardly in London during August so I found it hard to fit exploring London into the time that I was here. I managed to go to Kew Gardens to see the Chihuly exhibition, which was great, but that was about it. 
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September- Learn anatomy
I really enjoyed going back to my physiology and anatomy book to study in between clients and found I picked up on bits of information than I had the first time I studied.

October- less time on social media
This one is always a great one. Delete Instagram, Facebook and any other accounts you have off your phone to avoid any temptation! 

November- phone off 8pm-8am
Another one that's very tough, and I did find myself going past the 8pm switch off most evenings, but this is mainly because most evenings I finish clients at 8pm and then use that time to catch up on emails etc. So maybe next time I'll set a more realistic time of 9.30pm. 

December- Get that body moving! 
I find that I have to force myself some evenings to do my stretching sessions, but it was always worth it. 

New Resolutions for 2020 coming soon...

Gift vouchers can be purchased for any treatments so let me know if you'd like to arrange purchasing one so that you can give that special someone the gift of relaxation and something different! 

Sticking with the digital detox theme this month by setting myself the challenge of keeping my phone off between 8pm to 8am...

I have just returned from an amazing trip to Japan where I spent 9 days in Toyko soaking up the culture while my husband worked! I loved everything about Japan: the culture, food, ​scenery, people and even the karaoke...I did a calligraphy course, watched a sumo wrestling training session, went to Nikko national park for a 20km hike, saw temples, parks, gardens and even witnessed a typhoon...but not much rugby! We were meant to go to the England/Wales game which was unfortunately cancelled, but watched the Scotland/Japan game in a quirky little bar that was full of very enthusiastic and excited locals. I sampled some Japanese reflexology and chiropractic massage which was amazing. I would highly recommend a trip to Japan to anyone, and am already wanting to go back and explore the country side a bit more.

Here are my top tips for Toyko:

I had the Tokyo Lonely Planet guide book which I found great. I would recommend getting a Pasmo- like our oyster card, for trains etc. Can also be used in convenience stores like Family Mart and 7 Eleven. I would also recommend getting a portable wifi device while you are there. 

Enjoy!

Top sights:

• Shibuya crossing
• Meiji Jingu shrine- get there in the morning as it can get quite busy
• Harajuku- Takeshita street- very busy/crazy shopping street
• TeamLab Borderless and/or Planets- digital design museum. Go first thing to avoid crowds.
• Senso-Ji temple- always quite busy. Good strip of market stalls walking up to the main entrance for souvenirs etc.
• Asakusa
• Kappabashi- Japanese kitchenware shopping street. Good place to buy knives, bowls, tea mugs…
• Tsujiki fish market- fish market has now moved to Toyosu but still interesting to wander around the old fish market. Check opening times before visiting
• Sumo training session (out of Sumo competition season)
• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden- check opening times
• Kiyosumi-teien garden- beautiful, peaceful garden
• Fukagawa Fudo-do 5pm fire ritual- sutras are chanted, loud drums, bells etc. Beautiful temple.
• Golden Gai- 4/5 streets of little old fashioned bars which used to be brothels.
• Day trip- Nikko. 

Restaurants:

• Andy’s- Andy is from Lancashire and is the only Westerner allowed into the fish market to buy wholesale fish. Delicious sashimi, crab, John Dory, scallops 
• Gyukatsu Motomura, Shibuya- delicious breaded steak which you cook yourself on a small grill. Meat is melt in the mouth! We had to queue for about 20 minutes but it was definitely worth the wait!
• Ramen Nagi- yummy ramen ordered from a vending machine outside the shop. Quite a few branches in Tokyo.
• Gonpachi- Restaurant in Kill Bill. Yakitori etc.

Shops:

• Don Quijote Shibuya- 8 floor mega store madness! Selling everything from fancy dress, to Japanese sweets and snacks, to alcohol…
• Kamawanu (tengui)- selling hand printed pieces of material that can be used as head scarves, napkins, wall hangings etc. In Daikanyama area which has loads of quirky little boutique shops and nice bakeries etc.
• Nature (Daikanyama)- Great shiatsu, chiropractic massage and reflexology and other treatments... https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g1066456-d7744338-Reviews-NATURE_Daikanyama-Shibuya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html

This month I'm repeating one from last year. I'm going social media free for a month! I found this one really broke my habits of constantly scrolling through Instagram and Facebook whenever I had a minute to spare. Instead I will be using my time more productively by reading up on all things reflexology as there's always more to learn. 

September means back to school! So my challenge for September is "Learn Anatomy"! I studied anatomy and physiology as part of my course to qualify as a reflexologist in 2011 but feel like I need to refresh what I know. There are constantly new things being discovered and things can be forgotten. I'm going to go back to my study books and online groups and learn new things about anatomy and physiology...