Be your best you yet!
Our new columnist KERRI-ANNE KENNERLEY shares her secrets to a wonderful life with Woman’s Day
I’ve rediscovered a trigger to get myself motivated when there’s so much to do and you don’t know where to start. Mental obesity can weigh you down more than a sumo suit when you’re juggling a lot of tasks. You have to try to shed some life issues like fat. But sometimes you need a trigger to reboot. For me it’s music!
I’ve found an injection of musical spirit into the body can change your mindset. For a while I’d forgotten how a song, lyric or melody can alter your mood, emotions and soul for the better. We all hit the odd hurdle and go off track, then we get frustrated, angry and sometimes start to obsess. But one thing’s for sure, if you obsess you set yourself up for failure.
And while there’s nothing wrong with failure, just don’t get used to it.
It began Christmas Day when I cranked up the sound system after a long afternoon of Christmas food and cheer, with that lethargic post-lunch atmosphere hanging about. I looked around and there was my mum, at 96, bopping about with everyone else.
Everyone loved her energy and style. If a 96-year-old – who’s not very mobile – can find the spunk to get up and groove, we all can.
So I’ve started injecting songs into my day. Life can be tough and complicated. Mental obesity is a real issue of our time, and the more things we try to do, the more difficult it can get – that goes for anything, from exercise, to diet, work and life.
I lost my musical mojo while caring for my husband, John. When I was going through breast cancer, I found myself pounding the streets and getting energised by songs. I remember Kelly Clarkson’s song Stronger with the line, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” blaring in my ears.
Music can be such wonderful motivation and great therapy.