Habits in Hawkes Bay-Roadshow Stop #4

For anyone joining this blog post series, I am on a roadtrip around NZ, while also working, presenting sessions (and training) on Office 365 and Microsoft Teams at the Digital Workplace Roadshow - perfect way to enjoy some work-life balance! See the related list of posts at the bottom. The blogs include my pics and travel stories, feedback from locals and a "Recharge" segment on something you will hopefully find inspirational :) Enjoy!

Where am I?

Hawkes Bay is on the east coast of New Zealand, known as “the other bay” for those of us who live in the “Bay of Plenty” :). It is well known for the beaches and wineries. I have to give them the wineries, they win hands down on that count over BOP!

ON the beaches, I will take my Mount beach any day. I loved the dark pebbles and miles of driftwood, but Layla and I struggled to walk far. I decided those that do, must have very good calves! Hawkes Bay makes up for this in the hundreds of km’s of cycle paths. These are awesome for walking or riding as they flow through wetlands, along rail lines, and past beaches.

What our Hawkes Bay community says!

We asked those who attended the sessions at DWR for some feedback, this is just a few of the comments we got:

Favourite thing to do in this location

• Visit Wineries, drinking wine were the favs!
• Walks around seafront, Ahuriri, and Park island
• Biking
• Surf and visit at Waimarama beach for the day

Fun thing people don’t know about Hawkes Bay

• Longest place name in New Zealand. I can sing it, but I won’t (note from me – I had to google this – and here it is in the pic above!) Near Porangahau in Hawke’s Bay is an unassuming hill known as “Taumata whakatangi hangakoauau o tamatea turi pukakapiki maunga horo nuku pokai whenua kitanatahu“, which translates into English as “the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as ‘landeater’, played his flute to his loved one.” Locals simply call it Taumata Hill]
• Lots of bike trails
• Wonderful farmland… lamb, beef… not just grapes .
• Used to be an aquarium – (note from me: Marineland with Dolphins, which I remember from my childhood!)
• We are the best wine area in the country

Exploring I did!

See the images below, with captions and click to see the full image. These include my travel down from Tauranga, through Taupo and on to Napier.

• I made the most of driving around, exploring places I have otherwise missed on the usual fly in and out visits. That seems to be the theme of this trip. Everywhere I go, I am exploring new places and enjoying the places less visited.
• I included a visit to the Botanical gardens on Hospital Hill. Leaving here, I nearly got stuck taking the short cut the GSP suggested – always fun doing a 22 point turn in a 7.7 metre van!
• I watched the sun set in Taupo on the way, and rise from the lovely east coast in Bay View.
• Layla and I found many other walks and runs.
• NB: One other secret beach I found on a trip a few years back, that was JUST AMAZING, was Waipatiki Beach – along rugged coastline, about 3 hours round trip and very remote. Cutty grass to keep you on your edge but views and scenery so worth it, if you love walks.

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Recharge Segment – Rules, Routines and Results

Rules – rebel or regain power?

I always used to think rules were bad – I have rebelled against them from an early age :). It seems however, it is all in your perception or perhaps it is the terminology. The trick is to use the rules to empower you, rather than restrict you.

If you make them part of your personal beliefs and philosophy they actually work for you. Have a read of The Perfect Day Formula (Craig Ballantyne) to get his insight on this. For example – I don’t eat red meat; this is ingrained in me, and non-negotiable….I go to a BBQ, and just don’t eat it – simple!

If you take the time, to create the rules ahead for yourself and instill them in your belief patterns, it is easier to follow through. For example – if you don’t want to wake up hungover, make it a rule to only drink so much and stop. If you want to lose weight, make it a rule not to eat sugar or not to eat after 7pm. It makes thinks a lot simpler to stick to when they are “rules” or embedded beliefs.

Do whatever works for you, but make the rules part of your beliefs and personal “philosophy” of WHO YOU ARE and see yourself that way. I no longer drink, that’s just who I am now. Create your own rules in the different parts of your life – emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally.

Routines and Rituals

Rules, once embedded into our daily routines become habits.

I believe that my dog has to get a walk twice a day. I have built this into my routine. We usually walk or run (usually in a place with a beautiful view!) as part of my morning exercise, and my partner and I now have a nightly habit, to walk after work. This is a perfect time to catch up, debrief, reflect and transition out of the day.

My favourite routine would have to be a morning ritual . There are many articles and books on this, and I will recommend a couple, but make your own ritual to suit YOU, what works for you.

I swear by my morning ritual, as being the predetermining factor for the rest of my day.

Robin Sharma (The 5am Club) has some awesome methods for creating the morning routine and some compelling reasons why. He incorporates movement (exercise), growth (learning) and mindfulness (meditation, journaling, prayer), into his acclaimed “Victory Hour” .

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod simplifies his suggested routine into “Life SAVERS” . These can be done in longer versions over an hour, or short 6 minute ones, to ensure you can fit in every day.

Most of what I have read, and have to say I too believe, is that not only is it the routine, but the EARLY start. I love PRE-Dawn, before the rest of the world awakes, the silence and serenity, the birds and nature, and just the stillness to be quiet and mindful.

It gives me focus, and hours in my day. What is your magic?

Results

Combine the rules and routines together to form new habits – and this is where you begin to see new results! For example:

1. Start with: I am not an early person.
2. Create a new rule: I get up at 5am every day
3. Build a new routine around this: Set a ritual and know what you will do in your early morning
4. Turn this into a habit: By continuing the practice regularly you will find motivation that has you WANTING to jump out of bed!

Follow these same steps for any part of your life where you want to create new results. Habits are all about driving change – creating momentum to constantly effect new outcomes. In the long run these new habits provide FREEDOM …from addictions, bad habits and unproductive behavior.

It takes time. Don’t give up after the first week, give it at least a month, or as Robin Sharma suggests 66 days to make a new habit.

Change is hard in the beginning, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end.

Robin Sharma

Blog Posts related to this adventure

• Why? – Wanderlust Adventures
• Where am I going? – Exploring New Zealand – maps, and places and people
• Roadshow #1 – Thankful in Tauranga – and musings on Gratitude
• Roadshow #2 – Happiness in Hamilton – and thoughts of Happiness and Joy
• Roadshow #3 – Attainment in Auckland – changing paths and lifelong learning pondering.
• Roadshow #4 – Habits in Hawkes Bay – Rules, Routines and Results.
• Roadshow#5 – Wellington
• Roadshow#6 – Nelson
• Roadshow#7 – Christchurch
• Roadshow#8 – Dunedin
• Roadshow#9 – Invercargill