One of the challenges in our 28 day wellbeing calendar is to read. I used to think that having the time to pick up a book and actually read was a luxury. Something that I saved for a holiday, or Christmas time when work was quiet. I no longer see reading as a luxury, it’s a daily priority and part of my wellbeing.
February, the month of love. Yes it is often associated with the romantic commercial type of love but for me this month is a beautiful reminder of my love for nature. I have often wondered where and when this love was sparked. I know that this love is vital to me and I have a huge appreciation for the seasons, as honouring them and learning from their overcharging flow has been a massive part of my healing journey.
I grew up on a farm, surrounded by beautiful hills here in Wales. We had the joy of living next to my grandparents and my grandfather Baba, was a farmer. I have fond memories of him and his sheepdogs working the land and the livestock.
Finding space in your space – 10 tips for how to store your Christmas decorations
One of my favourite days in the year is the day we (I) take down Christmas decorations. Don’t get me wrong I love Christmas and making it special for the children is such a joy but I am really not a huge fan of all the stuff. Christmas and a more minimal way of life don’t really go together, so I do find having all the decorations up quite a challenge. Especially when the children want them up so early, I hold out until December but even then it seems a long time to have a large tree in you front room.
I was chatting with a friend the other day about the shift that we all take into Winter. She commented on how it had taken longer this year to get there, to that place of acceptance and joy of the Winter months.
I was relieved to hear this as I too have found this year’s winter transition a struggle.
I think the incredibly mild October we had was partly to blame and the last retreat we did mid-November was so warm and I remember thinking I wished I’d packed shorts! But thank goodness as we move into December it has now turned cold.
Let’s face it, we all spend too much time on our phones. They beg for attention with notifications and pop-ups. All it takes is for your hand to drift towards your phone, and then minutes (or even hours!) later. you find that you’ve been doom scrolling through Tik Tok or, Instagram.
Research shows that excessive mobile phone use can have negative effects on our mental health. It can affect your sleeping habits, your social life, and lower your self-esteem. It’s time we all set boundaries!
I don’t know about you, but the pressure that this time of year brings starts to fill me with dread. Why is there this need to book exciting events with the children, plan family outings, parties with colleagues, shopping days out with friends, hair appointments… the list goes on. It literally makes me want to run away and hide. Do you feel the same?
It’s almost as if our success and happiness is based on how busy we are and the navigation of the festive season seems to be the ultimate symbol of how well we are coping at life. (more…)
I find his time of year to be such a contradiction. The season of Autumn shows us, quite literally, that it’s alright to let go. Nature’s energy starts to slow down and turn inward. So why is it then, that we look outwards with this idea of needing and wanting more? Halloween, Black Friday (week!) Christmas; all these events are designed to draw us towards feelings of lack and not being enough, so that we in turn spend more, buy more and do more. It’s those qualities that actually lead us to feel less than when we started and it culminates in us being on a never-ending quest in search of fulfilment. Nature is simple and steers her attention inward, so why don’t we look to the simple things?
With Macmillan’s annual Sober for October campaign in full swing, more people than usual are teetotal at this time of year, so what better time to reflect on the benefits of not drinking alcohol?
Taking the decision to stop drinking might seem like a huge lifestyle change, but with so many positives for the body and mind, is it something you should seriously consider?
Research shows that quitting alcohol will dramatically boost your physical and mental health and wellbeing. But if you enjoy the occasional glass of wine or beer, all is not lost.
I heard a fascinating fact recently from a study on the happiness of a child’s upbringing. It concluded that one key element to a fulfilled and happy childhood was repetition.
Maybe it was pizza every Friday night, the holiday location you visited each Summer, or the same friends you met at school year on year. When you reflect on your childhood, were there times where you had repetition and if so, how does looking back on them make you feel?
Reflecting on that, I realised how privileged my upbringing was, in that it was filled with repetition.
Wild swimming is an amazing experience.
The refreshing coolness of the water, the calmness of the surroundings, the breathtaking scenery… and an empty bottle of Coke.
Sadly, we are starting to see litter in our rivers, lakes, and seas more and more.
Between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic are tossed away into the sea every year.
And by 2040, this is expected to triple to over 26 million tonnes.
