Hope & Motion

I’ve found it’s easy to lose touch with finding joy in the day-to-day routines & processes of living and that small changes can add great quality. So here are seven small things that have worked for me:

1. Walks.

Walking exposes the body to much needed Vitamin D (even on over-cast days), limbers the aching joints, muscles & bones, enables a connection to local community & gives the brain and eyes a break from the screens. It activates different parts of the brain as we take in a three-dimensional perspectives and are stimulated from sights, smells, sounds. It’s also free.

2. Waking up earlier.

Admittedly, I’ve battled with this for a long time, but due to increased commitments I’ve had to learn the hard way by just starting and pushing through the initial aches. I was inspired and supported by Lucy’s journey here as well as Sadia’s here. After two weeks, my challenge remains not filling the extra time in the day with work, and taking it instead for rest, play or connection, but I am happy to have that time to keep up to date with commitments so far.

3. Podcasts.

Increasing walks during the week means needing listening material so as not to get caught up in the thought-loops or to-dos. Fav three podcasts at the moment: anything Lalah Delia, Expanded, Holistic Life Navigation and for lighter/comedy options, Self-Helpless & Hamish & Andy. Invest in some headphones.

4. Write it down.

Journaling has been found to have many benefits for processing the day, including reflection, organisation, and ‘brain dumping’ (think Harry Potter style ‘pensive’). If you can’t write at the end of a long day, speak it out loud, record it in a voice memo (perhaps there is a journaling voice memo app for this).

5. Sweat.

The benefits of exercise for mood and mental health are well-known by now. As we move our bodies we have access to endorphins and serotonin that gives us the much-craved boost. My favourite High Intensive Interval Training (HIIT) workouts are with Sydney Cummings (also free), and for when the adrenals are fatigued and slow exercise is needed…I’ve sometimes used Melissa Wood Health (MWH).

6. Beauty-care is self-care.

Beauty care is self-care. So my favourite skincare science-backed advice (especially for fair or Asian skin types) comes from Gothamista and my all-time favourite haircare right now is from Kyn, especially their hair mask.

7. Wind down.

It takes some time between ending the day’s activities, and being deeply asleep. The mind needs time to slow down, as does the body and heartbeat, so allowing that space through listening to Sleep Talks from Insight Timer really helps me with this transition.

I hope this adds to the quality of each day when you’re under the pump or just trying to enjoy life a little more!