Tabla de contenidos para Issue 19 en Planet Mindful

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” WAYNE DYER A recent study suggested that nearly half of employees care less about their careers since Covid began. Our priorities have changed, and many would say they’ve changed for the better. We are starting to appreciate the little things. Those times when you’re suddenly aware of all the beauty around you, or when you’re laughing about something silly with friends – these are the ordinary moments that lead to true happiness. They’re what will stay with us when we look back on our lives. Turn to p20 to explore this concept more and consider the positives we can take away from the past 18 months. Talking about positivity – should we always try to be…

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”PABLO PICASSO Crafting for kindness Painting is so therapeutic – it forces you to sit down and focus only on the picture in front of you. With each brushstroke, your stress unfolds. Creating a mini piece of art can also be a lovely way to show a friend that you care – a sentiment shared by Art and Kindness, who create beautiful art kits for you to work on for yourself and send to others. Choose from a selection of designs from artandkindness.co.uk, £29. WILD & FREE Al fresco bathing or ‘wild washing’ is the latest wellness trend to emerge – in fact, according to Plumbworld, searches for outdoor bathing have increased by 200…

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1 COOL DOWN Body temperature plays an important role in sleep. We fall asleep as our body temperature drops, and a lower body temperature also helps us stay asleep before it begins to rise in the early hours as we waken. You can encourage a drop in body temperature by taking a hot bath or shower about an hour before bedtime and then making sure your environment is cool (about 17°C/63°F). As the body cools, you will begin to feel sleepy. Ideally, exercise no less than four hours before going to bed, to avoid elevating your core temperature. 2 CHECK YOUR ENVIRONMENT Sleep in a cool, dark room that is free of technology and has a comfortable bed. Turn any clocks to the wall to avoid watching the minutes in…

Falling leaves As leaves start to collect in gardens and parks, don’t rush to tidy them up – they make great hiding places for insects and hedgehogs and provide food for earthworms. The nutrients from the decomposing leaves also feed surrounding plants and trees. Pile up some logs too to encourage even more wildlife into your garden this autumn.…

Over the past few years, the global media have been reporting on a so-called ‘Insectageddon’ and what a bugless world could mean. They cite the growing body of evidence that invertebrates, and particularly the insects, are in big trouble. This can make for scary reading, which can make some people feel powerless. But it is having an impact on research budgets and government action which were much needed, and at least the media are also starting to explain to the public, more helpfully, why this decline will be a problem: telling the story of bugs in our lives and describing what it will mean if we lose them. That we will lose many of the foods that we take for granted, including coffee, chocolate and fruits. That these invertebrates are…

How did you get into bee keeping? I was lucky enough to grow up with them. My dad has been a beekeeper for over 55 years, so they’ve always been part of my life. What changes have you seen over the years? We’ve noticed a dramatic decline in all insect populations… do you remember driving at night and your windscreen getting covered with all sorts of insects? How many do you see these days? Agriculture has changed dramatically from mixed farming to mono crops of grass for silage, whereas previously hay making allowed wild flowers to proliferate. Many hedges are now flail cut annually, preventing flowering. All of this reduces the available flora for both bees and other pollinators. Why are bees so important? Bees are highly efficient pollinators for…

Reading… This part-book, part journal is filled with tips, ideas and activities to bring joy back into your life – one for every day of the year. (£12.99, Leaping Hare Press). Watching… The Calm YouTube channel is filled with meditations and soothing sounds – watch as a fire flickers or a river flows, soothing your cares away in minutes. Listening to… Michelle Obama’s heart-warming podcast is filled with insightful conversations about relationships, wellbeing and world events. Listen on Spotify.…

NOT TOO LITTLE, NOT TOO MUCH. JUST RIGHT. Life in balance Many cultures advocate living a life that enjoys everything in moderation, and the Swedish concept of ‘lagom‘ falls very much within this realm. Dubbed ‘the new hygge‘, lagom means ‘just the right amount’ and revolves around the concept of living with just enough – enough possessions, enough social time, enough self care, enough work and enough relaxation. When you next feel the balance tilt towards too much work or stress, remember this Swedish ideal.…

DUDES AND DOGS C.I.C A men’s mental health support network which hosts weekend dog walks (you don't need to own a dog) nationwide, offering a space for men to talk freely about any struggles they’re having (dudesndogs.co.uk) MIND Provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem (mind.org.uk) TALK CLUB Offers safe and confidential spaces across the UK where men can meet regularly to talk and listen to each other (wetalkclub.com) SILENCE OF SUICIDE (SOS) Provides free group meetings in a safe space, physical or online, for anyone affected by suicide to talk openly. THE AUTHOR Mike Langroudi is a passionate men’s mental health advocate and host of podcast The Vulnerability Project on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.…

This morning I woke up to a pounding heart and racing thoughts. Annoyingly, this is a fairly familiar start to my day, especially at times when the demands of work and life are escalating and fuelling my stress levels. However, I now have a secret weapon with which to fight these panicked wake-ups. And that secret is sparrows. After just a few short minutes sitting in my kitchen with a coffee, watching these little brown birds fluttering among the shrubs and pecking at crumbs on the lawn, my anxiety levels have quickly receded. It’s not just sparrows, either – sleek, dramatic crows, plump wood pigeons and fluffy balls of blue tit all have a similarly calming effect. As my focus switches from my day-to-day anxieties to observing their activity, I…

• Talk about bugs to everyone in your community and with friends and family. • Show your love of bugs by sharing pictures of invertebrates. Take a picture of invertebrates you spot and share it on social media – the photos do not have to be perfect! • When flying ants or wasps arrive, spread the love for them and counter the hate. • Tell children you know why bugs matter. Find them a bug whenever you can and get them to talk about what they see and think. Use National Insect Week, Buglife and other great resources for inspiration and activities.…

Have you ever eaten a delicious, healthy meal and felt fantastic afterwards, knowing that you’ve nourished your body whilst enjoying every mouthful? How about when you've eaten something ultra-processed – do you feel the same? It’s no secret that what we eat can affect how we feel and that our gut health in particular is linked to mood, mental health and even our immune systems. In short, a healthy gut equals a healthy body and mind. Gut feeling So how can we maintain a healthy digestive system? It’s all about feeding our bodies the right things at every meal, including lots of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds and legumes. The wider the variety, the better (one study showed that 30 different ‘plants’ per week resulted in the…

CHARLIE LEMMER A sustainable interior designer and holistic health coach, Charlie helps people create space for wellbeing. See her mindful home on p76 this issue. EMMA MUMFORD YouTuber The Spiritual Queen takes us on a journey into the world of manifestation and outlines how we can use it on p38. KATIE WHITE Katie is a blogger and recipe developer with sustainability at the heart of everything she does. She shares her food waste tips on p68. MIKE LANGROUDI Planet Mindful team member and host of The Vulnerability Project podcast Mike explains why men struggle with mental health and shares how we can support them on p32. LEAH LARWOOD Qualified hypnotherapist Leah explores the positives we can take from Covid, and how we can use the pandemic as a vehicle for…

1 Introduce affirmations to your life “Start with three basic affirmations such as ‘I am strong’, ‘I can do this’, or ‘I am loved’ and practise saying them in front of the mirror each day. This will remind you that you have every reason to be confident. Another tip I give to my clients is to spend your time doing something you love. If your time is spent working in a job you love, spending time with people you love, and engaging in hobbies you love, you will feel a great sense of belonging that will inevitably boost your confidence.” Ray Sadoun, mental health specialist at OK Rehab (okrehab.org). 2 Find your yoga glow “The ‘yoga glow’ is real (and not just from sweat!) It’s about taking time for yourself, doing…

Over the past 18 months, many Brits have had time to question their lifestyles, and this has led to an influx of people wanting to leave busy city life behind or even the nine to five routine altogether. Someone who has changed their life significantly for the better since Covid is Stacey Lowman, 34, who left corporate London to travel across Europe and work from her campervan during the pandemic. After 10 years of working in the world of corporate finance and several years of careful preparation, Stacey left her job in London and home in Brighton to travel and work across the UK and Europe from her renovated campervan. She now works as a freelance Financial Coach, remotely for Claro Money. There have been many perks to her new…

1 It prevents experiences being shared. If we only ever respond to our friends’ concerns with positivity, we won’t find out what caused their crisis, which not only has detrimental effects for them personally but also socially, potentially preventing discussion about political issues. 2 It stifles authentic human interaction. Those having a difficult time don’t just need someone to talk to, they need someone to listen. This process, when genuine, can strengthen relationships and create authentic connections. Toxic positivity blocks this channel of connection. 3 It stops us building resilience. If we cannot acknowledge and move through emotions when they arise, we may find it more difficult to deal with the same feelings later on. Toxic positivity inhibits the development of other valuable coping mechanisms.…

• Lie flat on your back and imagine that you are breathing in through the soles of your feet. As you breathe in, the breath travels up the legs and through the torso and as the in-breath turns into an out-breath, you are breathing out through the crown of the head. Continue in this way for as long as you wish. What we are doing is allowing the breath to sweep through the body in a regular rhythm, slowly entering and exiting the body. • Remember that we are not doing this in order to fall asleep. If you do, that’s a bonus, but it is important to let go of that expectation, otherwise every second or so you will jump out of the body and back into your head,…

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS (RSPB) The UK’s largest nature conservation charity has reserves across the UK and a website full of useful info, from ID guides to birdwatching advice. rspb.org.uk BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY (BTO) BTO is an independent research charity, increasing knowledge of birds through scientific study. It has a website full of fascinating studies and information. bto.org BIRDNET (APP) The BirdNET app identifies bird sounds and song – really useful if you’re out and about and want to know what you’re listening to! birdnet.cornell.edu STOP TO WATCH PODCAST A BTO-produced podcast presented by actor Martin Shaw, offering a meditation to encourage listeners to embrace mindful birdwatching. BIRD THERAPY BY JOE HARKNESS A deeply personal and inspiring description of the power of birds in improving mental…

• Remember that you can’t control climate change, but you can control the actions you take to fight it. • Get stuck into a climate-friendly action, whether that’s swapping to a more sustainable toothbrush or going litter-picking – every little helps. • Balance your media. It’s easy to fixate on doom and gloom headlines, but there are plenty of good news stories out there, too. • Practise mindfulness. Paying moment-by-moment attention to what’s happening right now, rather than what might happen in the future, is grounding and therapeutic. • Speak to loved ones about your worries. Sharing your thoughts with others is a good reminder that you’re not alone in the climate fight.…

In August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made up of the world’s leading climate scientists issued their most stark warning yet. The report states that climate change is unequivocally caused by human activities and that it is already affecting every corner of the planet’s land, air and oceans. It also says that the Earth will hit the 1.5˚ climate limit within the next 20 years, and the collapse of Atlantic currents that regulate our weather systems, ice caps or the Amazon Rainforest “can’t be ruled out”. When I first read the report’s findings, I felt overwhelmed. There is a part of me that wants to stick my head in the sand and ignore climate effects we are already seeing, such as the wildfires in Siberia, the floods in…

Take a hike Early autumn is the perfect time to don your walking boots and head into the hills in search of escapism. Breathe in the fresh air, watch the changing flora around you and enjoy the views – what better way to relieve the stress and tension of the day? Download the GetOutside app (getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk) to find walking routes near you.…

Makes enough for 2-4 baths Prep time: 5 minutes • 2 cups of Epsom salts• 2 tbsp carrier oil (such as coconut, avocado, or almond)• 2 tbsp dried lavender flowers• 2 tbsp dried rosebuds, crushed• 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil Combine the Epsom salts, carrier oil, lavender, rosebuds, and lavender essential oil in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Add between ½ and 1 cup to a hot, steamy bath and stir well to dissolve.…

THE AUTHOR Sarah Dawson is a freelance writer who lives in rural Leicestershire with her husband, two children, rescue pup and very patient cat. wordupwriting.co.uk 1 UPPER SHADYMOOR FARM SHREWSBURY Tucked away in a beautiful woodland glade, this charming farm has so much to offer for families. There’s the chance to meet the resident sheep, goats, pigs and chickens on a farm tour, a deer safari, pony grooming, a fishing pond and plenty of arts and crafts activities for the kids. With its own swimming lake, complete with water trampoline and lakeside hot tub, it’s a great choice for families looking for a chance to get back to nature. We love the fun touches, like the chance to rent your own chicken coop for your stay, so you can enjoy…