Category: Mindfulness

Posted in mental health, Mindfulness, mindset, psychology, self care, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: 8 ways to instantly boost your mood

Posted on by Laura

Sometimes, no matter how positive you feel when you wake up, particular events, issues, frustrations and even certain people’s attitudes can put a dampener on things and leave you feeling deflated. You probably wish you hadn’t let these parts of your day affect you as much as they have but it’s a natural part of life to experience ups and downs. When low mood strikes, there are a number of ways in which you can help yourself to feel better. Today, I’m sharing 8 tried and tested ideas which I’ve found helpful and I promise none of them include eating a gigantic bar of chocolate or any other highly calorific item!

Get out in nature

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of getting out in nature, whether that’s spending some time in my garden, heading to my local woodland park or even going to the beach to walk on the sand or paddle in the sea. It doesn’t have to be for long – just a few minutes of fresh air can make the world of difference to how you feel.

Listen to some upbeat tunes (even better, dance and sing too)

I first wrote about the benefits of listening to music back in 2021 and, as part of the post, I shared a page I’d created in my bullet journal with a mood boosting playlist. Musical taste is incredibly personal but choosing some upbeat songs to boogie, sing and listen along to can put you in a much better frame of mind. Here’s some ideas for uplifting tracks to find on YouTube, Apple Music or whatever happens to be your favourite resource to listen to through headphones or to blast out through your speakers (if it won’t disturb anyone):

  • Can’t Stop The Feeling By Justin Timberlake
  • I Got a Feeling By The Black Eyed Peas
  • Happy By Pharrell Williams
  • 22 By Taylor Swift
  • Walking On Sunshine By Katrina & The Waves
  • Song 2 By Blur
  • Love Shack By B-52s
  • Roar By Katy Perry
  • Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
  • Good Feelin’ By Flo Rida
  • Watermelon Sugar By Harry Styles
  • Dance Monkey By Tones And I
  • Groove Is In The Heart By Deee-lite
  • Blinding Lights By The Weeknd
  • Havana By Camila Cabello Feat. Young Thug

Whatever your favourite style of music, jot down an uplifting songs list or create a track list on your device and keep it in a memorable location (either on paper or digitally) to refer to when you need it.

Get moving

On the subject of moving our body, as an alternative to dancing along to your favourite tracks, you could also explore other forms of exercise in a bid to boost your mood. Any type of physical activity that raises your heart rate has been shown to release endorphins in the body. These hormones and neurotransmitters, which have been described as ‘a natural high’, will have you feeling better in minutes. Here’s some fun / invigorating summer time activities to try:

  • Spend some time in your garden pulling weeds, breaking up compacted soil in your borders, cutting your lawn, deadheading faded blooms, pruning bushes and shrubs, checking for hidden pests and watering thirst plants with a heavy watering can.
  • Get your bike out of the garage, dust it off and head to a trail of your choice. I like to go to the coast as it’s a straight stretch of cycle path which is wide enough for if I get the wobbles but if you search ‘easy bike rides near me’ you can explore different options available to you in your locality.
  • Play a game or do a physical activity that you used to enjoy as a kid – frisbee, bouncing a ball off a wall / bat / the ground,
  • Clean and or tidy your desk / room / house, then sit back and enjoy the feeling that comes with a neat and dust free space.
  • Take a brisk walk around the block and see if you can notice anything new or different – maybe someone in your immediate area has painted their fence, changed their car, got a new pet, weeded their driveway etc. Maybe the council has added a new sign, planted some young trees or mown the grass in another street. If you can’t see anything that’s changed, maybe you could think of some changes you would like to make if you were in charge!

Soak up some sunshine

Sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D which has been scientifically proven to regulate your mood. If it’s a nice day, get your sunglasses and some sun protection on and feel the warmth on your skin. I like to sit on our bench or one of our patio chairs in the garden and close my eyes for some mindful listening to accompany the experience. This is a great way to get into a meditative state as it gives you something to focus on and minimises the change of your mind wandering towards the major or minor irritations I mentioned previously. In the summer, there’s generally lots of daytime sounds whether it’s someone mowing the lawn, children laughing, birds tweeting or even distant traffic noises.

What a video of something cute or funny

Open up YouTube on your phone or computer and search for cute or funny videos of, plus the name of your favourite pet or animal. Anyone who’s been following my blog for a while is likely to know my animal of choice is a Syrian hamster, but I can guarantee that there are videos out there to suit all whether that’s woodland birds, different pets or even more unusual choices like sealions, squirrels, polar bears or hedgehogs.

Dig out your photograph albums

Looking back at old photographs (and/or journals if you do memory keeping like I do) is a great way to bring to mind happy memories of exciting life events, people in your life (past and present) and places you’ve been. And if you’re one of those people who rarely print your images off, why not flick through those on your phone and select some to add to an album later. Taking time on your own to quietly sit and view several years worth of photographs can be very therapeutic, as can sharing them with loved ones either in person or by contacting them via phone, WhatsApp, email or even letter (pretty paper optional!).

Practise gratitude

Grab a piece of paper or your journal and make a list of five small things you’re grateful for in your life right now. Research shows that a consistent gratitude practice has so many health and wellbeing benefits so give it a try starting today and see how it makes you feel. Check out this blog post to learn more.

Make a list of things you love about yourself

Whilst you’ve got a pen and paper to hand, here’s another positive exercise to try. Write a title ‘Things I love about myself’ at the top of the page and then make a list of your best qualities. This could include physical aspects such as your smile, your lovely, long locks, your clear skin and healthy looking nails, your character traits, e.g. kindness, good analytical skills, reliability, optimism and so on, and things you’re really good at like cooking, motivating yourself, helping others, solving problems etc. Once you written as much as you can right now, try displaying your list somewhere so you can refer to it when you need a mood boost, or add to it when something comes to mind.

Inhale an uplifting scent

If you know anything about aromatherapy, you’ll probably be aware that some scents are thought to be uplifting and mood boosting. I have a few little essential oil bottles which I got from the Body Shop in strawberry, raspberry and exotic which I love to inhale at any given opportunity. My scents of choice are fruity smells but below are a list of classic options which I collected from various websites via Google.

  • vanilla
  • peppermint
  • jasmine
  • citrus scents including orange, lemon and grapefruit
  • juicy fruits like peaches, pear and pineapple
  • relaxing scents like lavender, ylang, ylang and chamomile
  • spicy scents such as ginger, cinnamon and clove
  • fresh forest options such as pine and eucalyptus

Of course, it’s important to experiment and see which you prefer (and think about the mood you want to create such as uplifting or relaxing) but these should get you started with that. As you learn more about aromatherapy, you might like to try combining scents to create your perfect mood booster!

Final words…

I hope you’ve found today’s post beneficial and the ideas will motivate you to be pro-active next time you find yourself in a funk or stressed by particular events in your day. If I haven’t shared your favourite way to uplift your mood, or relax when tensions are high, feel free to add it in the comments as it may help someone else to manage their mood in the future along with my ideas.

Thanks for reading and I’ll be back with another wellbeing post very soon,

Posted in goal setting, journalling, life hacks, lifestyle, meditation, Mindfulness, mindset, self care, Setting goals and intentions, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: Discovering joy in every season of the year using The Happiness Year by Tara Ward

Posted on by Laura

A few months ago, I was looking in the health and wellbeing section at Waterstones and came upon a beautifully illustrated book about finding joy throughout the year by trying out different seasonal activities. At the time, I didn’t purchase it, but I regretted my decision so I ordered it from an online retailer. When it arrived, I added it to the bookcase in my craft room as I was already in the process of reading about 8 different books which is a few too many even by my standards. I pulled it out a few days ago and there are some lovely activities inside in the section which I started with – Spring. I tried out the first exercise this morning and really enjoyed it so I thought I would give a short summary of the book and share that first prompt with you today.

The Happiness Year: How to Find Joy In Every Season by Tara Ward

In the introductory section of the book, Tara discusses the aims of The Happiness Year and also talks about the emotion of happiness and the four positive chemicals that are released into your body when you’re happy – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins (referred to as DOSE throughout the book). She then goes on to explain how to use and enjoy the book.

The remainder of the book is split into four sections – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and there are a collection of exercises provided in each which you can pick and choose from. In combination, they promise to help you in an holistic way – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Personally, I think I will probably try out all of the different activities and see which I prefer and benefit from the most.

Included within the book, there are journalling and brainstorming activities, meditations, physical exercises, goal setting and planning tasks, plus many more to explore and enjoy. You are also invited to complete them in a way that feels comfortable for you, taking into account individual differences and preferences.

So far, I’ve only read the Spring chapter in depth but I’ve had a good flick through all of the book and I can already see there are many exercises that will appeal.

Exploring your thoughts, feelings and ideas about Spring

As I said earlier, I completed the first activity this morning and I enjoyed it so much that I felt compelled to share it with you. I think this exercise would work well for each of the four seasons, not just Spring. Here’s a step by step explanation of what to do:

  • Take an A4 piece of paper and place it in front of you
  • Write the word SPRING in large letters at the bottom of the page
  • Close your eyes and take three deep, comfortable breaths to focus you in the present moment
  • Open your eyes and look at the word
  • What comes to mind when you think of Spring?
  • Write down everything which comes up for you
  • When you’ve run out of ideas, close your eyes again, breathe deeply and continue thinking about the season
  • Note down any further ideas or images which come to mind
  • When you feel you’ve finished, look over your sheet
  • What jumps out at you the most? Circle any words or phrases which particularly resonate or feel important to you. Are then any surprises?
  • What is the overriding emotion when you look at your words? Write that emotion or emotions at the top of the page.
  • Look through the words and make a list of those which generate feelings of happiness.

I hope you found this a helpful exercise and it reminded you about all of the lovely things which happen in the Springtime. I’ve included my sheet below, how does it compare to yours?

Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative

Final words…

If you enjoy mindful activities such as journalling, setting intentions, exploring the world using your five senses, breathwork, meditation and appreciating the simple things in life, I would definitely recommend checking out The Happiness Year. The book will help you find ways to appreciate and make the most of all of the things that each season has to offer you. You’ll also find a range of self care activities to increase your happiness levels by releasing a good ‘DOSE’ of positive chemicals. Let me know if you try the exercise outlined above and how it made you feel.

Posted in lifestyle, mental health, Mindfulness, Planning and journaling, reflective journalling, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: 4 Ways to Destress after a Busy Day

Posted on by Laura
Photo from Unsplash

Most of us lead very busy lives and it can be incredibly difficult to switch off and relax in the evening in preparation for a good night’s sleep. Today, I’m sharing four excellent ways to wind down after a stressful or busy day. The following activities are great for your mental health and wellbeing and I’m going to be offering lots of different options to choose from depending on your preferences.

Do a journalling activity

After a busy or particularly stressful day, it can often be super difficult to calm our mind. Your head can be full of all kinds of clutter in the form of thoughts (both positive and negative), ideas or feelings. Maybe you’re busy analysing or deconstructing everything that has happened and going through things that were said. Perhaps you’re worrying about your mounting to do list and what didn’t get crossed off today because of x,y and z which took priority. Or, you might be looking towards tomorrow, thinking about the events in your diary or how you can be super productive and get more done whilst making it a calmer, less stress inducing day. If any of the above apply, you might be wondering if you will ever be able to switch off and sleep tonight. This is where getting your thoughts and feelings out of your head and onto paper can be super helpful. Just ten minutes of free flow or structured journal writing can make all the difference.

I learnt the following method for putting the day to rest when I was teaching, when every day was a busy day and I was really struggling to relax and sleep.

Putting the day to rest activity

  • Set aside 20 minutes in the early evening (I used to do this at 7.30pm)
  • Sit down somewhere quiet
  • Think about your day today and how it has gone, what you did and how you feel about it
  • Write it down in bullet points or free writing if you prefer
  • Write down anything you didn’t get done off your to-do list
  • Think about tomorrow – do you have any particular events coming up? what are looking forward to? are there any worries you have about what’s happening?
  • Write down a loose or structured plan for your day depending on your own needs (you can always modify this as you learn what works best for you.
  • When it comes to later evening and bedtime, if thoughts about today or tomorrow pop into your head, remind yourself that you’ve already evaluated your day and planned for tomorrow, so you don’t need to think about it any more.
  • If new thoughts come into your head at bedtime, jot them down on a piece of paper or on a notepad.

Other types of prompt based journalling might also work for you and there are some lovely ones on the market which can be used before bed. I’m a big fan of The Five Minute Journal but there are plenty of much cheaper options if this doesn’t fit with your budget. How much you want to write is up to you but it’s good to develop a consistent practice which becomes a positive habit to end your work time or day with.

Try a Mindful or Meditative Practice

Any type of activity that requires a high level of concentration and uses different senses is great for helping you to forget about the busyness of your day. Here’s some ideas for mindful and meditative activities which you might like to try:

  • Meditation – this can simply be sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing or using a guided practice. I recently found this account on YouTube that has some lovely ones with different foci that you mind find helpful. When choosing a guided session, it’s important to find someone who’s voice you find soothing and relaxing so you might like to try out a few to establish your preferences.
  • Crafting – there are so many different crafting options such as papercrafting, watercolour painting, knitting, sewing, crochet, model making and so on – why not give a few beginner projects a go to see which you prefer.
  • Some kind of puzzle e.g. a jigsaw, wordsearch, crossword etc. – great for keeping your mind active
  • Games – this could be something on your computer that you play by yourself such as Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Word Cookies or Patience, or one you play with others such as Boggle, Yahtzee, Gin Rummy, Scrabble or Jenga.
  • Enjoy a scented bubble bath and use your senses to fully appreciate the experience.
  • Cook a meal from scratch – measure out your ingredients with care, fully engaged with chopping / dicing / peeling etc, smell the different flavours as the dish cooks, taste the mixture to check the seasoning and so on. Mindfully enjoy the results at your dining table. Share your experience with others.
  • Watch something engaging on TV – comedy, drama, nature, historical interest or reality. Whatever you enjoy, give it your full attention and leave your phone or tablet in another room so you don’t get distracted. If you’re anything like me at this time of year, you’ll want to get your PJs on and snuggle under a warm blanket with your feet up for this one!

Read a book or magazine

Spending time reading a novel, information book, or favourite magazine is a great way to unwind and get yourself all relaxed and ready for bed. I love Psychologies magazine, as it’s full of positive ideas, and I can learn new ways of managing mental health and wellbeing at the same time.

Some people argue that you shouldn’t read in bed, but I find reading a few chapters of my Kindle novel (or for about 30 minutes) helps me to drift off really quickly. Try reading just before bed and reading in bed to see which works best for you.

Spend quality time with a loved one

Arranging an after work activity to do with a co-worker, friend, family member or partner can also help us destress. This could involve going out for an after-work drink, doing an evening class, watching a film at the cinema, seeing a comedy show or visiting a new or favourite restaurant. Alternatively, you might plan something fun to do together at home such as making popcorn to eat whilst watching a film, playing a board game or learning something new such as massage or reflexology.

Spending time with a pet is also great way to destress and calm the mind. This could include something you know they enjoy such as throwing a ball for your dog to catch at your local park (depending on the time of year), stroking your cat as they sit curled up on your knee, or watching your hamster as they zip around the house in their exercise ball.

Final words…

So there you have it, four ways to take yourself out of work/busy mode and into a relaxed state for the evening. I hope today’s post has given you food for thought and you’ll try one or two of the activities listed to see how they help. If you have any other preferences for your wind down routine, let me know in the comments.

Posted in crafting, creativity, lifestyle, Mindfulness

Monday Matters: 5 mindful creative activities to try this winter

Posted on by Laura

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while will know that I love doing a range of creative arts and crafts and find them really beneficial for my mental health due to the mindfulness aspect of the activities. So, today, I’m sharing 5 quick and easy ways to get creative during the winter season. Let me know which one you fancy giving a try.

Mini cross stitch

Doing a large cross stitch can be a very time-consuming activity and generally takes months to complete. However, if you’re new to counted cross stitch or want something that you can make in a short time frame, I recommend the mini kits that you can pick up in places like Hobbycraft. This winter fox design, which is just 3×3 inches, is perfect for the season. They also offer plenty of other more Christmassy ones too. If you’re a complete beginner, I highly recommend Mouseloft kits as they’re great quality and have a decent set of instructions on how to get started.

Just getting started…

Festive biscuits

Homemade biscuits are fun to do and make your kitchen smell delicious. I’m planning on creating some snowflake and Christmassy shapes using cookie cutters and I’ll be personalising them with icing patterns, edible bits and pieces such as metallic balls and tiny shapes like holly and stars. If you want to make the activity even easier and would like to avoid having to purchase lots of different ingredients, there are plenty of kits on offer in the supermarkets or places like Lakeland. I’ve also seen DIY gingerbread houses whilst out shopping too.

Dried orange slices

I’ve seen dried orange slices in various festive decorations for sale in garden centres and you can buy packets of pre-made ones in craft shops but I think it would be much more fun and rewarding to make your own. I’m going to put mine with all of the pine cones I’ve collected and add fragrance to create my own winter pot pourri. There are lots of tutorials on You Tube and various ideas on how to display your dried oranges such as hanging them from your Christmas tree branches, stringing them as a simple garland attaching to a branch of fir or, making pot pourri. These instructions show how to dehydrate them and string them but there are many more helpful videos around.

Holly felt garland

I found a lovely online tutorial for making a holly garland out of felt which doesn’t involve any sewing and simply uses a hot glue gun to attach the pieces. As well as the glue, you need two shades of green felt (preferably as A4 sheets), plus some red pompoms. Again, you can buy pre-made but some I’ve seen to purchase online are in the region of £30-£50! If you create your own, you can enjoy the benefits of mindful activity as you cut and glue, plus you can see the fruits of your hard work for the whole of the winter period, not just for Christmas.

Paper snowflakes

I used to make these as a child and I also taught the kids in my classes when I was teaching. This YouTube tutorial from Martha Stewart, shows a version where you fold a square diagonally twice and then fold into thirds for a six pointed snowflake. Once you get the hang of them you can make more intricate designs and even use sparkly paper or add glitter to the edges after you open out your flake.

Final words…

I hope these ideas for crafting projects have inspired you and you’ll give at least one of them a go over the winter period. I’ve already started my fox cross stitch (which I purchased last year and didn’t get around to due to December Daily taking up so much of my time) and I have two cute Christmas Mouseloft designs on display in my living room already. My oranges are purchased too and I can’t wait to give the pot pourri a go when I’ve found a suitable fragrance for it. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out if it’s a success.

Happy crafting!

Posted in lifestyle, Mindfulness, self care, wellbeing

Monday Matters: 15 Relaxing things to do this Summer

Posted on by Laura

The summer is finally here bringing with it longer and warmer days, sunshine and gentle breezes. Today, I’m sharing fifteen relaxing activities for you to try over the next few months. Why not create a bucket list (maybe with little doodles for each item) in your notebook or planner as a visual reminder?

Enjoy a picnic in your local park

One of my favourite things to do in the summer is to fill our cool bag with lots of tasty lunch items to enjoy al fresco in a park or at a local picnic spot. Must haves for me are juicy strawberries and a nice cold bottle of fresh orange but you can tailor make a menu of your favourite cold foods.

Take a hike

There are so many different options for a long summer walk – ambling through shady woodland, following a riverside path, taking a coastal route, heading for the hills or following a trail at a nature reserve are just some ideas that come to mind. If it’s a hot one, pace yourself and take plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. After I got bitten repeatedly whilst on holiday in Norfolk, I would also recommend a good application of insect repellant too! Often, there’s little or no phone signal out there so you get a tech break too.

Make lemonade

Nothing beats a refreshing lemonade on a hot summer’s day and it’s even better if it’s homemade. Check out this easy recipe to make your own from scratch and then enjoy as part of a picnic or in your back garden.

Watch the sunset

I’ve seen and photographed some spectacular sunsets over the years and each time it’s an amazingly calming and restful way to end my day either alone or with someone special. All you need is a view to the west, a good spot to sit or stand such as a park, a hill or somewhere else high up such as a rooftop bar, the beach or even a window in your house, and maybe a blanket if it’s become a little chilly outside.

Sit outside after dark and stargaze

This one takes a bit of planning as you need to choose a clear night but free apps like Nightshift tell you what the forecast is like and StarTracker or similar identifies the constellations you can see if you point your phone up to the night sky. It also helps if you choose a location which is high up or somewhere that gives you a wide view of the sky with limited light pollution. Hills and beaches are particularly suitable.

Go somewhere quiet and read a summer themed novel

Nothing beats sitting in the sunshine or under the shade of a tree in a quiet spot to read a lighthearted summer novel. Popular authors who have written some great seasonal fiction include Phillipa Ashley, Sue Morecroft, Veronica Henry, Emily Henry, Katie Fforde and Jo Thomas.

Enjoy an iced coffee (or other iced drink if you prefer)

There are so many summer drinks options available in our local cafes at the moment – frappuccinos, refreshers, iced teas and coffees and new bubble teas. My favourite is a Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar which is made with oat milk, espresso and brown sugar syrup. And it’s less calorific than the hot caramel macchiato I choose during the colder months. Whichever drink you go for, make sure you consume it mindfully and savour every sip.

Treat yourself to a delicious ice cream

There’s nothing better than ice cream on a hot summer’s day and nowadays there’s so many flavours and styles to choose from. And if you’re dairy free or vegan, there’s often plant based options including the new vegan raspberry swirl Magnum or a nice, refreshing and tangy sorbet. We like to take our foldable chairs in the boot of our car when we go out in the summer time so we can sit and enjoy our tasty treat in comfort and relax for a while in the sunshine afterwards..

Immerse yourself in nature

Spending time outdoors in nature can improve both your physical and mental health. Some of my favourite relaxing summer activities include visiting a botanical garden, wandering through a meadow spotting bees and butterflies, visiting wetland habitats with my binoculars to observe water birds and taking my DSLR camera to photograph flora and fauna.

Make fruit salad

A cocktail of fresh fruits is a great summer dessert and is super healthy too. Seasonal choices which work well include strawberries, mango, watermelon, raspberries, papaya, pineapple, melon, blueberries and cherries (don’t forget to remove the stones). Preparing the fruit salad yourself is a wonderfully calm and mindful activity and it means you can choose your absolute favourites to include. Popping the bowl in the fridge to chill for a while before eating makes it even more refreshing.

Try earthing

Earthing is the practise of being in direct contact with the earth’s surface. This could involve walking outside barefoot, sitting or lying on the grass, paddling in the sea or outdoor swimming. Research shows that this popular summer time activity has a whole host of benefits including releasing tension, improving sleep, boosting our immune system and generally leaving us feeling calm and relaxed.

Get active

There are so many fun ways to get active outdoors such as going for a bike ride, canoeing, sea swimming, beach volleyball, tennis, cricket, rounders or even enjoying a game of frisbee. Whatever sporting activity you choose, requires a great deal of concentration which can help to take your mind off the stresses of modern life. Just remember to dress appropriately and wear sunscreen.

Attend an outdoor event

Most towns and cities offer a range of outdoor events over the summer to suit different ages and tastes. Your local newspaper and council webpages should provide all of the information you need about what’s on. This year in Sunderland there are outdoor music concerts at our football stadium, a food and drink festival, plus a dance party in the city centre featuring local DJ sets and a range of other musical artists. There’s also a pride event which includes a parade and lots of other colourful and fun activities. Slightly further afield, there are a number of open air theatre events which include Jane Austen’s Emma, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a family friendly adaptation of The Secret Garden. The National Trust Website is a good place to find our about a range of outdoor theatrical events.

Play a lawn game

There are so many fun outdoor games you can play either in your back garden, if you have one, or on the grass at your local park. There’s giant versions of popular indoor favourites such as garden dominoes, giant Jenga and lawn darts, plus other options you might have tried out as a kid like swingball, quoits, bean bag challenges and croquet. You could even have a get together with family or friends and hold a tournament!

Make a summer scrapbook or Traveller’s Notebook journal

Creating a scrapbook or Traveler’s Notebook journal is a wonderful way to document all of the fun things you did over the summer. Each time you do something on your bucket list, take a photo or two to capture it and make a note of how you felt and anything funny or particularly memorable that happened. It’s up to you whether you dedicate a few hours to working on your memory keeping each week or spend a whole day getting creative. You can also add other souvenirs such as tickets, postcards, packaging, maps or leaflets from places you went, pressed flowers, mini printed out book covers of novels you read etc.

Final words…

So there we have it, fifteen relaxing and enjoyable activities to try this summer. Let me know in the comments which ones appeal the most and if you have any further ideas, I would love to hear them.

Enjoy your summer of happy memory making,