Category: wellness

Posted in compassion, mental health, physical health, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: The benefits of engaging in small acts of kindness, plus some RAK ideas for you to try this week

Posted on by Laura

Most of us are familiar with the abbreviation RAK i.e. Random Acts of Kindness and are likely to have given or received one or more of these over the course of the year. Kindness from another, whether they’re a complete stranger, an acquaintance or someone much closer has the potential to brighten our day, make us feel good inside, change our mindset, and even restore our faith in humanity. But, as well as this, research shows that helping others is wonderful for our mental health and wellbeing, so it has huge benefits for the giver too. Today, I thought I’d discuss some of the benefits of doing things for others and also list a few easy and low cost RAK ideas that you might like to give a try.

Photo from a selection on Unsplash

Releases positive ‘feel good’ chemicals

Acts of kindness towards others has been scientifically studied and the research shows that not only do they have the potential to make the recipient feel warm and fuzzy inside, they also release dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin (feel good hormones) in the giver, creating feelings of euphoria which have been described as a ‘helpers high’.

Reduces stress levels

On the subject of feel good chemicals, the release of oxytocin (sometimes referred to as the love hormone) has also been shown to counteract the production of stress hormones like cortisol. As well as creating calm, lower stress levels can also help with physical ailments that are often precipitated or aggravated by stress such as headaches, back pain, neckache, stomach complaints, poor immunity, low energy levels and fatigue, sleeplessness or insomnia.

Increases positive emotions and mood

On a similar theme, small acts of kindness towards others can brighten our mood and make us feel much more positive in general. When we regularly engage in good deeds, it increases positive emotions in us such as contentment, happiness and joy. It can also boost our self-esteem and generally make us feel more optimistic.

Reduces negative emotions

In addition, with being filled with positivity will naturally reduce negative emotions and feelings such as anger, sadness, anxiety, depression, discontent and loneliness. Obviously, it’s normal to feel some of the above at times, but kindness towards others can help to put you in a positive frame of mind and stop negativity from taking over.

Creates a chain reaction

When the recipient of your RAK experiences the feelings of happiness it creates, it’s likely to inspire them to do something kind for someone else and this kindness can then be paid forward, creating a chain reaction. Here’s a video you might like to watch which shows a kindness being paid forward – yes, it’s not necessarily a true to real life situation, but I think it provides a heartwarming illustration.

Creates a real sense of belonging and reduces feelings of isolation

Finally, being kind towards our partner, children, other family members, work colleagues, neighbours and even strangers helps us to feel a deep social connection and trust in others. This can lead to better relationships and the belief that we are a key part of the workplace and local community. It can also reduce feelings of social isolation and loneliness in ourselves and the individuals who receive our kind acts.

Some RAK to try today

Some of the RAKs involve a small financial outlay, but there are also many free ideas too. I’ve tried to include a wide mix of suggestions, so hopefully there’s something there for all of my readers.

  • feed the birds in your garden or local park (please avoid giving bread to ducks though as it isn’t healthy for them)
  • buy a treat for your pet and watch them enjoy it
  • hold the door open for someone
  • help a person who is carrying a heavy load
  • buy a bunch of flowers for someone who’s having a hard time
  • thank your server for being attentive when out for a meal
  • go for a nature walk and say ‘good morning’ or offer a friendly ‘hello’ and a smile to everyone you meet
  • donate some unused items to charity
  • compliment someone on their choice of outfit or accessories for the day
  • leave a surprise somewhere for a friend, family member or complete stranger to find e.g. put a post it note in your child’s school lunchbox saying ‘I love you’ or ‘I hope you’re having a nice day’, paint a pebble with a bright rainbow and leave it at the base of a tree in the woods, hide your partner’s favourite chocolate bar in their bag etc.
  • if someone is popping out for lunch and it’s raining, lend them your umbrella
  • put an item or two in a food bank
  • let someone who has a small number of items go before you in the supermarket
  • show your appreciation for a fitness instructor whose classes you particularly enjoy
  • offer to get groceries for an elderly neighbour or someone who is sick
  • donate old magazines to be put in a waiting room e.g. at a doctor’s or dental surgery
  • bake cookies for your work colleagues
  • if someone is new to your gym class, your place of work or somewhere else you go regularly, find opportunities to get to know them and ask them how they’re finding things
  • when out and about for the day somewhere, offer to take a photograph for an individual, couple or family so that they can all be in the shot
  • create a wildlife friendly area in your garden, for example, by scattering wildflower seeds, putting up a bug hotel or allowing leaves to pile up in a corner
  • write a list of things you love about your partner, child, friend or work colleague and share it with them
  • leave a nice comment on a blog post, YouTube video or picture shared on Instagram
  • leave a positive review for a small business who have given particularly good service
  • give a book to a friend you think might enjoy it
  • send a surprise gift in the post to a loved one
  • donate to your favourite charity
  • offer some helpful advice to a member of an online group you belong to
  • let someone out in front of you when driving in heavy traffic
  • call or text a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while
  • send an interesting online article to a friend or family member you think might benefit from or enjoy it
  • offer a lift to someone
  • write a summary about a place you’ve visited on TripAdvisor so that other potential similar visitors know what to expect if they go
  • message an author to say how much you enjoyed their first / latest book
  • post a good news story on social media
  • make a self care package to give to someone you think would benefit from it
  • take part in a community litter pick
  • stop and take time to talk to a neighbour – even if you’re super busy!
  • give up your seat on public transport to someone who needs it more than you
  • volunteer your time for example, to walk a neighbour’s dog, to do some babysitting for a friend of family member, to go to the shops for someone, to help teach someone a skill such as reading, knitting, sewing, crochet or computing

Final words…

As you go about your day today, try to think of at least one way you can make a difference to someone. It doesn’t matter how small your gesture of kindness is or whether it is costly (financially or time wise) or not. One you get started with offering random acts of kindness, you’ll find that more and more opportunities and ideas will present themselves, making it easier and easier by the day.

After giving or receiving a RAK, why not do a short amount of journalling about it in a notebook to explore the positive effects it has had. Alternatively, you could create a short post about it on Facebook, explaining how you felt afterwards and celebrating kindness towards others. You might even prompt someone else to think about what they could do to help another person in their life.

Posted in amateur photography, Anxiety management, bird spotting, lifestyle, wellbeing, wellness, wildlife

Monday Matters: Wildlife Watching for Wellbeing

Posted on by Laura
Six spotted burnet moth

Over the past month or so, I’ve taken a real interest in watching wildlife and found it to be amazing for my general wellbeing. It’s such a calm and relaxing activity and the perfect way to engage in some mindfulness as it encourages you to be in the moment and really study the action with your five senses whether that’s watching a blackbird taking a bath, listening to the screeching sound of swifts zipping around the sky or quietly observing butterflies sunning themselves in a wildflower meadow whilst feeling the warmth of the day on your skin.

Today, I thought I’d share some of the benefits of wildlife watching that I’ve particularly enjoyed and also include some of my photographs which I’m pretty proud of as I took them in manual mode on my DSLR. I hope you enjoy the post and that, ultimately, it whets your appetite for wildlife viewing this summer season and beyond.

Learning about what’s out there in my locality

Quietly observing in our garden and other local settings such as parks, forest, woodland, heathland, meadow or the coast, I’ve been able to see and enjoy all of the different wildlife and begin to learn more about them. I now know that greenfinch have started visiting our feeders and that, despite us having an overhanging conifer trimmed significantly by a tree surgeon, there are still plenty of birds nesting in what remains, albeit in slightly closer proximity to each other! In my quest to photograph butterflies this summer, I’ve learnt why we have much fewer individuals this season (poor weather at the start of summer) and where I’m most likely to spot different species. I’ve also observed the six spotted burnett moth in tall grasses at the cost, and discovered where their favourite places to land are.

Learning something new each day not only helps with personal growth but it also develops a sense of accomplishment which I believe is essential for wellbeing. There’s nothing better than sitting down at the end of the day, (whether busy or more relaxed) and recalling something new that you didn’t know yesterday.

Female sparrow and her young on our garden fence

Expressing gratitude

I find there’s something to be grateful for every day of the week (in fact I write 3 things in my The Five Minute journal each morning), but I’m always especially excited when I witness something new or go somewhere a bit different in my quest to explore wildlife in the North East of England and beyond. I’ve just started reading Hannah Stitfall’s recently published book, Wild Treasures, where she documents a year of watching wildlife in her home county of Cornwall – a place I have visited and loved many times as a child and throughout my adult years. However fruitful (or not) her trips to wild places have been, you get a really sense of how lucky she feels to have these opportunities on her doorstep, and I must agree – we have so many amazing natural spaces throughout the UK that are just waiting to be explored.

I often find my wildlife spots end up being recorded in my highlights of the day or as part of my morning gratitude writing, whether that’s mentioning our plans for an exciting day out exploring nature and the wildlife it has to offer, or recalling the feeling of a good spot.

Opportunities to practise using my zoom lens

I’ve had my zoom lens for a long time now and I’ve often been frustrated by its limitations in terms of getting close up shots of birds (it’s really not powerful enough and I would need to invest in one of the huge ££££ lenses which I’ve seen used in hides). However, I’ve now discovered that it works really well for insect, plant and flower photography when placed at a distance of 0.85m from the subject. I’ve built a collection of macro shots which are pretty good for an amateur and I’m enjoying adding these to my journals and sharing them on Instagram.

Again, this chance to explore and develop my skills (with both the photography and the use of Photoshop to edit my images) has been a real boost to my wellbeing, including when I add my photographs to social media and use them in my creative journals and show them off.

Small white butterfly at Ryhope cliffs

Enjoying the beauty of all that nature has to offer

As I mentioned earlier, we have some wonderful natural spaces across the UK and I thoroughly enjoy exploring the flora and fauna of different places. Sometimes, I’ll visit familiar places such as the coast, where at this time of year, I can see razorbills, kittywakes (and their young) reed buntings and meadow pipits and mammals such as grey seals and even dolphins! On other occasions, we’ll go further afield to favourite locations and places on my must visit list. Wherever I go, alone or with my husband, I tried to stay in the moment and really appreciate the beauty on offer as I look out for the wildlife to be spotted.

Mindfulness and its many benefits

I’ve talked about mindfulness and the many benefits in various previous blog posts. For some people, mindful activity is all about meditation, but it’s much more than this, practising mindfulness involves being in the present moment and developing a quiet awareness of your immediate environment, and I’m sure you can see how wildlife watching fits in with this. There are too many benefits to list here but a few include reducing anxiety and depression, lowering blood pressure, improving sleep, lowering stress levels and better ability to manage long term illness and chronic pain.

Improved physical health

Although I love watching wildlife from my own back garden (or via the kitchen window as I wash up!), there are so many more opportunities in the North East of England and further afield. As well as the chance to breathe in fresh, clean air, as I explore the natural environments, for me, my travels often include a brisk walk too. Adding in an uphill trek, a saunter across various fields, beaches or heathland on our way to more remote locations, offers a wonderful and more relaxing way to exercise which is completely different in experience to my gym sessions and various classes. Also, whilst your focus is on looking at the stunning views and watching out for various fauna, you’re often barely aware of what a good workout you’re having at the same time!

A sense of community

One of my absolute favourite ways to watch wildlife is to go to a nature reserve (especially one which has some bird hides) and take my binoculars for close up viewing and my DSLR camera for recording my spots. We’re lucky to have a number of locations within an hour and a half’s drive including Rainton Meadows (managed by Durham Wildlife Trust), Hauxley Nature Reserve (Northumberland Wildlife Trust) and RSPB Saltholme. When we visit, there are always plenty of others walking around the reserves or observing birds from the various hides and sharing these spaces develops a really sense of belonging, especially as you know that we’re collectively there for similar purposes – exploring the beauty that nature has to offer, enjoying the peace and quiet, looking out for different species and ultimately hoping to spot something new.

Coot chick at RSPB Saltholme

Wherever you live in the UK, I guarantee there are wild spaces on your doorstep to be explored and shared with other locals. Even in London, there are vast parks across the city offering peace, quiet, wildlife and the chance to get away from the busyness of the place and most people there have the same objective.

Final words…

Although I haven’t covered them here, there are various scientific studies done which offer proof of the mental health benefits of wildlife watching, especially bird spotting. It’s no surprise, then, that many of us turned to walking in the great outdoors during the pandemic to reduce our stress levels and find pleasure in nature. I wonder how many of you still make the time to visit natural spaces as part of your routine each week now there are no restrictions on your activity choices? I would love to hear if wildlife spotting is as valuable to you as it is to me to maintain good wellbeing and general happiness. I’d also be over the moon if you’ve found benefit from reading today’s post and it has encouraged you to find time in your busy weekly calendar for this perfect mindful self-care activity.

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 Anxiety management, GAD, wellbeing, wellness

Monday Matters: 13 grounding and self soothing exercises for managing symptoms of anxiety

Posted on by Laura

Back when I was struggling with depression and anxiety, I learnt a number of grounding techniques to help me focus, keep calm or distract myself from my thoughts and feelings. Today, I want to share some of the ones I found most helpful and a few others which I’ve found online whilst researching today’s post, so that you can use them during difficult times. The exercises are best learnt when you’re experiencing good mental health so you can easily bring them to mind when you most need them.

What are grounding exercises?

Grounding exercises are techniques you can use to help with the feelings, thoughts and worries associated with anxiety. They help to manage your symptoms by providing a focus away from uncomfortable thoughts, memories and worries, by bring your attention to the present moment. There are quite a number of different types of exercises, so, I’ve picked a selection which of physical and mental techniques, plus some which are self soothing in nature.

Mental grounding techniques

Describe a daily routine

Choose something you do every day as part of your routines, for example, washing your face. Go through each step, in order and describe what to do as though you are giving instructions to someone else – First, turn on the hot tap at your bathroom sink. Keep running the water until it becomes quite warm. Put the plug in and fill the basin… and so on.

Play a memory game

Look at a detailed photograph, a painting on the wall or a page in a magazine. Turn over the image or look away from it and describe everything you remember in as much detail as possible. You can check to see how close you were to the features of the original but don’t worry if there were inaccuracies in your account!

Describe your surroundings

Spend a few minutes exploring your environment using all of your senses. Now describe your surroundings in as much detail as possible. For example, the wall to my left is painted a cream colour but there’s a sticky looking mark about three quarters of the way up, maybe where a poster has been displayed. The ground is very muddy and there are different colours of autumn leaves trodden into the path. The window is open and I can hear someone talking in the distance but I’m not sure what they are saying.

Create a category list

This is one I used to play in bed when I couldn’t sleep because of anxious thoughts. Choose a category or two e.g. flowers, things found at the beach, creative hobbies, places in the UK I’ve been to before etc. List as many items in the chosen category as you can. Repeat for another category.

Recall your favourites

Focus on your favourites and make a mental or physical list of them e.g. favourite ice cream flavour, favourite animal, favourite fragrance etc.

The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 method

This one is incredibly popular and you may have read or heard about it before. It’s a simple technique that involves using your senses and is a great example of using mindfulness to calm yourself down:

Name 5 things you can see (a red cushion, a pile of leaflets, clouds in the sky)

Name 4 things you can hear (footsteps, birds singing, someone typing, a door banging)

Name 3 things you can feel (your hair against your neck, the hard seat you’re sitting on, a rough piece of skin on your hand, your soft jumper)

Name 2 things you can smell (fresh coffee, your hand cream, someone’s perfume)

Name 1 thing you can taste (a mint in your mouth, a sip of water, or, if nothing, something you would like to taste right now!)

Physical grounding techniques

Take a short and slow walk

Move with precision, feeling each part of your foot touching the ground, count your steps or notice the rhythm of your movements, do you sometimes feel off-balance, do you move your arms as you walk, does the ground feel hard or slightly soft. You can also try doing this barefoot.

Move your body

Perform simple actions such as stamping your feet, swinging your arms, marching, jumping on the spot, balancing on one leg etc. Explore how your body feels whilst doing each exercise and how you feel afterwards.

Alternatively, stretch different parts of your body and focus on how you feel. Mindful movements can combine to create what can be described as a moving meditation. This website provides some examples of stretches suitable for beginners who are in good physical health. If you have any physical health concerns, please get advice from your doctor before doing any form of exercise.

Put your hands in water

Fill up the sink with your choice of warm or cold water. Submerge your hands. Focus on the temperature. How does it feel on different parts of your hand. Does it feel the same on your fingers, palms and backs of your hands. Try moving your fingers under the water and explore how it feels. Now try the opposite end of the temperature scale. Compare with how it felt before. Alternate between warm and cold and explore how your hands feel.

Explore objects

Pick up and touch different items in your environment name them and describe how they feel e.g. cold, rough, spiky, soft etc. Next, describe the colour or colours – use precise names where you can such as turquoise and magenta rather than blue and pink.

Self-soothing grounding techniques

Enjoy a warm bath

Take a hot bath with bubbles, a scent that you love and a temperature that feels pleasant for you. Lie back, close your eyes and think about how the water feels against your skin. Now do the same for the bubbles. Inhale and enjoy the fragrance as lie there. Bathing mindfully like this will help to take your mind off your current anxieties and stresses.

Make a warm or cold drink to savour

Depending on the time of year, or your personal preferences, choose a soothing drink. Feel the warmth or coldness of the mug or class. Take a sip and think about how it feels and tastes in your mouth. When you swallow, can you feel the drink as it goes down? What effect is the drink having on your body?

Focus on your breath

Sitting quietly, with your eyes closed and focusing on your breathing is a great way to create a feeling of calm and relaxation. There are many different techniques for this, but personally, I prefer to keep it simple. This webpage on the getselfhelp website is a comprehensive written guide that provides instructions and advice to get you started. I recommend trying the method out a few times when you’re feeling okay, so you can get used to it and then it will come more easily to you during more difficult moments.

Final words…

I hope you’ve found the above ideas helpful and that you will give some of them a go to help with the symptoms of anxiety. You might like to print out some of the ideas or make a note of those which particularly appeal so that you are able to refer to them when needed. These are just some of the techniques for grounding yourself in the present moment and you’ll find others online or in books on anxiety management if you want to further your knowledge on the subject.

If you want to know more about the different aspects of anxiety before learning how to manage your symptoms, then I would recommend seeking the help of a professional who is trained in talking therapies. I do know, though, that the wait for such services can be lengthy so it’s good to speak to your doctor about your difficulties as soon as you can.