A Wonderful World

                                                        APPS FOR THE MIND ‘USEFUL APPS WHEN CARING FOR ONESELF AND MENTAL HEALTH’ Amongst the social media, music streaming, fitness and popular gaming apps that we can download onto gadgets or phones, there are also many apps that have been created to help us keep our minds in check and continue to ensure our mental health is cared for and a priority. HEADSPACE: A simple mindfulness and meditation app. Accessible techniques available so people can experience the benefits of meditation anytime, anywhere. It includes and shares guided meditations, animations, articles and videos. Sharing the message that meditation and mindfulness isn’t about switching thoughts off, but about acknowledging them and letting thoughts pass by in order to bring the attention back to the breath. Settling and quietenin...

                                                            YOUR MIND MATTERS. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, 10th-16th May 2021. What is Mental Health Awareness Week? A national week in the UK to raise awareness of mental health and mental health problems. It's aim is to encourage action and promote the message of caring for and understanding mental health. The event has been organised and hosted by The Mental Health Foundation for the last twenty-one years, an opportunity for people to talk and learn about all aspects of mental health with a focus on providing help and advice. It's important that we continue to raise awareness to ensure we continue to strive to create a society that advocates for mental health. Despite its importance, there is still stigma attached. Mental health is just as essential as physical. It's convers...

  'I'm about to show you my boobs', said Lizzie. Before proceeding to display her cute crochet creations. Who doesn't love a good boob? Especially when it's a crochet one. Even more so when purchasing one helps to raise money for charity.  In the current climate, lockdown has left many of us with some time to delve into trying new things, time to experiment and freedom to explore creativity, perhaps even set up a new business. 'Lou's Boobs' is a small business set up during lockdown by the young woman Lizzie Back. Purchased via Instagram, handmade crochet boob key rings for just £7 including postage, and with every purchase 10% goes to Cancer Research UK. With a range of colours, the boob can be accustomed to fit your fancy and as a key ring,  attach to whatever you wish. Along with the boob key ring comes the backing card, on which reads a range of quotes from 'The world has gone tits up' to 'It's a bit nippy'. Amusing as well as bea...

              Perhaps we should reframe the phrase 'New Year, New Me'. Every year as we get closer to New Years Eve on the 31st of December, considering our 'New Year's Resolutions' becomes a common tradition, thinking about what we would like the New Year to bring us, or perhaps certain behaviours or habits we would like to alter or work on. Personally, I have always found a certain pressure comes with this outlook, and instead of being something to question optimistically, it can often become stressful and slightly anxiety inducing as our minds can focus on what we may view as negatives regarding ourselves and set certain goals for the New Year to change ourselves as if we are magic or superhuman, setting our standards too high. Sometimes, with this mentality comes the term 'New Year, New Me', the idea that we are going to become someone new as one year ends and another starts, someone better or perhaps closer to the 'ideal, perfect human'. However...

                    'Further restrictions for London and South East resulting in a Tier 4 Christmas.'  On the evening of the 19th of December, Boris Johnson announced that due to rising cases and level of infections there will be further restrictions in place for London and South East areas from Midnight, resulting in the original plan of a little more relaxation and mixing households over the Christmas period to be cancelled. You must remain with only the people in your household when indoors, or those in your existing bubble. Outdoors, you can only meet one person from another household. Three households are able to mix on Christmas Day alone, rather than the original plan of 5 days (23rd to the 27th.) Further details are on the Government website:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home . Of course, this is extremely frustrating and upsetting for us all. Christmas will not be the same this year, and unfortunate...

So far my 'Love In Lockdown' series has been made up of others stories and experiences, selfless acts carried out by other people to help support those in need. This week I'm sharing my own story. After researching, learning about so many charities and hearing the inspiring stories of others and how they're offering support, I wanted to get involved and help those in need in any way I can. Even more so after learning that there are so many simple ways to offer support, every little goes a long way, and due to Covid19 this is a particularly challenging time for everyone.  Today, the 13th of December, I took part in a 10K walk to raise money for the charity 'Shelter'. Shelter is a charity that helps to combat homelessness with advice, support and legal services. For every £1 you donate, 79p is spent directly on helping people through advice, campaigning and support, and 21p is spent on fundraising. If you are concerned about someone you have seen sleeping rough, y...

  'There are simple yet effective ways to help others throughout lockdown and onwards' With my 'Love in Lockdown' series focusing on stories surrounding good will and selflessness throughout lockdown, I've been passionate about sharing tales of happiness, comfort and support to bring us together through this challenging time, put smiles on faces and most of all, encourage others to do the same. Encouraging caring for ourselves and others in ways that we can, and learning about the work of charities and how to help out is an effective way of doing that. A friend of mine has kindly been working for two charities throughout Lockdown, whilst continuing to work in order to fend for herself, she has been selfless and giving in using some of her time around her own work to support these two charities. One of which is 'City Harvest' , a London surplus food redistribution charity, and the second is a drug and alcohol recovery service. It's hearing from individu...

Since the first lockdown in March, 'home workouts' have become extremely popular.   With the pandemic leading to lockdown, gyms suddenly closing and those working in the fitness industry taking a hit, working out from home has not only become an alternative to the gym, but a new way of continuing business. Proving that you don't need a gym to move your body, or to look after your body and mind. During Lockdown, as well as working to continue online personal training and zoom sessions, many established fitness influencers have used the Social Media app 'Instagram' to share 'Live Workouts' where followers can watch and follow along with their workout live from home. A lot of influencers have used these 'Live Workouts' via Instagram to support themselves with a form of income, sharing information about a monthly or weekly cost for the workouts and then allowing access to an account where the lives then take place. However, others are sharing them for fr...

'LOVE IN LOCKDOWN SERIES: GIVING AND SELFLESS ACTS THROUGHOUT LOCKDOWN'  ' VITAL MEALS IS A NEW NON-PROFIT VENTURE SET UP IN RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC' Ayesha Pakravan-Ovey, 26 and from London, began as the owner of 'The Plattery', a catering service set up in 2019 in London, offering platters and food boxes made by professional chefs with a fresh take on grazing tables, coming together with homemade and exciting food. As the catering company was hit by Covid19, Ayesha decided to continue to support her community and tackle food poverty. In Lockdown, Ayesha launched 'Vital Meals', and their ' Parcel to Plate ' service, collecting food parcels from doors and delivering fresh, home cooked meals in return. She came up with the idea to help the vulnerable during this challenging time, cooking meals in her own home before moving to a bigger kitchen, and delivering them. All to ensure those who need support still have access to nutritious ...

'Give a little, help a lot.' Before I start my new series 'Love in Lockdown', sharing stories of how others are selflessly helping others throughout this time, I thought I would share how I am doing the same, the work of charities and how we can all do our bit to help out. Coronavirus has no doubt impacted all of our lives, from a change of routine, experiencing anxiety, rules and regulations, unemployment, fighting over toilet roll and pasta, lockdowns, and lack of communication and freedom. We are all experiencing our own personal challenges amongst this unexpected global storm. It's during these times that both caring for ourselves and others is more than essential for both physical and mental health. Checking in on ourselves of course, but also giving what we can to others. That's where the glorious work of charities is to be recognised. Although there are multiple larger charities here in the UK, (Macmillan Cancer Support, British Heart Foundation, St John ...