For a long while I saw journalling as a way to capture what had already happened – a place to record the past, to sift through thoughts and try to make sense of tangled feelings. Just as when I began junk journalling, I thought it was simply a way to use up scraps, a creative …
If you’ve ever taken a period of time away from your job, you may have experienced a dip in confidence or rise in anxiety, on your first day back at work. A break of any length can shake your faith in your own capabilities or leave you feeling ‘out of the loop’, research has shown. …
In this issue: Good morning, sunshine – Emotions on display – See the funny side – Peace of mind – To catch a whisper – Rooted in stillness – Happy by accident – No strings attached – Missed connection – Into the woods How do you spend the earliest hours of your day? It’s easy …
‘You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.’ It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard plenty of times. Reciprocity, or the unspoken expectation of it, is ingrained in social interactions. Even just hearing a heartfelt ‘thank you’ or ‘I owe you one!’ can feel satisfying when you’ve done something nice for someone. And if you don’t receive …
On a woodland walk in spring, there are few moments able to match the magic of stumbling upon a grove of bluebells in full flower. With their vibrant namesake hue and their sweet, earthy scent, these herbaceous perennials, which bloom for only a few weeks of the year, are a rare, spirit-lifting treat to be …
In the late 1990s, the writer Sophie Dahl was a model celebrated for being plus-sized in an era when being skinny was the fashion industry’s norm. But it was her origin story that often hit the headlines: she’d had an argument with her mother, so the story goes, and was crying in the street outside …
For a sailor on a stormy sea, there can be few sights more comforting than the flare from a lighthouse sweeping the horizon. Despite modern satellite systems, mariners are taught to always use more than one form of navigation, meaning the lighthouses that dot coastlines around the world are as vital and potentially life-saving as …
Your outdoor space may seem pretty cold and lifeless at this time of year, but any garden, no matter how small, can be a vital resource and safe haven for wildlife all year round. And if you can work in community with your neighbours, your impact on nature has the potential to be even more …
There’s plenty of happiness to be found in the present moment, but sometimes life necessitates change, and changes take planning. Whether it’s a new job, moving house or starting your own business, planning the future can take you away from joy in the here and now. One of the problems is that when you start …
Colours are often associated with emotions – people talk of being green with envy or feeling blue when they’re sad. When it comes to grief, you might experience the dark depths of loss or despair, or the bright red of anger. But grief and loss can encompass a wide range of different emotions and stages, …
