Currently we're running through a Z-A of activities to try, in order to manage stress and anxiety and support self-care.
K is for Karaoke, Kindfulness & Kites
The letter K knits together a fun collection of 'little peaces' this month as the sunshine continues. So put the kettle on and expand on your kaleidoscope of knowledge.
What to try: Karaoke
Whether it be in the shower, the pub or a specialised private booth, this is an activity that not only gives our vocal chords a workout, but makes our hearts sing too. You might well be shaking your head at me right now – “Not in a million years Sarah. At least not before several alcoholic beverages anyway.” But you don’t need to have an audience to benefit from karaoke. In fact, some might argue it’s better if you don’t.
It's been proved that singing lowers our cortisol levels and releases feel good chemicals. If we make this a regular habit, improvements in posture, immunity and breathing capacity follow.
There are tonnes of videos on YouTube, apps and computer games. (I fondly remember working my way through the collection on PlayStation’s SingStar with my sister.) What’s your go-to power ballad? It’s probably there. If not, pop the song in question on whatever device you use for playing music and just sing along – you know the lyrics. But sometimes it’s wonderful to discover those weren’t actually the words you thought in the third verse after all.
What to read and practice: Kindfulness
In his book, Kindfulness Padraig O’Morain enlightens us about how mindfulness can help us with self-compassion so the two align. He reveals kindfulness as being made up of three components, adapted from Dr Kristin Neff’s definition of self-compassion.
Learn about how kindfulness can help us cope better with stress, recover from burnout (and avoid it!)
As you can see from the picture above, I’ve covered it in post-it notes. A true sign for me that this book is an essential read as it's full of absolute gems of useful tips.
What to make/fly/appreciate: Kites
There’s something very awe inspiring about watching a kite flying. They are always bright colours and interesting shapes. It must be a bit like creating your own bird. Hard to believe it’s not a breathing organism, the way it flaps, full of life, across the sky.
Who knew that kites have had so many uses over the 3,000 years they've been around. (Yes, you read that right.) Included in the list are: warding off evil, delivering messages, spying on enemies, measuring weather, discovering natural phenomena and my personal favourite - lifting passengers skyward. We're lucky (although perhaps that depends on your opinion) we now mainly fly kites for fun and to express ourselves.
My Best Kite offers good advice for both how to fly a kite and how to create your own if you fancy it.
What keen words:
Kerfuffle
Such a fun word for noisy, fussy activity. Kerfuffle itself sounds fussy.
Kinesis
A science-y term involving movement in response to a stimulus. I also love ‘Telekinesis’ moving objects and energy with our minds. The brain is a powerful beast so why wouldn’t this be a possibility?
Kitsch
I was first introduced to this idea in Film Studies as 'delightfully OTT and somewhat camp'. It might be thought to imply things that are cheap and lacking style by some but is highly entertaining for others.
Kooky
The dictionary defines kooky as “strange or unusual, especially in a way that is interesting.” What a great value to live by!
I hope the letter K provides the keys to your kingdom of calm in April.
Sunday 13th April, 11:00am
L is for Laughter Yoga, Lava Lamps & Leaf Rubbing Art
The letter L lets us into a lavish landscape in the first month of Spring, for your leisure and learning.
What to try: Laughter Yoga
In today’s challenging world, here’s another ‘natural’ resource for bringing joy into our lives and connecting with others in a hugely advantageous way. We don’t just need jokes or situational humour to bring on laughter.
On 13th March 1995, exactly 30 years ago today, Indian physician Dr Matan Kataria and his wife Madhuri held their very first ‘laughter club’ which started as 4 people telling jokes to each other. Laughter Yoga was born! It’s combination of specific breathing exercises, movement and initiated laughter is a playful, silly and highly contagious experience. Anyone can do it, no equipment necessary. Studies have proved our bodies can’t tell the difference between genuine and intentional bursts of merriment, so we get to benefit from both.
Giggling away to ourselves, and with our tribe, not only reduces stress and strengthens the immune system but also signifies to our brain that we’re safe.
What to admire: Lava Lamps
I always thought these were a 90s phenomenon but no… they’ve been around since the 1960s, enjoying a revival thirty years later. The lava lamp is a symbol of the psychedelic. It comes in the shape of a rocket and contains alien-like blobs of gunge which change in shape and mass due to the heat source underneath.
They're fascinating to watch, especially when the liquid suddenly drops. A true mindful activity. (It’s the simple things eh?) Lava lamps don’t give off a a lot of light but that's not their charm. It's being more lambent - creating ambience and a warm mood.
What to create: Leaf Rubbing Art
A throwback to my childhood and hopefully yours. The idea is to get a bit of paper, place on top of the leaf, or leaves, (there are still many rustling around), and simply rub over it with brightly coloured wax crayon. Or something with a similar texture. This is not just a tracing activity. The results are surprising and there’s somewhat of a nice veiny effect.
The picture above doesn’t do this justice so I encourage you to create your own.
What lovely words:
Lagoon
“An area of shallow water separated from the sea by low sandy dunes.” Sounds dreamy and fantastical. The Blue Lagoon in Iceland has been named one of the 25 wonders of the world. Its geothermal seawater isn’t found anywhere else on our planet and has skin-nourishing powers. Definitely on my bucket list!
Leitmotif
Fancy word for a recurrent theme associated with a situation, idea or person. This can be across music, literature or visual media.
Linguistics
The science of language! The word itself is beautiful. I love the ways we use language in order to convey meaning – if you hadn’t already guessed from these blog posts.
Luxurious
A pleasure of the senses. If we seek something luxurious, we want:
I hope the letter L laces your March with light and love.
Thursday 13th March, 8:13pm
M is Massages, Miniature Model Villages & Moonology
The letter M has a magnificent medley of 'mood boost' and 'mind boggle' for your mental health love this month.
What to indulge in: Massages
There are so many benefits to getting (or giving) a massage that I don't have space to list them all here. What a problem to have, eh?) Some are widely known - such as lowering stress levels, promoting better sleep and relaxation. (Research shows that various neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine and endorphins are released.) But did you know that a massage can improve circulation, support the digestive system and help us to focus more? The first two increase motion and flow in the body with the power of touch. We can focus better due to the down time our minds get when we're in a relaxed state. A lower heart rate means we are more attentive.
The types of massage available is an inexhaustible list. It's fairly simple (and not too expensive) to get a good one. You can even learn to self massage if it's a body part you can reach.
What to visit: Miniature Model Villages
Visiting a miniature model village increases our feelings of awe. A celebration of intricate artistic detail, the effort and talent that goes into creating such an experience is breath-taking.
There are quite a few scattered around the UK. I've found the one located inside Legoland, Windsor to be particularly impressive. We might recognise places and buildings that have special personal or national significance to us.
What to learn about: Moonology
If, like me, you're a bit of a moon worshipper, there are powerful ways to work with its energies, cycles and phases to manifest your dreams and goals in life. Yasmin Boland is the expert in this field and I can highly recommend the annual Moonology diary.
Yasmin provides weekly (and perhaps more importantly, monthly) information on how to get the best out of our lovely moon. It makes a lot of sense with emotions and those days when things just feel a bit off or like everything is going your way. It's also a lot of fun.
What marvellous words:
Mellow
Checking my facts, I never knew how many meanings this one has! I chose it for 'become calm and relaxed or ... to have a calming or relaxing effect on (someone)' Although I also love '(esp of colours or sounds) soft or rich.' The radio station 'Mellow Magic' is dedicated to relaxing tunes for cats as well as humans I hear.
Merry
An upbeat, cheerful word - often more associated with a festive season. I personally think it's underused.
Mnemonic
I think, and hope, you have several of these from childhood. A fun way to remember lots of information or the correct order of things such as Never Eat Shredded Wheat - to aid with compass points. They can also help with spelling. I used to struggle with the word rhythm but now just say to myself Rhythm Helps Your Two Hips Move after overhearing someone else years ago. It's funny how the word itself needs a mnemonic to help us know how to spell it!
Mythic/mythical
Myths make excellent stories and fantasy worlds are great for escapism.
I hope the letter M motivates and mesmerizes you in February.
Thursday 13th February, 10:00am
N is for Naps, Narnia & Nature
Now here is a letter that helps us navigate the longest winter period and enables us to nurture our souls. N nudges us towards two everyday super tonics and nods to an epic imaginary universe.
What to do more of: Nap
I'm always harping on about the importance of rest, particularly sprinkled across the day. A power nap is an ideal way to achieve this. Between 10-30 minutes, there are enormous benefits to getting some shut-eye in a comfortable space.
These include:
Due to the short amount of time a power nap covers, you can fit one into your day more easily. Clients can experience a form of power nap during sessions with me.
Most other animals are hibernating right now. It makes perfect sense for us to do a mini version.
What to celebrate: Narnia
C.S Lewis's extraordinary novel 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. It's returning to theatre, with a major UK tour planned.
The magical land of Narnia, reached through the iconic wardrobe, is world building genius in my mind. The themes of courage, good vs evil and friendship are timeless.
If you're completely new to this epic, you might want to read the book, watch the films or find the show nearest you in 2025. If you've grown up with the story, I encourage re-doing any or all of the above! Not to sound like a pre-emptive review here, but it's a delight for children and adults alike. Reminding us how incredible the imagination can be, with tips on embracing a very cold place!
What to immerse yourself in: Nature
Do you live near a park or woodsy area? Spending time surrounded by trees and wildlife has more of an impact on our mental health than strolling around roads. We don't even have to spend that long in nature to feel the benefits. Surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers (or at least where they would have been at this time of year.) That glorious pine smell. Birds calling to each other. The rough textures of the leaves - or soggy as they currently are. It's a great way to practice mindfulness and let the fresh air provide some clarity.
Best of all - this experience is free!
What novel words:
Neologism
A great one for those of us who love words. It's about introducing new ones! Also different meanings of phrases. I might even like to suggest it's a movement of support towards The Matrix's hero, Neo. :-)
Nostalgia
I've always loved this, but not been completely aware of its actual meaning. "A wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, home, or family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time." People often get a certain look on their faces when lost in nostalgia - beautiful!
Nourish
This has many meanings but I feel the most ‘nourishing’ are:
Nuzzle
Conjures the image of a pet or loved human snuggling up and showing affection with their nose. It’s cute and cosy.
I hope the letter N is full of niceties for you in January.
Monday 13th January, 10:00am
O is for Observatories, Odes & Ordinary Angels
We use a lot of O to express ourselves – OK, Oh! Ooh! The latter perfectly encapsulating a feeling of contentment and wonder. Here is a letter which helps us appreciate the incredible power of human nature, everyday entities and what’s far beyond our world.
What to visit: Observatories
Gazing at the stars or learning about our place in space provides us with a sense of awe. Knowing how tiny we are in comparison to the vast map of the universe can actually be quite comforting. Taking us out of difficult feelings and inserting some perspective.
You could spend a fortune on telescopes (especially if you don’t already have the room and set up in your life.) Or you could have a lovely day out instead, at one of the many great astronomical observatories in the UK. Where there are fascinating talks from experts too. I’d highly recommend the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
What to create: Odes
Writing a lyric poem is not only a fun activity (particularly if you include inanimate objects) but also a great expression of gratitude. Who or what do you appreciate most in the last month of the year? How can you put that love into words? Don’t fancy writing? You can read other people’s odes. Here are some to giggle about.
What to watch: Ordinary Angels
Released this year, Ordinary Angels is a heart-warming tale about one woman’s quest to save a stranger’s very ill daughter. Based on a true story, it comes with a moderate ‘tear’ warning. It’s also about the power of community against all odds.
Things to watch out for:
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a bad film with Hilary Swank in it so the film doesn’t disappoint. The movie is currently available via Amazon Prime with a cost attached but availability changes all the time.
What overlooked words:
Oasis
Not the band (although personally I love them too!) The calm and peaceful centre of a hectic and unpleasant place. This word can teach us a lot.
Olfactory
A fascinating area where smell is connected with memory. I like to think of it as old-factory.
Omnipresent
Despite sounding exhausting, wouldn't it be lovely to be present (mindful) in all places?
Ooze
Could easily be a bit gross but somehow dodges it. Is it the shape our mouth makes to say it? I also love the term ‘ooze with charisma.’
I hope the letter O opens your mind and heart in December.
Friday 13th December, 11:31am