I’ve been
worrying quite a bit recently – partly about family problems and work
pressures, which I can do something about; and partly about the corrosive
effects of Brexit and Trump, which I can’t do anything much
about. And then I’ve found myself
worrying about worrying, which is more worrying still - and definitely not to be
recommended.
So after
discussing all this with my daughter Anna, I decided it’s time to look up my old
wellbeing recipes, dust them off and see if they need any updating.
For those of
you who don’t know, a wellbeing recipe is a list – a set of ingredients – of
things which give you pleasure and help you feel better about yourself. It’s not a fixed list. Wellbeing recipes vary
from one person to the next, and for each person they can change over time.
My old
recipe included some ingredients, like walking in the mountains and diving
through waves in the ocean, which are great but not immediately practical for
me at the moment. So I’ve worked out a new recipe, composed of ingredients I
can use easily and often.
Here are some
of the main ingredients:
·
A
few minutes of mindfulness meditation every morning, using the Headspace app on
my i-phone. I’m following a set about anxiety
at the moment, which is helping me to explore my sensations of stress without feeling
I’m being swallowed up by them – imagining, instead of being caught outside in
in a storm, that I’m safe inside a house watching the storm through a window.
·
The
parkrun at Croxteth Hall on a Saturday morning gives me a great sense of
wellbeing, especially now that I’ve managed to stop stressing about how fast
I’m going and can enjoy the run for its own sake. There’s one section of the
course, when sunlight glistens through woodland onto some ponds, which is
magical. And running with my daughters is a huge bonus. - My afternoon siesta, which I’ve built into my routine since my cycling accident, is a must-do these days. It stops me from wearing myself out, restores my energy, my memory and my creativity. Highly recommended!
·
Watching
detective programmes on TV with Sue has been in my wellbeing recipe for ages,
and it still helps me unwind of an evening. Elementary and Inspector Lynley are
our current favourites.
·
At
the end of the day, I’ve started reminding myself of three things I’ve been
grateful for - and one thing I’ve done well - during that day. They can be
small or big things, it really doesn’t matter. This simple exercise, focusing
on what’s gone well for me, does a great job of settling my mind down.
·
And
finally, sliding under the duvet and into bed, with our double electric blanket
turned on to full heat. A wonderful,
warm, comforting cocoon to snuggle into. Blissful, utterly blissful. Thank you,
and good night.
