How to ground yourself in what’s going well in life

Winter was out of the way. Nights were getting lighter and warmer. It was easier to get out of bed on the mornings … but then Covid-19 arrived, ruining life for families and throwing everything up in the air. 

As I write this, there’s a big ‘what-if’ hanging over our heads at the moment and H and I could easily get dragged into a very black hole. However, we’re trying to ground ourselves in what’s going well in life instead and find peace in the little things.

With the ever-typical British weather, staying active can be demotivating when it’s raining – and let’s be honest, it rains a lot in the UK. This week during my third ‘staycation’ of the year, it would have been very easy to slip into an unproductive and sluggish routine by going to bed late, waking up late, and not leaving the house.

Stretch Your Legs

I have had days during which all I wanted to do was scroll through updates on social media and binge-watch TV because that’s what you do when you’re trying to cut costs and the weather is rubbish isn’t is?! Regardless of the weather, and when we’ve had nothing to do, we have grabbed our coats and headed for some fresh air to stretch our legs. Whether it’s been for an hour or 15 minutes, it has helped me to reset my mind after being stuck indoors all day.  So any time I’ve been feeling lethargic, a trip to the coast has helped shake off the cobwebs, wake me up and awaken energy in our little family. It’s a cheaper day out than visiting local attractions that’s for sure.

Eating Healthy

Eating healthily and cooking healthy meals has some amazing benefits. Indulging in unhealthy comfort food might seem appealing, but all those chocolate biscuits at the start of lockdown definitely made me feel worse. We’ve since done our best to eat well, and even spent some time experimenting with new meals and putting our culinary skills to the test. It’s good to take pride in your cooking! We don’t eat the same sort of meals routinely and try to eat a diverse diet with different spices and cuisines – diverse food is good for our gut bacteria and microbes, which are crucial to our immune function and weight regulation.

Try Fermented Tea

We’ve tried out JARR Kombucha after delving into the history, science and health benefits of it. It’s sour fermented tea that is quickly becoming a staple beverage in the wellness world. Its history goes way back to the Qin Dynasty in China around 220BC. By using a little science and top-notch ingredients, JARR’s booch delivers a complex punch often only achieved through alcoholic fermentation. Having suffered with heartburn for a couple of years on and off now, this is the only thing that has got rid of it completely. I’m not saying it will work for everyone, but it certainly has given me relief and it’s a great detox. JARR kombucha. JARR Original, Ginger, Passion Fruit and Raspberry, RRP from £2.29, available from Selfridge’s, Harrods, Whole Foods, Planet Organic and jarrkombucha.com.

Get Enough Nutrients

If you want to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need, vitamin D is a nutrient we struggle to get from food alone that we usually get from the sun. As we have spent significantly less time outside during lockdown, this vitamin is great for healthy bones, muscles, and teeth. Rather than spend money on take-outs, alcohol or unnecessary online goods, we have bought supplements in bulk from Pharma Nord. The quality of these products far outweighs others that I have tried over the years.

Limit News Intake

We all know how important it is to keep up with current affairs usually and broadening our knowledge with goings on in the world. But with the 24/7 coverage of Covid-19 dominating headlines, it has been really wearing on my mental health. The constant barrage of news about the outbreak has caused me to feel anxious and distressed. I’ve had to switch off at times just to dispel the fake news. 

Do Happy Things 

Do you like wearing smart clothes? Does wearing make-up make you feel happy in life? Well, don’t stop! Just because you’re in the house doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be doing ‘micro-lifts’, which are things usually scattered throughout the day that lift us up without us realising. The cumulative effect of missing out on these things that makes us feel good can have a damaging effect on our mood, so look after yourself in life.