Seed’s Counsellor, Helen Evans, always has a way of making you feel positive and calm, and to look for the light in the dark – all of which come in handy during a global pandemic and winter lockdown!
It’s understandable to feel down at the moment, easy to moan and to forgot what we have to be grateful for. But Helen will always help you to see through whatever is worrying you or weighing on you and look forward with optimism and sense.
‘It’s dark all the time’ – yes, but it’s getting lighter every day
“The weather is bitter” – yes, so wrap up and go out anyway, or cosy up and enjoy it from the warmth of your house.
“There’s a global pandemic raging” – yes, but let’s keep in mind what we can control, not the things we can’t. The light is coming!”
Because Helen’s positivity is infectious, we asked her to share some of the ways she is keeping herself happy, healthy and positive during lockdown and what she is doing to support her own mental health.
- Since December 3rd, I have been cold water ‘dipping’ in the River Thames, once and sometimes two times a week. On my first go I think I managed about 30 seconds and yet since then I’ve been gradually increasing it to a personal best of 6 minutes on Sunday 7th Feb. A friend I was walking with mentioned that she was doing it and I thought why not?! I have thoroughly enjoyed it – the camaraderie of going with another person, it’s exhilarating and a bit mad, and a bit of fun. I am yet to read Wim Hof’s book – The Wim Hof Method, but it is on my ever-increasing book list!
- I challenged myself to 30 days of yoga, which I’ve just finished. I’m not a natural yoga lover, (I probably prefer barre and pilates) however I have really enjoyed the 30 day practice and think that I will try and incorporate more yoga into my life. We have some amazing yoga teachers at Seed and you can also find short sessions online which will easily fit into your day. Give it a try and see what you notice – maybe you’ll be able to relax better, maybe you’ll totally switch off from the day-to-day noise, maybe you’ll enjoy the breathing techniques?
- I try and listen to ‘The Daily Calm’ on the calm meditation app which I really enjoy. It is just 10 minutes per day, but there is always a theme which feels relevant and applicable to daily life. I have often recommended this app to my clients and it generally seems to be universally enjoyed by those who give it a go.
- Reading – I love reading but find that I can quite easily fall into the trap of ‘scrolling’ through various apps on my phone and suddenly realising that I’ve wasted so much time, and then I feel frustrated with myself for my lack of discipline. So, I’ve been trying to prioritise reading and have been trying to alternate novels with health and wellbeing books. I am a bit of a book magpie and so have a few piles dotted around the house. I’ve just finished ‘A Single Thread’ by Tracy Chevalier which I really enjoyed and am currently reading ‘The Body Keeps The Score’ by Bessel Van Der Kolk.
- Drinking Water – I have a habit of having glasses of water everywhere, but I then forget to drink them, or can get to 3 in the afternoon, and realise that I’ve hardly drunk any water. My new ‘habit’ which I’m trying to get into is filling up a 2L bottle of water in the morning, and then trying to finish that by 6pm. I’ve had some good days and some not so good days, but I’m keep on trying to get this habit entrenched!
- Getting outside – if possible every day – I am not a natural runner, but I do get motivated by a good running playlist (I like Kelly marie mcgonical’s playlist on spotify). I also try to get out and walk and might listen to a favourite podcast or just try and notice what’s going on and let my mind wander.
- Being kind to myself – and not beating myself up if I don’t achieve some of the things I think I should be doing, and appreciating I’m doing the best I can right now, and trying to not let a bad day become a bad week, and then a bad month.
- Focussing on doing the things I can control – and trying not to let myself dwell on those things that I can’t. That includes when I see people reacting in very different ways to me over things related to the pandemic – accepting that we all have the right to react and respond as we wish to and knowing that I can only control what I have the power to do or influence.
- Houseplants – I have started to develop an interest in houseplants (perhaps I’m a bit behind the curve on this one, as I think many people have already done this). I was given a Peace Lily by one friend and a Chinese money plant by another and I really enjoyed looking after them, and watching them grow. I recently had a look at some plant subscription websites and came across a book called ‘Plant Therapy’ by Dr Katie Cooper which I am really enjoying reading. This has led to a few visits to Flowerland, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose who all seem to have some lovely plants and pots, so I am now curating my own little collection and hoping that I can look after them all!
- The 6-minute Diary – I heard about this book through a friend, and it resonated with me. I have just recently bought this book so am still reading the psychology behind it before delving in, but I’m hoping that it will help me to achieve some of the goals that I have, which often prove illusive or get shelved because ‘stuff’ gets in the way. The first quote in the book is this:- ‘You will never change your life until you change something you do daily: The secret of your success is found in your daily routine’. John C Maxwell
- Podcasts – I have become a fan of Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s weekly podcast ‘Feel Better: Live More’. It comes out every Wednesday and I’m always intrigued to find out which guest he has on, and always enjoy the content and feel like I’m learning something new and taking something away from the conversations. A recent guest he had on was Dr Gemma Newman who has just published a book called ‘The Plant Power Doctor’ which really explains the benefits of a whole food plant based diet, and gives examples of how we can make small changes and swaps in an easy and manageable way. Something which I’m looking at doing, (although whether I can persuade my family to join me remains another matter!) However another of the mottos that I am trying to live by is ‘be the change you want to see’, so start with yourself first, and then it’s amazing how that can impact on those around you in a positive way.
- Netflix – I have to be honest, I don’t usually watch a lot of T.V – I generally prefer to read, but during lockdown I have had some great recommendations and I’ve really enjoyed a few series, notably ‘Schitt’s Creek’, (if you do watch it do be sure to watch the program on how they made it, as it’s brilliant). ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, ‘It’s a Sin’ – this really had me sobbing in the last episode, and then ‘Death in Paradise’ for some light hearted escapism to the fictional Caribbean Island of St.Marie.
- Baking/Cooking – At times baking a cake and trying out new recipes can be therapeutic (but I have to be careful as often I end up eating more than my fair share!). I recently tried out some by Scott Baptie which went down quite well, good high protein meals which were incredibly easy to prepare and required minimum effort, so a win-win in my book.
- Going to my local Market – where the fruit and veg is great, the stallholders always friendly with some good banter and a lovely fresh fish van all the way from Grimsby. I’m also nearly always tempted by the bread stall which does delicious spelt loaves and danish pastries (not quite so helpful on the healthy eating front, but quite hard to resist!)
- Phoning and catching up with friends – who perhaps I haven’t spoken to for a while and hearing how they are doing. Actual conversation, not messages!
- Meeting a friend for a walk and talk – and perhaps a cuppa on route. It’s great to keep up with local friends and has the added benefit of combining exercise and a social catch up – another favourite combination for me.
- Prioritising Sleep – I really have been prioritising my sleep as I know how much a good night’s sleep influences how I feel the next day and productivity levels. I’ve also been noticing what really hampers a good night’s sleep, (alcohol, caffeine, an over-active mind) nothing new there, but actively making sleep a priority is making a difference for me.
- Try not to ‘compare & despair’ – it’s very easy to find ourselves comparing ourselves negatively with others, sometimes without really realising we are doing it. Remember that everyone’s situation is different and we all have different strengths and weaknesses and so notice when you may find yourself comparing yourself negatively, and try to focus instead on the things or people that are important to you and remember most people generally share the ‘highlights’ of their days, not the bad times, so keep that in mind before being too harsh on yourself.
I’d love to hear any of your top tips, running playlists or books that you are enjoying or are inspiring you at this time too. 😊
I hope you’ve found something amongst the above which might resonate or inspire you.
Helen
Find out more about Helen Evans & get in touch at helen@seedwellness.co.uk.
Counselling at Seed.
