Trying to keep calm and carry on...

Trying to keep calm and carry on...

It's been a strange time and we don't need to list the reasons why - you only need to turn on the news to get an idea. We're not sure about you but lately we've been finding it a bit harder to keep calm and carry on.  Adjusting after the pandemic alone is weird. It's tempting to worry about everything in general, feel a bit overwhelmed. 

We've been trying to look after ourselves better, to make keeping calm and carrying on easier.  These are the things we've been doing and enjoying...

Meditation

Just clear your mind and focus on your breathing.  Sounds easy.  It's not! But we've been using Insight Timer which is a free meditation app and we've come to love it.  In particular the Deep Healing meditation by Davidji is lovely and relaxing. Apparently there's scientific evidence to show that meditating every day for eight weeks can actually create a fundamental change in how you see the world - it can actually change the physical structure of your brain and increase self-compassion, helping you to become. better at witnessing and accepting the world around you. We aren't sure about that,  but it feels great to meditate and we're feeling better rested and a lot more positive as a result.

CBD oil

We've been enjoying Trip's CBD oils and drinks lately.  The drinks taste really good and are a nice alternative to alcohol during the week. It's become a ritual we enjoy after a day at work - pouring a tin over ice and taking time to savour it. They've got ingredients like L-Theanine, Ginseng, Turmeric and Chamomile as well as CBD and they don't have any added sugar.  The effects aren't overwhelmingly noticeable but we do feel a subtle kind of calm afterwards - though this could just be to do with the ritual of winding down itself! The CBD oils taste pleasant and again are gently calming, you just put a few drops under your tongue and hold for a minute or so.

Ashwagandha

We'd heard a lot over the years about Ashwagandha and how it can be calming and also help hormonal balance, so over the last year we've been trying it and feel good as a result.  It's an ancient herb known for being an adaptogen which can help the body manage stress. We take it in For Jugglers by Beauty Pie and find its calming and helps to feel more level. Like most kinds of supplements, it takes a few months to see the benefits, but we like it.

Adaptogenic Coffee

Morning coffee has become one of the favourite points in our day. We've made it another ritual where we stop and enjoy it mindfully and we now really look forward to it. Easier said than done some days but we definitely feel the benefit of pausing and giving ourselves a few minutes to breathe. The only thing is, coffee can make us really jittery which defeats the object, so we've been experimenting with different types. We've found London Nootropics' coffee blends are some of our favourites - Zen is for feeling alert, calm and balanced and Flow is for mental clarity and concentration, regardless of the effects, we absolutely love the taste of both - Zen in particular is quite chocolatey. We also love Exhale Coffee which is 'bursting with antioxidants, is higher than any other coffee tested for polyphenols, and is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin B3 (niacin) in your diet'. It's also organic and free from mycotoxins and pesticides. 

Sunlight

Apparently we need to give our eyes at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day - easier said than done in the Lake District!  And we are supposed to move too. So we've been getting out for a walk before work each day and it's helped our sleep - we're finding our body clock seems to have benefitted from the regular daylight, fresh air and movement. It's not always easy to fit in and usually the first thing to fall by the wayside when we're busy, but we always feel relaxed when we get back and it's nice to see it lighter in the mornings too. Spring is definitely springing!

Journalling

Each morning we spend a few minutes writing in a journal doing something called 'future self journalling' as recommended by Nicole LePera in her book How to do the Work. It's just five points that we write and it sets an intention for the day, which we try to keep in mind as life takes over.  It's been good for staying positive.

We hope these might be nice for you too.

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