Away From The Madding Crowd

KintsugiWhippet

I rarely post on social media. Putting my head up to say ‘thank you’ @Humboldt for your wonderful posts. They are so uplifting and encouraging and leave me with lots of ideas and a warm, cosy feeling.

angieb15edin

I do several small shops just around £10 at Boots now instead of one larger one to take advantage of the recycling points
means for a shop of around £10 you get £6 worth of points back

jwil

I like the sound of that book - thank you!

Humboldt

KintsugiWhippet said:

I rarely post on social media. Putting my head up to say ‘thank you’ @Humboldt for your wonderful posts. They are so uplifting and encouraging and leave me with lots of ideas and a warm, cosy feeling.

Hello and welcome @KintsugiWhippet thank you for taking the time to comment, your kind words made my day! 

Today's simple pleasure - I picked up a copy of the free M&S Christmas food magazine and look forward to checking out the seasonal recipes and gift guide.    

Humboldt

angieb15edin said:

I do several small shops just around £10 at Boots now instead of one larger one to take advantage of the recycling points
means for a shop of around £10 you get £6 worth of points back

Welcome back @angie15edin, I am also saving blister packs as you kindly suggested and when I have enough, I will recycle them too. The scheme is a great way to gain extra Adv@ntage points, which I will use when Christmas shopping. 

Humboldt

jwil said:

I like the sound of that book - thank you!

Hi @jwil I started another book this week and can't put it down.  I think it just might be my book of the year!

Yorkie1

I need to look into this blister pack recycling!

Humboldt, where do you get your free meditations from, please?

Humboldt

Yorkie1 said:

I need to look into this blister pack recycling!

Humboldt, where do you get your free meditations from, please?

Evening @Yorkie1 forgive my long response to your query regarding free meditations, especially if you are not new to meditation, but I thought it might be useful to provide a bit of background if anyone else is considering it. 

I initially paid for a 6 week meditation course to aid my mental health during what was a challenging time for me.  The tutor had produced a meditation CD which they sold to raise funds for a charity in India.  I often revert back to this CD during times of stress because it provides me with a sense of comfort and stability.  That said, if anyone is considering meditation, a 6 week course is certainly not necessary. 

There are lots of free meditation options available.  I generally use the selection available on my healthcare providers app (Benend£n).  During lockdown my mobile provider offered a free daily C@lm meditation, and I sometimes still dip into their free ones.  C@lm is free to download, but there is a fee should you wish to access it's full services.  Headsp@ce works on a similar basis.  I am also aware that the free NH$ app offers a basic insight into meditation.  @BrillianButScary downloaded the Ins!ght Timer app so maybe able to offer some feedback on that. 

What I would add, is that it takes time and results are not instant, especially if you are looking for a quick fix as I was when I began.  Even now, I will sometimes accept that it is not the time to meditate and come back to it later in the day.  Other times, I am instantly in the zone.  However, if you keep trying, it can offer a multitude of scientifically proven benefits.  As with most things, it works for some and not others.  Personally, I would highly recommend it.  

Yorkie1

@Humboldt that's really helpful thanks. I think I may have a C@lm subscription somewhere ... 

Regular practice is indeed important, something I need to prioritise I think. Absolutely aware that it's not a quick fix. The issue is, that like all self-care, it's all too easy to overlook when things are going better, and skills are therefore not available to you when things are not so easy.

Humboldt

Yorkie1 said:

@Humboldt that's really helpful thanks. I think I may have a C@lm subscription somewhere ... 

Regular practice is indeed important, something I need to prioritise I think. Absolutely aware that it's not a quick fix. The issue is, that like all self-care, it's all too easy to overlook when things are going better, and skills are therefore not available to you when things are not so easy.

Morning @Yorkie1 I totally agree that it is all too easy to overlook self-care when things are going better, and skills are therefore not available to you when things are not so easy.

Having learnt my lesson the hard way, I now attempt to build self-care into my routine.  That said, I am not perfect and during the summer I have prioritised other things over my online workouts.  I am now making more of an effort and starting to feel the positive benefits again.

For those who may be interested in free online workouts, there are lots to choose from, but my favourite is F@bulous5o's on Y0utube (don't be put off by the title).  The  workouts include cardio, strength and balance, there are low impact versions available should you prefer, and the lady is very encouraging.  There are lots of her videos to choose from so I don't get bored; I start with a stretch, then a walking workout, and end with a stretch. I aim to complete 2-3 workouts a week.  Use it or loose it!

Today's simple pleasure - the new series of All Creatures Great and Small has begun.