The Joy Issue
It's time to turn up the joy dial in your life!
1. Be Adaptable
there’s a lot to be said for boosting your mind and body’s ability to cope with daily stress – which is why we’re so interested in the latest research on a series of ancient adaptogenic herbs – many of which have been used in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine for millennia. Our two stand-outs? Shatavari has been shown to help balance female hormones, and Ashwaghanda, to improve the body’s own ability to adapt to internal stress – well worth adding to your holistic health cabinet.
2. Nature Reserve
more than 100 studies have shown just how much our mood is positively affected by being out, surrounded by nature, on a daily basis. Whether walking barefoot along the beach, strolling through a luscious forest, or simply sitting under the canopy of some trees in your back garden or local park – build some way to imbibe nature’s beauty into your cells, as often as you can. Live in a green-free urban environment? Bring the outside in with as many green oxygen-producing houseplants as you can fit into your space… who doesn’t love an urban jungle?
3. Play Time
whether or not you’re in touch (or barely talking to) your ‘inner child’, a raft of new studies have proven just how important it is for us all to engage in some ‘just for fun’ activities, as often as possible. The fact is – we all have a part of us that wants to be let out to play! How to begin? Spend a minute thinking about the things that used to make you feel happiest as a child… Painting? Singing? Dancing? Cloud-watching? Then, make a promise to yourself to do at least one of them, just once a week, for just 30 minutes. We promise you won’t regret it (and your inner child will be cheering you on the whole time too!).
4. Move More
we all know how important it is to move our bodies as much as we can (and get off our bottoms, despite the rise in sedentary jobs) – but how? Why not reconnect with your love of team sports and sign up for a weekly game? Or find a natural movement or free-form dance class? Or, combine numbers 3 & 4 on this list, and pick up a childhood hobby (Hula Hooping! Skipping!) – but, whatever you do, go with what brings you the most joy (and then do that, a lot). And if you’re one of those people who simply struggles to find the time for anything outside of family and work, we urge you to find an online fitness platform – our favourite? Movement for Modern Life – a fantastic online yoga company, who bring the world’s best teachers into your home, via unlimited classes (their 30-day transformation challenges are pretty amazing too.)
5. Just Because
everyone needs a ‘just because day’ – a chance to do something deliciously pleasurable, just for themselves – just because! Whether that’s a relaxed wander through your favourite park (without your phone), a super-chilled coffee over the morning papers, or a skin-transforming holistic MV Radiance Therapy Facial, make that commitment to your self, knowing that it’s wholly important because you are.
