All posts filed under: Tweaks and hacks

Take a Cold Shower

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Okay, I know – you probably think I have lost it. You possibly associate cold showers as the sort of thing that happens when your bloody housemate decides to flush the toilet when you’re enjoying a luxurious hot shower. In fact,  having a hangover-curing hot shower and having someone repeatedly turn on a tap somewhere else in the house is enough to reduce Dwayne Johnson to tears. The first time I willingly gave cold showers a go I went about it the wrong way and it was complete overkill. I turned the water to freezing before I got in, got in the shower, danced around, screaming and hyperventilating from the cold. I got such a rush of endorphins and mixed with hyperventilation I pretty much nearly passed out. I quickly turned it off, clutched the side of the bath and then stood looking out the window with the towel around me, shivering and feeling absolutely euphoric. And that, folks, is how NOT to take a cold shower. Here is my tried and tested how to: Turn …

Say ‘thank you’

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Seems obvious, right? Actually, I don’t feel we do it enough. I’m talking about inner gratitude. When was the last time you said thank you inwardly for something? This is something that changed my life around completely. The more gratitude I feel towards little things, the more appreciation I have for living in this world. I’m talking about those things that pass us by. What about the bird that came and sat close to you and sung it’s little heart out? The huge bush of lavender you walk past that gives out that beautiful smell? The shower you’re about to step into? The bowl food you’re about to devour? I understand that ‘giving thanks’ could be seen as a religious practice, but I don’t feel the need to give it that label. I  know that life is more enjoyable and inspiring when we’re appreciating the little things. When you’re ready, bring your attention to the small things. What are you grateful for? Next time that bird sings, thank it, inwardly. Before you eat, place your hands around the …

Iced Anti Caffeine-Comedown

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You know that tension headache you get 2 hours after a particularly strong coffee…? That weakness of the arms and legs, slight nausea and irritability after drinking caffeinated drinks all day? Knotted stomach, increased heart rate and anxiety? That, my friend, is a caffeine comedown. And it sucks. I have to be careful about my caffeine intake as I know it sets my anxiety off badly. When I worked in Lush during Christmas, when the shop would get so overcrowded and loud, the cup of coffee in the morning was the difference in having an anxiety attack at work or not having an anxiety attack at work. If my heart rate was already increased and my brain whizzing away, I wasn’t doing myself any favours. If you suffer from anxiety, I would recommend limiting your caffeine intake to up to 2 cups of tea or coffee a day. Any more than 100-150mg could put you on edge and increase your anxiety. More affects of caffeine overdose include insomnia, muscle tremors, heart palpitations, restlessness and headaches. Whilst …

Wear Neroli Oil

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I worked at Lush Cosmetics (well known to some as ‘the bath bomb shop’ or the ‘Christmas’ shop!) for a total of 2 and a half years. By the end of my time there, I could pick up any product in the shop, list the ingredients in the product and tell you the benefits that each ingredient will have on you, all off of the top of my head. Impressive, hey! I gained a wealth of knowledge on essential oils and herbs and their benefits on the mind and body. I learnt that I can treat shock with Ylang Ylang, create a meditative state with Frankincense, induce a merry heart with Lemon Balm, and most intriguingly, increase serotonin production with Neroli. Aromatherapy has been used as an aid to emotional and physical well being for thousands of years. There are several ways that we can use essential oils in our everyday lives and regain touch with our sense of smell and links with pleasure. You can mix essential oils with base oils, such as almond or grapeseed oil …

Say hello back (to the Sun!)

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Here is something for you to do the next time the Sun isn’t obscured by clouds: say hello, back. An excerpt from ‘Sun of God’ by Gregory Sams: ‘What can you do now, though, without reference to doctrines or trained intermediaries or learned priests, if you wish to create a connection to the life-giving Sun? First, open your mind to the understanding that this ball of light in the sky that brings us life itself is a living thing.  With eyes closed, face towards the Sun raising your head to spread it’s rays evenly across cheeks and forehead. Feel the light flooding into your closed eyes and the rest of your face as it warms from far away. Feel the silent rays of the Sun as they feel you. And say hello…. back.’ ‘This can be a silent exchange and is one drawing purely on innate skills that are accessible to all, needing neither ritual nor apparatus. The are no rules on how to appreciate the rays of Sun. It feels good because it is good. Just be …

Pimp your bed

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Simple but powerful: making your bed every morning. I think I’m getting at a life hack in general here: things feel 10x more do-able when you replace the word ‘tidy’ with ‘pimp’. And when you’re entering a room with a freshly pimped bed – well. Reasons to pimp your bed: – Even if your room is completely cluttered, when your bed is made it makes everything seem more together. – It’s a small, but noticeable bit of control over your environment that takes barely any energy and time. – It gives you a positive, calm, relaxed state of mind as you get into bed. – It gives you a questioningly strong sense of accomplishment. – You’re decluttering a part of your space, and a decluttered space lowers stress, even if it’s just a little bit. – It’s a ‘gateway habit’ – once you begin to reap the benefits of your badass pimped bed, you’ll look for other things to pimp everyday too. Ooooh yeah. Straighten your duvet, tuck it in at the corners, throw your favourite blanket over the …