{4 minute read}

Ocean

Human’s are naturally drawn to water just as animals are drawn to watering holes (images of Lion King coming to mind). There’s something that makes us feel alive swimming in open water. It can also make us feel very small and problems or worries feel insignificant when we look out into the great depths of the ocean. See below for benefits of swimming in the ocean and water therapy:

• Ocean swimming, benefits include: exercise, relieve stress, known to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, boosts skin health by activating cells, improves your mood, improves circulation and helps build your immune system.
• Water Therapy or hydrotherapy can consist of hot or cold water, in various forms. The most simple form of this is sitting in a hot bath or hot tub and having a cold or hot shower. It is known to lower your risk of high blood pressure, relieve back pain, relieve skin issues, improve mental health and aid relaxation. It also includes aqua exercises which are gentle for joints and can help some people when recovering from injury.

Self Care

There are many things in our daily lives that can have a damaging effect on our physical and mental wellbeing; jobs, relationships, money worries, health problems, diet, busy lifestyle, and stress to name a few. It is more important than ever to practice self care, but what is self-care? Keeping it simple, self care is just the little things we do for ourselves to look after our wellbeing. Making time for ourselves to do the things we enjoy, but also listening to our body and noticing what we need (yes self care can look like an entire day in bed, if that’s what you need). Read below for 6 self-care suggestions:

• 1. For your physical health: Walking, exercising, yoga, a healthy meal.
• 2. For your mental health: Journalling, meeting/calling a friend, digital detox, early night.
• 3. For the body: Bubble bath, massage, plenty of water, rest.
• 4. For your mind: Reading, being creative, learning a new skill, meditation.
• 5. For your spirit: lightening a candle, burning incense, repeating an affirmation, cloud/star gazing.
• 6. For your soul: listening to music, dancing, breathing techniques, helping someone in need.

Freedom

We live in a world where everyone needs to have a label, a box to fit in, to live the same life as everyone else and to follow the norm. Work sending emails at unsociable hours and the notion that we should be available to everyone 24 hours a day, is exhausting……then there is advertising, celebrities and social media telling us what to wear, what to eat, what to think, what to watch, how to feel, what we are doing wrong… (the list goes on).
With all of this, how do we find freedom in the everyday? Try some of the suggestions below and incorporate freedom into your everyday:

• Turn your phone off… I know, it sounds crazy. Imagine going an entire day with your phone turned off, no constant reaching for the phone, no checking messages or social media. No anxious thoughts when you haven’t responded to someone within the hour or that itch when a notification goes off. Sounds rather freeing to me!
• Accepting yourself, your journey and your present. Nothing makes us feel more caged in than comparing our lives to others and constantly thinking about what others think of us. Free your mind of comparison and judgement by focusing on you. Write a gratitude journal, plan your goals, think about what you really want to do on this earth and find steps to make this a reality.
• The British culture = saying yes to everything and sorry to everything. Many other cultures are free to speak their mind without it being rude or out of place. But let’s start by saying No. If you don’t want to do something, say no! It will be the most freeing experience of being true to yourself. People will also be more receptive when you do say yes, as they will know it is genuine and in return will respect you for your boundaries when you say no.