Feeling calm can be fleeting, I am a firm believer that although it may feel counterproductive to stop what you’re doing, pausing to rebalance is the very best thing we can do when we find ourselves easily distracted, feeling overwhelmed or have lost focus on what we are doing in the first place.

Today I’ve pulled together three of the simplest and self-empowering ways I know to be effective in helping you find a sense of calm and re-connect you to yourself in the here and now.

Here’s some food for thought; what does connection mean to you?

I’ll lead with a quote from the inspirational Brené Brown who appears to have nailed the ultimate definition; “I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”

Wellbeing is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as; the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy, so if you thought it was all about happiness you’re wrong, my friend! Not only is this definition subjective, but it’s also massively multi-layered and it’s something I bang on about all the time!

What do you do when a bad mood hits you at work? Or right in the middle of a project that really needs to be completed? Or your day begins in a bad mood because you slept terribly?

Well, you can either ride it out or find a way to crank your mood up a notch and feel-good as you ease through your day/project/meeting…

30 ways to improve your mood anytime, anywhere (well, almost)!

These are my top three breathing techniques that you can implement right now, and which take as little as five minutes of your time.

Why are we suddenly so bad at sleeping?

I love to sleep and I love the fact I get to do it for 7-9 hours a night I just wish I could manage it more than a few times a week, I’ve become absolutely rubbish at sleeping through the night!

Grab your journal or some pieces of paper and take yourself somewhere quiet and cosy, maybe take a cuppa and light a candle, this is time to honour what you've been through! The following journal prompts invite a personal reflection on your year and the impact on your wellbeing. Take some slow deep breaths, allow yourself time as you pause, reflect and process all you have experienced in 2020.

Back in September, I was running a yoga and mindfulness event at a primary school. During each 30-minute workshop, I introduced the idea of wellbeing to 200 children aged between 4-11 years old. We talked about our emotions and how we feel, we discovered the power of affirmations and of our own magical breath.This is one of my most treasured memories, one I’ll never forget. The story of the little boy and his really big worry.

Every day this week I’ve heard from friends and clients telling me how much busier and more stressed they're feeling with work. I even heard one friend was working on a project even though she was furloughed! Now while I appreciate businesses need to keep running and are working harder than ever to forge a new path and they need you, but I don’t see the need to push people to their limits.

If you were managing to keep yourself calm and grounded while the rest of the world entered panic mode, by now you may be finding it all a little overwhelming. By ‘it’ I mean the anxiety, nervous energy, fear, and panic. To me it feels like smoke or fog that’s seeping in through the walls and into my thoughts no matter how hard I try to keep myself away from the hysteria.

Every year I start by thinking long and hard about what my intention will be for the year ahead. The is something very exciting about creating the vibe I want to carry through my year, it’s like a cheerleader for every grand plan and unfolding opportunity that lays ahead. If you’ve never set an intention but are someone who loves to set yourself goals, I urge you to try this.