TIME FOR A SPRING CLEAN

Spring is here, and with it comes a sense of relief that we have survived a long, cold and dark autumn and winter. There is always one defining moment in springtime when I notice that change; the sun on my face, the sound of the birds or choosing a lighter jacket when I go out.

One of the best things about a change of season is our chance to change things up in our lives too, or at least to try to. Here are my top five spring time habits I do to welcome in the new season.

Sort your space out

Psychologically, there is nothing better than feeling like your living space is tidy. Research has shown that when we clean up our space, we experience a lowering of stress and anxiety levels, a sense of control, clarity and achievement, as well as improving our focus and productivity. It can also help if we are trying to move forward from past challenge or regret. What might be stopping you from starting your spring clean? If it’s a sense of overwhelm, just start small; if it’s procrastination, ask someone else to give you some support; if it’s lethargy, recognise that clearing your space may well give you some more energy.

Seasonal foods

We have got so used to eating what we want, when we want to, that the idea of eating seasonal vegetables and fruits has somewhat disappeared. But there are some benefits to eating seasonally, and not just for our health. Fruits and vegetables that have just been harvested are more likely to have a higher nutritional content – for example, nutrients like vitamin C content can rapidly decline when stored. Seasonal foods also tend to taste better, typically requiring less artificial fertilisers as they are growing in the right conditions. It can also be more environmentally friendly due to reduced food miles, and is more likely to be affordable. Cauliflower, kale, rhubarb, leeks and broccoli are all good April foods with a wealth of nutritional benefits including fibre (good for gut health), antioxidants (which reduce inflammation), vitamins and minerals (essential for a healthy body and mind).

Sleep

The days get longer and lighter, which is great for our mood, but we must also balance that against the springtime tendency to neglect our sleep. We may start socialising more with later nights; we may not have ensured our bedrooms are dark enough; or we may have a bit of a lag getting outside for more natural daylight which in turn can impact our circadian rhythm and melatonin (sleep hormone) levels. Take steps to make sure your bedroom is dark enough, look at your diary to ensure you are balancing late nights with early ones, and ensure that you try to take a walk outside every day if you can.

Sun protection

With so many months of dark and cold behind us, it is so tempting when the sun comes out to forget all of our common sense when it comes to sun exposure and to rush out in shorts, T-shirts and no hat for hours. Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer and there is no healthy way to get a tan, even in the UK. Make sure you don’t burn by spending time in the shade between 11am and 3pm, using at least factor 30 sunscreen, using sunglasses and clothes that give you a bit of cover, especially if you are a pale, freckled soul like me!!

Sound

Sometimes all you need to do in springtime is to stop and listen. The sounds of spring can really help us to stay well. The dawn chorus – which peaks from March to July – or more specific individual birdsong, bees buzzing and the rustle of a breeze on leaves all have their impact. Some research has shown that high-frequency, complex and melody-based bird song can actually reduce blood pressure and allow us to gain more mental clarity, with the blackbird, song thrush, robin and wood thrush all being named.

The spring has always held a great deal of significance culturally as well as religiously and astrologically. Regardless of religion, Spring is universally seen and felt like a time of new life, positive change and renewal. In earlier times, this transition into spring was even classed as the New Year due to it being the season of regeneration and growth of plants and crops.

The history of this season is as intricate as it is fascinating. It is full of symbolism, myth and characters bound into the energy and abundance of the earth. For example, eggs have been associated with spring rituals for millennia. Ancient Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Gauls, and Chinese all embraced the egg as a symbol of the universe. An entire world and creation within the protection of its shell. Today, we gift chocolate versions, go hunting in the garden for them with children and still use them as a symbol for new life.

In pre-Christian Europe, people worshiped Eostre, the moon goddess of spring and fertility. Portrayed as standing among spring flowers and holding an egg in her hand with her sacred animal the hare. This hare laid eggs to honour her and we now know this sacred creature as, the Easter Bunny.

Spring Has Sprung

New life, growth, renewal and change. This season swings in after the darkness of winter with a flutter of feathers and reminds us better times lay ahead. It is no coincidence that during Spring Equinox we have urges to create radical change in our lives! From the simple clearing of cupboards and throwing out old clothes to make way for the new to planning big events, Spring gives us the boost to feel ready to take on what life throws at us.

Rituals for Spring Equinox

Clear The Way

Time to step away from everything the last year has thrown at you! Sometimes, it takes a truly conscious effort to remove obstacles out our path to clear the way for what’s ahead. Create a list of events from the last year that have caused you pain and upset and then light a candle, hold them over the flame and watch them burn away. If you can, use this time to talk to loved ones and share your ideas and experiences so that it never feels overwhelming.

Out With The Old

Is there anything more satisfying than a spring clean?! Turn on your favourite tunes, open the windows and let’s clear out the excess stuff! Spring Equinox isn’t just about letting go of the thoughts and feelings holding you back. The physical things and clutter in your home have an impact too!  Here are our spring cleaning tip tips

• Take on just one room at a time!
• Use it as a time to reconnect with your sentimental possessions and all the wonderful memories they hold.
• Have a bag for collecting the items that can go to charity shops or women refuges ready.
• Clean as you go.
• Check out Marie Kuondo for some tips!

Time In Nature

The leaves are starting to come back, the daffodils are glowing yellow and the blossom is starting to peak through. There is so much new life and beauty around at this time of the year! Furthermore, Spring Equinox means the days are longer with extra sunlight for us to be outside earlier in the mornings and later into the evenings. The abundance and new life in Spring is most evident in nature so, make sure you spend some time reconnecting with the natural world around you.

• Wake up for sunrise, wrap up and sit with your morning tea or coffee and listen to the birds call in the new day.
• Take a walking meditation. Slowly walk around your local park or woodland and tune into noticing the smaller details of the natural world you would otherwise miss.
• Plant something. Whether it’s a new herb for your windowsill or flowers in your garden, get your hands into the dirt and nurture new life by growing something.
• Create a wildlife haven in your outdoor space. A birdbath, feeder or insect hotel is not only helping wildlife but is great fun, especially with children.

Spring Forward

Now you have cleared the way, it is time to look forward! If you find you struggle with New Year’s resolutions in January then use this astrological New Year at Spring Equinox as your time instead. We always feel far more positive and focused on the challenges that lay ahead once the darkest months have passed.

• Make a list of all the things you want to achieve this year. Remember, there is nothing wrong with wanting! Sit with that list and think and reflect on all the ways you can make them possible to achieve! Positive action will get you there.
• Create a vision board. Not only does making something feel really fulfilling but your vision board will then be a visual reminder of your hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Even better, do this with friends and share those thoughts as you go!
• Set an intention. A single word or short phrase that can become your own personal Mantra.

Mother’s Day is complicated.

All week, I’ve listened to the ads and deleted an endless stream of promo emails — bedding, perfume, candles, magazine subscriptions, tech gifts “for Mum.” Honestly? I’ve had enough.

I do get to celebrate Mother’s Day — and I’m hugely grateful for that. But I’ve got friends who’ve lost their mum.  and for them and many others, it’s tough. They’re not the only ones who find that this weekend stirs up a storm of emotion.

Mother’s Day can feel like a lot — especially when your experience of mothering doesn’t match the shiny, sentimental version being flung at us from every direction.

Not everyone has a mum.
Not everyone can be a mum.
Not everyone has the kind of relationship they longed for — with their mum, or with their children.

And in a world that still struggles to talk openly about grief, infertility, estrangement, or loss, days like this can feel especially cruel.

We scroll through curated captions.
We see the lucky ones — burnt toast in bed, bunches of flowers, homemade cards — and quietly ache for what we don’t have.
A family brunch. A child’s hug. A mum to ring.

For some, it’s fresh grief. For others, it’s been decades. For many, it’s just… complicated.

Research suggests that one in four families in the UK and US are now experiencing some form of estrangement. That’s a staggering number — and a powerful reminder that we need to tread gently through days like this. Especially in workplaces.

So no, I’m not saying don’t share your joy.
Please do — revel in your plans, your people, your pride.
Just maybe… don’t shout it from the rooftops.
And spare a thought for the many who are feeling their way through this weekend with quiet strength, tender grief, or longing for relationships they’ve lost — or never had.

If this weekend is hard for you, I feel for you.
You are not alone.
You’re not broken.
You’re human.

Motherhood, like so much in life, isn’t one-size-fits-all. And neither is the way we feel about days like this.

If your new year mojo already seems a long way behind you, you’re not alone. The “February slump” is easily explainable; the cumulative effects of winter, the respite of the festive break well and truly forgotten, and the dreary weather not helping.

This month marks the spring equinox, the astronomical start of Spring. Perhaps now is the time to implement some changes to help us feel more energised?  Sometimes this is sensible, especially if we feel like hibernating, but sometimes we can feel impatient for the energy of a new start, and that impatience can soon turn into frustration. Instead of waiting for external factors to change, there are some simple habits that we can adopt right now to help us feel more optimistic, more energetic and like we are actually making some progress.

They are some simple, positive strategies and once we start using them, they can open up a whole new perspective, as well as make us feel better instantaneously.

We may not be able to change all the big things, but we can do the little things that not only help us to prepare for bigger changes later, but that also give us the momentum to pick ourselves up out of that February Funk, and with spring officially here (at least according to the stars!) it is the perfect time to create some new beginning energy.

Say yes

So often in life we get into the habit of saying no. Sometimes a “No” is useful to conserve our energy and to ensure we put our focus on what we need. But, too many Nos can mean we get stuck in rigid patterns, and that we get bored and demotivated. Try for the rest of this month to say yes to things; a new opportunity at work, a social event, an activity with friends, to chatting to someone new, to a suggestion. See what it brings you; it may help you to learn something about yourself, to meet new people and to try new things. Research shows that doing things that are out of our comfort zone allow us to build confidence, self-esteem, a sense of belonging and to enlarge our support network. See everything as an adventure and a “what if?” and see where it takes you. Wherever it is, it will always be sprinkled with new beginning energy.

Say thank you

Science has shown consistently that gratitude improves our wellbeing; it reduces stress, and it boosts our good-feeling chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. There has also been some evidence that it strengthens our immune system and reduces inflammation in our bodies, as well as strengthening our relationships, a key safety net for our health. It is all too easy to allow our neural pathways (the brain cell networks) to be used to negative statements, thoughts and expectations. But we can break a habit and rewire our brains to focus on being thankful, for noticing the good stuff and vocalising appreciation. Saying thank you to people around you sparks a lot of new beginning energy; it allows that person to feel good and reciprocate, it opens up conversations and behaviours that mean you spend more time together, and it allows a different dynamic to exist between you and the world. It is amazing what opportunities may come from shifting your mindset from what you haven’t got, to what you have. Being grateful can also mean that you don’t approach opportunities with the energy of scarcity and pressure that the outcome must be successful, which can change the very outcome itself.

Tidy up

New beginning energy can come from inside you when you choose to tidy up old chapters, issues and tensions. You can get a lot of relief by sorting out old arguments, taking responsibility for your part in something, saying sorry, or forgiving someone. Take a bit of time this month to sort out anything from the past which is still on your mind. In doing so, you will be ready to invite that new beginning energy into your mind and your life. The same applies to your physical space; sorting out wardrobes, giving things you no longer want to charity, organising any mess in your home, and giving everything a bit of a once-over can really help your psyche to be ready for new starts.

Use the ‘fresh start’ effect

When we anticipate a new chapter, we can benefit from what psychologists call the “fresh start effect”. Just anticipating a new start can actually increase our motivation for goal-setting and pursuit. Take a bit of time this month to work out what kind of fresh start you want and why you would like to bring it into your life; get specific, what would be the advantages/what are the obstacles/what actions might you have to take to get there? When we write things down and get focused on them, we are much more likely to take action towards them.

As the ew year approaches, so will the desire to reinvent ourselves – maybe this is the year to get outside, drink less, eat healthier. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s the year to practice rest and restoration.

Taking time to identify and lay out goals over the holiday season is a time honored tradition, and touches on the work licensed clinical psychologists do with patients every day. To enjoy success – however you define it – psychologists say the best changes are personal, start small and tackle expectations – our own, and those we might have internalized.

“One of my favorite phrases in therapy, which is just kind of meant to be a little bit silly, is ‘stop should-ing on yourself’,” said Jennifer Caspari, an associate psychologist and cognitive behavioral therapist in Colorado. What she means, she said, is to, “sit down and strip away that sense of ‘should’,” and instead focus on the values you feel are important.

“A very common example of that is people think they should value fitness,” said Caspari. “That is genuinely important to some people – and genuinely not important to others.”

One of the exercises she uses in her own practice is to give people a list of value-based words – such as achievement, curiosity, or independence – and then define what the words mean to the individual. If it feels like that value isn’t being fulfilled, then perhaps it’s time to make a plan to change that. Using the value of curiosity as an example, that could involve reading a book, taking a class or going to the library once a month; those steps are all attainable and specific.

This approach mirrors “Smart” goal-setting – an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. If that sounds corporate, it is. The goals were first developed by a management consultant in the 1980s. The strategy is ubiquitous, but also widely criticized for being outcome-oriented.

It can also be helpful, said licensed clinical psychologist Molly Sherb, to start with something less specific, but informed by your own needs.

“The new year’s resolution you’re setting now should be aligned with what you’re doing now,” said Sherb. “Maybe it should be getting outside now. It may be you’re feeling bored or flat, so want to try something new.”

Either way, it should focus on the now and “be shorter-term rather than something you set for the entire year”.

Although it may be counterintuitive, setting goals that are relatively small changes can lead to the greatest success.

“You want to make sure you’re starting with what feels easiest, which I think is a little bit counterintuitive,” said Sherb. “But the reason you want to start with what’s easiest is you want to feel that sense of achievement, of success – because that’s going to keep you motivated to do the harder things down the road.”

In all cases, the goal of setting the goal should be to get in touch with yourself, your values and your own needs today, both Sherb and Caspari said.

“New year’s resolutions are very manufactured pressure to change, but anytime is a good time to make a change,” said Sherb. “If it doesn’t feel right for you, if you don’t have the bandwidth,” then, “Let yourself settle into the new year.”

And remember: “It’s also an option in February, March, April, May and July.”

Maybe 2025 was your year – or maybe it wasn’t. Regardless, you’re probably falling for the intoxicating hit of making Big Plans to improve yourself this year. But there’s no reward for setting goals you probably can’t reach. Better to keep them simple, and realistic.
Here are 25 little ways that you can make 2026 that little bit better – whether it’s helping get you home in order, easing that desk induced back pain, or beginning to reconnect with old friends.

1. Use the five-second rule
Pioneered by self-help author Mel Robbins, this is astonishingly simple. If there’s something you know you should do and want to make sure you act on it, just count down from five to one then, go for it. That could be getting out of bed when your alarm goes off, speaking up in a meeting, sending a difficult text, or doing the dishes. Anything that you tend to talk yourself out of, basically.
2. Plan your outfit for the next day
If you can’t face the hassle of laying out your clothes, using the time before falling asleep to work out what you’re going to wear tomorrow can help cut out all sorts of early morning dithering. The other option, of course, is to adopt a daily uniform like the big tech chief executives are famous for. But where’s the fun in that? Playing fantasy dress up as you doze off is far more fun.
3. Lengthen your stride
Unless you have a particularly physically demanding job, most of us will feel the aches and pains of a relatively sedentary lifestyle. You can make grand plans, join gyms and dig out your lycra if you like, but one of the simplest ways to help mitigate the issue is to try and make your stride a bit longer.
This will not only add a bit of cardio to your day without any extra time spent, it will also activate your glutes (which are largely at rest if you spent most of your time in a chair). Excellent for easing back pain as well as getting more pep in your step.

4. Take Vitamin D
According to the NHS, most of us are not getting enough vitamin D, especially in the winter months, but it’s an essential nutrient for regulating levels of calcium and phosphate in the body.
But remembering to take it is a whole other issue. To encourage follow-through, pop a post-it note or a sign somewhere very visible that says TAKE YOUR VITAMIN D. That could be your front door, the fridge door, or above the sink – just somewhere in your eyeline as a little reminder.

5. Wear your best outfit
We have an instinct to want to preserve our nicest things, something that extends to clothes. But there’s nothing stopping you from making a standard day more special by wearing your best stuff. You, and the world around you, is good enough for your best clothes.

6. Delete apps from your home screen
Just adding one small extra step to opening Instagram, for example, gives you time to assess if you really want to or it’s just instinct.

7. Add milk to your coffee
Dieticians may not recommend always opting for higher calorie coffees that are majority milk (lattes; cappuccinos) but that doesn’t mean milk is off the menu. Having a bit of milk in your coffee can actually make it healthier – it neutralises the coffee’s natural acidity, which protects your teeth. And while you’re at it, opt for full-fat milk. It’s far more satisfying, can have a higher vitamin content than skimmed milk, and will still amount to far less than you’d find in a flat white.

8. Turn off notifications
It’s ultimately up to you whether you pick up your phone and start scrolling, but you can reduce all the ways your phone prompts you to do so. So turn off notifications and put yourself on ‘Do Not Disturb’. You can also set up certain apps like WhatsApp to run on your desktop rather than your phone – this has the added bonus of making it less likely you’ll strain your neck peering at your smaller screen.

9. Be bored
When was the last time you were properly bored – not just listlessly scrolling, but truly bored? It’s worth giving it a go. Psychologists James Danckert and John D Eastwood in their book Out of my Skull: The Psychology of Boredom argue that boredom can help us find our full potential and make our lives more meaningful. We just need to engage with the feeling rather than running away from it. So rather than trying to placate your boredom, sit with the feeling and work out what would actually inspire a sense of purpose in you. This is where your most creative self can emerge, if you let it.

10. Eat the frog
Don’t worry, the frog is entirely metaphorical. But this is about identifying the most difficult task in your to-do list for any given day. It might not be the most complex or demanding task – but it’s the one you’re trying to avoid, whether that’s sending an awkward text or finally going through your receipts. This is the frog that you have to eat today. Do it first. Getting the task you want to do least done first means the only way is up. It’s both incredibly simple and very hard to do, so if you’re struggling, it’s worth combining with the five second rule.

11. Make a pile of doom
The general upkeep of a household can quickly become overwhelming because it simply never ends. Keeping up with it is exhausting, but not keeping up can feel even worse when you are surrounded by endless clutter.
Rather than setting the unachievable goal of keeping your home impeccable at all times, cut yourself some slack and make tidying a two-stage process. Step one – anything you see out of place goes into one DOOM pile (that’s ‘Didn’t Organise, Only Moved’). This helps keep the visual clutter at a minimum and gives you the mental space to focus on other things. Step two is to take a deep breath and organise the pile. This should be done once a week or so, to condense time spent tidying and organising into one block.

12. Clean every day for two songs
Instead of looking at the mess, seeing it as too big and avoiding it all together, tell yourself you’re just going to clean (or tidy) for the length of two songs. The tangible end point will help you keep focus and your home will be a little bit cleaner/tidier before you know it.

13. Say hi to your neighbours
Thanks to the combined forces of busy lifestyles, a difficult housing market and technological advancements, it’s not the norm to befriend your neighbours. But a Gallup survey in 2023 found that even the small act of saying hello to neighbours can boost your well-being. It encourages a sense of community, reduces isolation, and can change the tenor of your day with minimal time and effort.

14. Schedule emails
In the last couple of hours of working, tasks will tend to fall into two categories: the must be done right now, and everything else. Save yourself the effort of having to rally people the next day and simply schedule any important (though not urgent) emails to land in inboxes just as the day starts.
You’ll waste less time, make the most of people’s renewed attention and it only takes a couple of extra clicks of a button. You can even do this on messaging apps like Slack.

15. Use a grater on fridge-cold butter
There is a unique taste to the humbling you get when you’ve prepared to bake but neglected to take the butter out of the fridge. Or when, in a rush, you attempt to butter your toast but instead rip it into papery shreds. But this is where your cheese grater will be your best friend – softened butter is just a hand gesture rather than a few hours away.

16. Keep your keys safe
If you have something you must bring with you, put it with something you never leave the house without, whether that’s keys or your phone. In the rush out of the door you will reach for what you take automatically, not what you told yourself you must remember.

17. Say a weird word
If you’re someone who regularly worries about whether you’ve turned off the lights/oven/iron after leaving the house, say a random word as you turn off the oven or lock the front door to remind yourself that you did it. Muttering ‘hullabaloo’ or ‘indubitably’ may make you sound like an old-timey eccentric to any passers-by, but that just adds to the charm.

18. Carry a reusable bag in your day bag
You truly never know when you’ll need it. Save your arms and your pennies for something more fun than getting groceries home.

19. Eat an orange in the shower
There is no particular benefit to this, other than bringing joy to one of life’s menial tasks (the showering, not the orange-eating). Fill your daily shower with aromatic citrus and delight in the fact that, for once, you don’t need to worry about sticky fingers.

20. Stretch when you put on your deodorant
A full body stretch can do a world of good, but it can be very easy to avoid doing. What you will be far less likely to neglect, though, is your daily deodorant. Use the time when you’re waiting for your roll-on to dry to get a few overarm stretches in and give your back and shoulders a wake up. Your shirts will be stain-free and you’ll feel that bit more limber.

21. Text a friend
Research suggests we all underestimate how meaningful it is to get a text out of the blue from someone. So make the most of the technology we have and reach out to that buddy who just popped into your head – it will make you both feel that little bit more connected.

22. Freeze your ginger
Rather than rooting around for dried out nubs, or spending £2 on a pre-packaged knob, just wash and dry ginger root before popping it in a freezer-friendly bag or container. It can last for up to five months and will be easier to grate than before, speeding up an otherwise laborious process. Yes, this is the second piece of advice involving a grater

23. Buy presents when you find them
Given the time of year you’re reading this, you will no doubt be familiar with the last minute rush and panic of trying to think of the perfect presents for the people you love.

24. Walk backwards
Of all of the ways you can start moving more, this is the most likely to get all sorts of muscles (including your brain) going. It will help you improve your balance (vital to hold onto as you age), your concentration and has far less impact on your knees. Just don’t try it on the stairs.

25. Take phone calls standing up
The good news is there’s no such thing as a perfect posture. Back problems develop not from the posture you have, but from staying in the same position for hours at a time. So finding small prompts to get up from sitting (or if you stand a lot, sit down) will do you a world of good.

Three steps to take now to have more energy in 2025

Just as the daylight reaches its nadir, we can feel like we have reached our lowest point in energy. Here’s how to get a boost.

Today marks the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, when the tilt of the northern hemisphere of the Earth away from the Sun is at its maximum and the Sun is at its lowest in the sky. It is also, logically, the longest night of the year.

If you have found the shorter days and the darkness tough, then the good news is that after the solstice, they will get longer by about two minutes and seven seconds per day.

Just as the daylight reaches its nadir, so we can individually feel like we have reached our lowest point in terms of our energy for action and for challenge. And just as the days start to gradually lengthen again, so we can start to build up our energy.

A lot of people use January as a time to think about how to restart in a new and different way, but I think that the winter solstice is the best time to reflect on the year gone by and to allow that nadir to turn into a well-deserved hiatus – a break from tasks and a much-needed rest from the demands of life.

Before we can start to contemplate 2025, we need to ensure our energy levels are refilled and restored. And with Christmas around the corner, and all the expectation, demands and hustle and bustle of that, it is even more important to pause.

So, how can we best create a hiatus between all that has gone in 2024, and all that will come in 2025?

Reflect

Recognising and understanding where our energy levels are right now is the first step that we need to take. What level of sleep deficit are you at? How are your motivation levels? How do you feel physically and mentally? If we are exhausted and overwhelmed, then we may worry more than usual, we may find it difficult to concentrate on things, we may be irritable with others and we may also have dropped the hobbies and activities that give us energy, like exercising or seeing friends.

Rest

We must recognise that we need rest. This may be passive rest, like sleep, or sitting down and slowly drinking a cup of tea, or eating lunch not in a rush, or avoiding multi-tasking. Incorporate more of those things into your calendar over the next few weeks. But, don’t forget to rest actively too, and by that, I mean use your body and move it, start up those hobbies that give you energy like reading or cooking or walking, and build in some time with your really close friends and family to do something quiet and gentle. Movement, our relationships and creativity all give us the feeling that we have rested.

Relax

You may have some time off work and you may mark this on your calendar as being time to relax. But we are missing a fundamental piece of the jigsaw if we think this. To relax entirely and well, we need to help our minds slow down the thoughts and the worries. How do we do this? Well, we can write down the problems that are whirring around in our heads so we can see them and add some brief ideas about how to solve them, so that we can put them to one side over the holidays.

We can use techniques like mindfulness or meditation or box-breathing to help slow our thoughts and help us notice but not judge them. And we can use nature to help us get some perspective by going for a walk and looking at the sky. We can also use music and art and creativity to help us “escape” from our worries just for a short time, so that when we do return to them, we have more energy to solve them.

Just as the Earth and Sun create a natural nadir and hiatus with their movement, so we can create that for ourselves this Christmas.

WHEN you hear the words “party season”, are you filled with dread, or buzzing with excitement?

If it’s the former, you are probably an introvert – and even the thought of all that socialising leaves you feeling exhausted. “Introverts do enjoy social activities. However, they find it more draining than an extroverted person,” explains chartered psychologist and host of the I Have Issues podcast Dr Mark Rackley.

“Introverts like their own company. Spending time alone doing something they enjoy will be a pleasurable experience. An extrovert struggles to do this and will seek out other people to do an activity with them. Put simply, extroverts get their energy from other people, while introverts get their energy from themselves.”

While it is possible to be a mix of both introvert and extrovert – known as an ambivert – you will typically sway more to one than the other, especially when you’re in a social setting.

If you class yourself as an introvert, or simply struggle to find the energy to keep going through the party season, here are some simple ways to ensure you can still enjoy this time of year, without feeling tired, moody and overwhelmed . . .

Pace Yourself

You don’t have to attend – or cancel – every social event you’re invited to. The balance is somewhere in between. You may choose to RSVP to smaller occasions that are more intimate, with close friends or family. “This allows for deeper conversations and more comfortable interactions, which are less draining for introverts,” says Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic.“Balance is key. After large social gatherings, introverts might feel mentally or emotionally drained, needing some alone time to recharge.”

Is it possible for you to work from home the next day, away from others? “You may also need to have a relaxing day beforehand,” Mark adds. Prioritise some me-time, so you’re ready to socialise when the moment strikes.

What about if you want to say “no” to events?

 “Honesty is the best policy,” says Mark. A position statement, such as: ‘I’d love to be there, but at the moment I find social events overwhelming,’ is enough.  If the other person doesn’t understand or respect this, that is not your problem to solve, it’s theirs.” Remember, no is a complete sentence.

Take Micro-Breaks

Introverts may notice themselves becoming overstimulated in busy or noisy environments – AKA the festive period! “During social interactions, introverts often crave moments of quiet or solitude to recharge, and without this, the experience can become tiring rather quickly,” explains Dr Touroni. “Small breaks can help you reset and manage overstimulation.”

Why not try stepping outside for some fresh air or find a quiet corner for a few moments of peace? If you need an excuse, call a trusted friend for five minutes before finding the drive to head back inside.

Front Load

It’s likely that as an introvert, you have more energy at the start of a gathering. Use this to your advantage to make a great first impression and have bigger, more meaningful conversations. If the work party starts in the afternoon and goes into the late evening, don’t feel you have to stay for the whole thing. “Attend events at times when you naturally have more energy, such as earlier in the day, and try to leave before you start feeling drained,” says Dr Touroni.

Relieve The Pressure

It may have taken everything you’ve got to turn up to the occasion, so when you get there, the last thing you want is to be dragged into a drinking game or group activity. “If your presence at a social event is all you can handle, that’s enough,” says Mark.  Don’t feel pressured by others to dance or participate if you don’t want to do. ”You could also excuse yourself by catching up with a friend you haven’t seen in a long time.

But Dr Touroni adds that sometimes it helps to tackle being a wallflower by throwing yourself in at the deep end. “Accept that you might feel some anxiety, but that can dissipate if you engage with the activity and fully focus on what you are doing,” she explains. “If you can still fully participate even when anxious, this is usually an effective way of combating that anxiety. This is a skill that we call ‘acting the opposite to emotions’.”

 Find a Partner In Crime

If you can, seek out one or two people to spend time with in a social setting, ideally people you feel a connection with. If it’s a gathering of colleagues, family or friends, there’s bound to be someone there you can confide in who will understand how you feel.

“Having someone with us at a social event who comprehends the challenges we face can be hugely supportive,” explains Mark. “Consider having someone there who can assist you if you need to take a time-out or make an excuse to leave early if you are done with the evening.”

Manage Small Talk

“Small talk can be excruciating for introverts as it is tiring and hard to maintain,” says Mark. “A way to manage this is to ask the other person questions about themself and listen more than you talk. This can help conserve your energy, as well as build the conversation.”

Sometimes people love talking about themselves, which might drain you, so bring another person into the conversation to ease the intensity.

Accept Who You Are

Let’s get one thing straight – there is nothing wrong with being an introvert. You aren’t bringing down the mood or giving people a bad impression of you just because you are not the life of the party, despite what your brain is telling you. “If the world was solely filled with extroverts or introverts, then it would not be as interesting,” says Mark. “Being introverted is a part of who you are – it’s your personality – but it does not define you, unless you let it.”

Popularised by the author Katherine May in her beautiful book of the same name, ‘wintering’ is the art of living in rhythm with the seasons and weather. As the clocks have changed recently, how can we use the idea of wintering to enhance wellbeing when life outside is cold, dark and dreary?

Love it or loathe it, winter is on its way. And with it comes those colder, darker days when it can seem harder to muster up the energy required for everyday life. Let’s face it: traipsing to the shops or walking to work when it’s blowing a gale outside isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. 

However, much as we may want it to, life doesn’t simply pause when the clocks change.  While the trees are shedding their summer leaves and small animals are preparing to hibernate, many of us are gearing up for the busiest couple of months in our calendars (don’t worry, I won’t mention the C word just yet).

But what if I told you that it’s possible to boost your wellbeing by finding a balance between the chaos and the calm, by leaning into the season rather than fighting against it? The concept of wintering promises just this.

What is wintering? 

Popularised in Katherine May’s book of the same name, wintering refers to leaning into the restorative power of nature and the seasons. Rather than attempting to override our instinct to hunker down and rest at this time of year, wintering encourages us to make small lifestyle changes that can help us to thrive in the colder, darker days ahead.

“Wintering is a conscious retreat into a period of rest and introspection, often prompted by hardship, fatigue or the changing seasons,” says psychotherapist Karen Hartley. “It is a time to slow down, tend to one’s core needs and conserve energy – much like how nature lies dormant. This deliberate pause provides the essential quiet needed to heal and gather strength for a renewed beginning.”

Leaning into the idea doesn’t have to mean full-on hibernation. You can adapt the concept to suit you, such as reading a book, making time to do a jigsaw puzzle or simply sitting down with a hot cup of tea.

What are the benefits of wintering? 

We know: life is busy. But stopping for a while each day doesn’t mean you’ll fall behind. In fact, it might even make you more resilient and productive in the time when you are ‘on’.

“For many of us, especially women juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, the idea of slowing down can feel almost laughable,” says coach Becs Winterborn. “We’re in survival mode, operating on adrenaline and duty. But the gentle practice of wintering holds profound medicine for our overwhelmed nervous systems.

“As autumn arrives and the days shorten, we’re being invited to turn inward, to let go, to rest. This isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom. Your body knows this. It’s your conditioning that’s arguing. Wintering can help teach us that rest can be fruitful, and that small moments of beauty matter. Darkness has gifts if we stop fighting it.”

How to winter well 

How you choose to embrace the season is a personal, movable feast, but what works for one person may not work for another. That said, there are some rituals that are universally restorative, so if you’re not sure how to start, why not try these?

1. Consider your social commitments

While social connection is absolutely vital for wellbeing, perhaps three Christmas parties in one week isn’t the best idea.

“I embrace the art of slow living in winter,” says Hartley. “Contrary to popular belief, winter is not the time for packed social calendars or ambitious projects, as our biological capacity for activity is lower. The art of doing nothing isn’t laziness: it’s the conscious, guilt-free act of simply being – staring out the window, sipping tea without my phone or just sitting by the fire.”

Winterborn goes a step further, recommending that we all ring fence one afternoon each weekend for rest. “Protect one afternoon a week for genuine rest,” she tells Stylist. “Not productive rest, not ‘I should’ rest, but true restoration. Your inner people-pleaser will resist this because it feels selfish, but it’s not.”

2. Make time to cook 

While summer is made for whiling away long, lazy evenings picnicking with friends or simple BBQs, winter cries out for slow, nourishing dishes that simmer away on the stove. Is there anything more comforting than the thought of coming home to a warming pot on the slow cooker? We’ll wait.

“I batch cook nourishing foods, such as large pots of soup,” says Hartley. “Not only do I find this process meditative, but the result is physically warming and nutrient-dense, too.”

3. Create a candlelight ritual

There’s no denying that the nights can feel endless at this time of year, especially when the weather is dank and dreary. If keeping the lights on all day is getting you down, why not try creating a cosy candlelight ritual in a (safe) corner of your home?

“Creating soft, warm lighting in your home as the evenings draw in is one of my favourite rituals at this time of year,” says Winterborn. “Denmark uses more candles per capita than any other country, and there’s profound wisdom in this. Candlelight naturally slows us down. It signals to our nervous system that it is time to rest and creates an atmosphere of calm that soothes our often overstimulated minds.

“Why not light a candle when you arrive home as a ritual that marks the transition from work mode to home mode. This simple act tells your body and mind: you’re safe now, you can soften.”

4. Cultivate a calming sleep routine

No, you’re not imagining it: we really do feel a little more tired in the winter.

“As daylight hours shorten, it’s common to feel a little more sluggish or notice your mood dip,” says Emma Morgan, a sleep expert and founder of All About Sleep. “That’s why winter is the perfect time to prioritise a consistent sleep routine and nurture your wellbeing. Start by transforming your bedroom into a calm, clutter-free sanctuary. Invest in cosy bedding and supportive pillows that make your bed a place you truly want to retreat to.

“In the evenings, consider setting a ‘bedtime alarm’ as a gentle reminder to switch off screens and avoid late-night scrolling or binge-watching. Establish soothing nightly rituals to help your body wind down: jotting down thoughts or worries, reading a few pages of a book, putting on a sleep mask, spritzing your pillow with a calming scent or practising deep breathing.”

While these are all habits that will benefit us all year round, when it’s dark and cold outside, we might just have more motivation to stick to them.

5. Accept, don’t resist 

We know that mindset can be a powerful tool, and never more so than in winter. While it’s tempting to complain about the dark/rain/wind, try flipping this on its head.

“Try shifting your mindset from resistance to acceptance,” advises Hartley. “Instead of saying. ‘I hate this weather,” reframe it with a mantra like, ‘This is a season for rest, not for hustle,’ or ‘The dark is my cue to turn inward.’

“Acceptance doesn’t mean I have to like the cold and dark; it just means I stop wasting energy railing against it.”

And who doesn’t want more energy right now?

As the golden hues of autumn begin to paint the landscape, we find ourselves in the midst of the Autumn Equinox—a sacred pause between the light and dark. This day, also called Mabon, marks a powerful seasonal shift, celebrated in the Celtic tradition as part of the Wheel of the Year. It’s a time of harvest, reflection, balance, and preparing for the quieter months ahead.

The Celtic Wheel of the Year
In ancient Celtic traditions, the Wheel of the Year divides the year into eight festivals, with each celebrating the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. These festivals honor the changing seasons and their connection to nature’s rhythm. Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, is one of these sacred days, falling between Lughnasadh (the first harvest) and Samhain (the start of the darker half of the year and the Celtic New Year).
At the Autumn Equinox, day and night are of equal length, symbolizing balance and harmony. This moment is the second harvest, focusing on fruits, grains, and vegetables, and the act of giving thanks for the abundance nature has provided. Mabon is the counterpart to the Spring Equinox (Ostara), and while Ostara celebrates new beginnings, Mabon invites us to reflect on our growth and achievements, gathering wisdom from what we’ve sown.

The Significance of Mabon
Mabon is named after a Welsh deity, Mabon ap Modron, the son of the Earth Mother goddess Modron, representing youth, renewal, and the cycle of life. In myth, Mabon is stolen from his mother at birth and held captive until he is rescued, symbolizing the loss and eventual return of light. This reflects the transition from the brightness of summer to the deepening shadows of fall and winter.
Mabon encourages us to take stock of our inner harvest—what have we achieved this year, and how can we nourish ourselves as we move into the darker months? It’s a time for gratitude, rest, and rebalancing the energies of work and play, light and dark, and giving and receiving.