Photo: Woman in brown and white dress, from UnSplash
Hello friends! 🌿
Happy July! Let's take a moment together first of all to answer this question, out loud if you feel comfortable.
What are you feeling grateful for right now?
Name one thing, and try to make it specific. I'm grateful for the perfect cup of tea my daughter (a teenager as of today!) has just made me, in my favourite mug. She really does make a good cup of tea.
It's fairly early morning, and unusually for me I'm sitting in bed writing this to you. I can just see the hanging basket on the house opposite literally drinking up the rain as it's falling; it has been a hot and dry few weeks here in the UK.
I'm emerging from a migraine. I have been sheltering in a darkened room, barely able to so much as glance at my laptop for the last 48 hours. It's nice to be online again and reconnecting with the world, although I know I have to take that slowly to avoid the migraine returning straight away.
I could have easily predicted this one. It was the right time of the month, I was overtired from two nights of poor sleep, I was feeling particularly anxious and overwhelmed and then I shared a bottle of red wine with my husband on our wedding anniversary. Anxiety is one of my migraine triggers, although it needs to be layered with other triggers to bring one on. Like red wine.
I've been feeling overwhelmed lately and a little less capable of everyday things. I make simple little mistakes, like leaving my keys in the car door, and I'm missing deadlines although I can't quite understand why. It's hard to put a finger on, I just know that I'm not functioning as well as usual.
Now my migraine has started to shift, I'm going to do what I can to simplify things a little. I love to do all the things, but it's leaving me feeling overstretched and overwhelmed.
I'm going to take a look at my workload and decide on the things that are my bare minimum, like writing this to you, and the things that really can wait, like posting on Instagram.
I'm going to delete all but the most essential apps on my phone, and take a break from all my social media accounts except the one that brings me the most joy.
I'm going to limit the podcasts that I subscribe to so that the latest episodes stop mounting up in my podcast app.
I'm going to unsubscribe to a few email newsletters and substacks so that I am only receiving the ones that make me laugh or make me feel inspired.
Recent research by Iowa State University has shown clear evidence that cutting back on social media reduces anxiety, depression and loneliness. During a two-week experiment with 230 college students, half were asked to limit their social media usage to 30 minutes a day. After only two weeks they scored significantly lower than the control group for anxiety, depression, loneliness and fear of missing out. I'm not sure that this result would come as a surprise to many people and yet we still find ourselves glued to our devices.
For me, I'm in hope that a few small changes this Summer will give me permission to slow down just a little and focus on the things that are most important. Like being in the present moment with my family, and feeling a little less overwhelmed by my to-do list.
This month, we're sharing more judgement-free ideas about how we can all take small steps to simplify our lives a little and reduce down on overwhelm and anxiety.
Let me know if you're going to try any of the ideas below this Summer and how you get on.
xx
PS, if you know someone who would benefit from simplifying life a little, please share this email with them too, I know I'd appreciate the thought from a friend. 🙏
HELPFUL THINGS JUST FOR YOU
Photo: Man reading book, from UnSplash
Here are a few practices, podcasts, blog posts and videos that we’re finding helpful:
Join our brand new 30-day programme for gentle daily prompts delivered by SMS or Whatsapp to your phone every morning: click here.
Read this 5 minute read - The life-changing power of tiny habits: A Minimalists perspective.
Listen to this 40 minute podcast episode from Tiffany Dufu - Do what you do best, and drop the rest.
Fancy a little physical exercise - take control of your social media use with the Centre for Humane Technology’s free exercises
A longer read…the joy of missing out: Live more by doing less, by Tonya Dalton.
Ready to download WorryTree?
If you haven’t already tried WorryTree (and the basic worry tree technique tool is free for everyone to use as many times as you need) then you’ll find the links below.
Remember…
If you're struggling at the moment, then know that asking for help is a sign of strength not of weakness. Contact someone you can trust like your Doctor, a friend or a relative, or text SHOUT to 85258 (UK) to start a conversation with a crisis support volunteer.