Today, we're kicking off a new self-help programme, Mindful Mondays. This week we're providing some background and next week, we'll start looking at some exercises. What is it? Mindfulness is about living fully in the moment. Noticing things like your breathing, your stomach gurgling, your feet hitting the ground as you walk. These are all sensation-based things which take is out of the hectic thought patterns that bother us in daily life. It takes practice It seems easy to be mindful, on the surface at least. However, succeeding in this task is much more difficult. Practice is required, but it is a skill in which most of us can achieve a level of success. If you think mindfulness isn't working, I encourage you to completely immerse yourself in it, and persist. A recognised form of … [Read more...] about Mindful Mondays at Hypnotic Universe
how to be happy
4 Mental Wellness Activities To Fit Into Your Daily Routine
Living a fulfilled life involves looking after our mental wellbeing. Although this can look different for everyone, there are some common themes, which we can all follow in this endeavour. 1. Take some time to be in the moment. Being in the now(1), also known as mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression(2). Many people have heard of mindfulness, but fewer actually know enough about it to actually practice it, and fewer yet practice it regularly enough to benefit from it. So, where can you start? The first step is to find some mindfulness activities that work for you. Some will find that focusing on different parts of the body at a time works for them, whilst others will find that focusing on their breath works for them. There really isn’t a right or wrong way, so long … [Read more...] about 4 Mental Wellness Activities To Fit Into Your Daily Routine
4 Mental Wellness Activities To Fit Into Your Daily Routine
Living a fulfilled life involves looking after our mental wellbeing. Although this can look different for everyone, there are some common themes, which we can all follow in this endeavour. 1. Take some time to be in the moment Being in the now also known as mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression. Many people have heard of mindfulness, but fewer actually know enough about it to actually practice it, and fewer yet practice it regularly enough to benefit from it. So, where can you start? The first step is to find some mindfulness activities that work for you. Some will find that focusing on different parts of the body at a time works for them, whilst others will find that focusing on their breath works for them. There really isn’t a right or wrong way, so long as … [Read more...] about 4 Mental Wellness Activities To Fit Into Your Daily Routine
New in store – The Little Book of Happiness (free)
Hi all, this is just to let you know that we've added a new self-help book to the store. It's currently free and contains 100 affirmations for happiness, wellness, health and joy. https://hypnoticuniverse.org/shop/the-little-book-of-happiness/ … [Read more...] about New in store – The Little Book of Happiness (free)
How to improve self-esteem
Today we're looking at 5 key ways in which you can improve your self-esteem. 1. Accept yourself Self-acceptance is: The act of accepting yourself and all your personality traits exactly as they are. You accept them no matter whether they are positive or negative. This includes your physical and mental attributes. - Waters 2021 Waters also explains that beyond self-esteem, self-acceptance leads to many benefits, such as: Control of emotions Forgiveness Improvement in self-confidence Helping you be yourself If only we accepted ourselves the way that we openly accept others. I always find it interesting that we often set such high standards for ourselves, compared to others. Don't do it; you owe it to yourself to be kind to yourself. 2. Value yourself If you have good … [Read more...] about How to improve self-esteem
How to value your mental health
Today we're lookng at 6 key ways in which you can promote mental well-being in your own life. So let's jump right into it. 1. End toxic relationships Scott (2020) defines a toxic relationships as follows: A toxic relationship is one that makes you feel unsupported, misunderstood, demeaned, or attacked. - Scott (2020) The term doesn't apply to just sexual partners, but every other sphere too, whether it's your employer, a family member, a coach, or somebody else. 2. Talk to friends You know the saying "a problem shared is a problem halved"? It's said for a good reason, because sharing a problem allows you to get a different perspective, process your own thoughts, feelings and emotions and sometimes just doing that allows you to reach a conclusion or decision and maybe find the … [Read more...] about How to value your mental health
7 ways to deal with uncertainty?
Over the last two years, the world has been filled with uncertainty hasn't it? I'd say that we've got used to living day to day but have we really? And each time it feels like some semblance of normality is returning, it's ripped out of our grasp...yet again. The world's gone mad! I'm being a little melodramatic here, but you know where I'm coming from, right? How well do you deal with uncertainty? Truth be told, some of us deal with uncertainty better than others. You know? Some people are quite 'chill' and just brush off uncertainty, and then there are those of us who have a tendency to feel anxious and whom feel really quite unsettled during periods of uncertainty. The reality Despite there being so much uncertainty in the world right now, the reality is that uncertainty is actually … [Read more...] about 7 ways to deal with uncertainty?
1 simple thing to do NOW, to sleep better tonight
Are you struggling to fall asleep because your mind is racing with thoughts and worries? You are not alone; many people suffer from insomnia due to overthinking at night. But don't worry, because we have a simple tip that can help you sleep better. What is it? It's keeping a notebook by your bed. Whenever you have a thought that bothers you or distracts you, just grab your notebook and write it down. How much should you write? You don't have to write a lot; just enough to remind yourself of it in the morning. Alternatively, just write enough to help you off-load your thoughts and feelings. How does this help? Writing in a journal can: Help you clear your mind - we have found that often, when people really think about what's keeping them awake, it is because something is on … [Read more...] about 1 simple thing to do NOW, to sleep better tonight
3 ways to get out of a rut at work
If you feel as though you're stuck in a rut at work, or you feel that your work life is causing you to feel burnout, then this is the post for you. In today's post, we're going to suggest 3 ways that you can get out of that rut, or avoid burnout. If there's anything I can relate to, it's being in a work rut! Indeed, it's a funny place to be really, because on the one hand you're unhappy (or unfulfilled, or whatever), but on the other hand, you're not quite ready to bail. Maybe there's still enough parts of your job that still excite you, or maybe you're eternal optimist and you believe things will get better next week/month/year. Whichever of these sound familiar to you, I hope that you get something positive out of today's post. So, what can you do to get out of that work rut? May … [Read more...] about 3 ways to get out of a rut at work
Make May all about change
May is such a beautiful time of year...the weather is not too hot, not too cold...the trees are back in full bloom and everything just feels...lighter. So, in honour of celebrating this beautiful time of year, we'll be sharing a few top tips that should help you lead a more enriched life. Tip #1: Change somebody else's life This looks different for different people, but here's some ideas to get you started. Carry out a random act of kindness (R.A.O.K) such as: Pay for somebody else's shopping in the queue in front of you. Pay for the coffee order of the person in front of you. Give a care package to a homeless person. Donate time, money and/or goods to a charity that means a lot to you. Such as: Dementia UK Age UK MacMillan Dogs Trust Huddersfield … [Read more...] about Make May all about change
