We all have those days when we’re out of energy. The to-do list is never ending but, seemingly, our motivation is not. There’s plenty we want to do, yet somehow we can’t bring ourselves to get started. Even plans that seem fun can become a bit of a bind. We’re not depressed, or stressed, we’re just out of oomph, and unsure how to re-start the engines. There can be any number of reasons why we lose our pizazz and, although frustrating, we need to recognise that this enforced slow-down is actually a protective mechanism of the brain. Our bodies and minds are intensely clever and attuned to our ..read more

Dr Alex George, the Government’s youth mental health ambassador, social media star, and author of bestselling self-help guides for adults and children, is reflecting on the measures he’s taken to look after his own wellbeing. He has weekly therapy, gave up alcohol a year ago, takes medication for ADHD – which was diagnosed 18 months ago, and explains a lot about his struggles growing up – and is still grieving for his 19-year-old brother, Llŷr, who died by suicide in 2020, just as he was about to start medical school. ‘I’ve had to prioritise my own mental health above everything else, in order ..read more

Life’s winners are simply the top of their talent pool, right? Wrong! Or so the experts say, believing that success is not always down to ability. Often, in fact, those who appear to be nailing it are no more capable than their comrades. Their secret, then? Self-belief and positive thinking. And the good news is there are plenty of evidence-based tips on how the rest of us can grab a piece of it, and banish our negative internal chatter. How many times does our inner voice rob us of the confidence to chase a goal or leave us shying away from an opportunity? Imagine if that voice was encouragin ..read more

There are many reasons for trying a plant-based or vegan diet – from health to ethics and sustainability. Studies show that one of the most effective things a person can do to lower their carbon footprint is to avoid all animal products. The reality is that meat and dairy farming contribute to global warming, pollution, deforestation, land degradation and loss of native species. Adopting a varied vegan diet, however, produces less emissions and uses about a third of the land and three times less water.  Benefits of a flexitarian diet I’ve followed a vegan diet for three years but, li ..read more

Watching footage a few years ago of bush fires ripping through Australia, many of us felt a wave of emotions barrel over us. Guilt: we should be doing more to help the climate; fear: is it the beginning of the end?; grief: will our collective inaction mean the future generations won’t enjoy the beautiful world the way we have?; anger: why aren’t I doing more? Why isn’t everyone doing more?; and despondency: is there any point anyway? For many of us, this wave of emotions is a frequent occurrence, triggered by anything that reminds us of the climate crisis – from forgetting to put out the recyc ..read more

As spring has officially begun, coaching expert Adam Goodman-Smith from Barefoot Coaching explains why now is the perfect time to complete a spring clean — not just on your house, but your life. Most people associate spring cleaning with getting your house ship-shape just in time for the summer, a tradition which dates back to the 1930s, when the return of sunshine throwing light on the dust in the house often signalled the time to start fresh, declutter and reset. But it doesn’t stop there. Because spring is all about new beginnings, Adam ..read more

Put a spring in your step this season with our favourite new self-care, beauty, and wellbeing buys – from chocolate face masks to menopause-support supplements. Warmer weather, longer evenings, and sunnier days are finally upon us. If the arrival of spring has inspired you to give your health and wellbeing a much-needed boost after winter, we’ve rounded up the best new health, beauty, and wellness products to help you upgrade your self-care regime. Inlight Beauty Chocolate Mask (£41, inlightbeauty.co.uk) 100% organic & natural, with gorgeous aromas of chocolate orange, Inlight’s face mask ..read more

It’s easy to default to chocolate for an Easter treat, but amidst the mounds of sweet stuff, make sure the little ones get something healthy this Easter with this delicious (and fun!) egg recipe from British Lion eggs. Serves: 4 Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time Cooking time: 10 minutes Ingredients 6 British Lion eggs 2 cooked beetroot (from a vacuum pack) Salad leaves Carrot, cherry tomatoes, to serve Chives, cut into 2.5cm lengths Method 1. Place eggs into a pan of warm water, bring to the boil and cook for seven minutes. Drain and cool in a large bowl of cold water. On ..read more

Put time aside for a weekly dose of self-care with Secrets From A Coach – the podcast that prioritises your wellbeing. Last month, the wellbeing focused Secrets From A Coach podcast – hosted by wellness coach Debbie Green at Wishfish and TEDx speaker Laura Thomson-Staveley at Phenomenal Training – tackled the topic of how to manage feeling burnt out and overwhelmed, offering practical tips and sanity-saving techniques to help you be your best. Debbie Green, wellness coach and podcast host, says: ‘Our podcast gives listeners a sense of resilience, kindness and optimism. We’re only in the spring ..read more

Picture this: At the first hint of dawn, your eyes snap open. You blearily reach for your phone to check the time, see it is unholy o’clock and turn over to try and find your way back to that lovely dream you were having. Suddenly, your mind is flooded with your to-do list; that weird meeting you had with your boss yesterday; something you must add to your online shop… You lie there, thoughts chasing each other around your head until your alarm goes off at 7am, when you stagger, exhausted, from your bed. Sound familiar? It is a scenario that plays out in bedrooms across the country in the wee ..read more