Balance May 2018 - 9

YO U R E S S E N T I A L H A N D B O O K

The
user guide

rebalance
SIX STEPS TO STEEL-TRAP YOUR MIND

Allocate 20 minutes
each day to write down
everything which is likely
to worry you at night.
This will help draw a line
under your concerns
before bed

Be Kind

LIVE TO GIVE
DO IT SITE

COMPILED BY: JAMES GILL, ILLUSTRATION: RAMI NIEMI

DRINK TO THAT
TENZING

Acts of kindness improve
mental wellbeing, and that
could be as little as saying
hello to strangers (NB: not
everyone likes this). Do It
lets you browse volunteer
work that suits your skill-set,
so you can practically hear
Heather Small soundtracking
you. do-it.org

MENTAL
HEALTH
REST IS BEST
HYDE & SLEEP
LUXE PILLOW

For a mental pick-me-up,
this crisp, refreshing,
energising and natural
energy drink should serve
you well. And, in honour of
Everest great Sherpa
Tenzing Norgay, a
percentage of sales fund
green projects in Nepal.
teamtenzing.com

Sleep is the king of mental
wellbeing, helping with
functioning, hormonal
balance, brain toxins and
more, and this cutting edge
mood enhancer is a
game-changer. The
NASA-developed cover
reacts to body temperature,
while also helping to
improve spine alignment.
£79; hydeandsleep.com

MISSED CALL
PHONE DETOX

SPRAY IT FORWARD
BETTER YOU

Mental health can be
impacted by excessive
mobile use. Enter this
phone-shaped pocketbook,
which is packed with
life-affirming quotes and
essays, and aims to
bring a little sanity to the
closest relationship you
have with technology.
£8; theschooloflife.com

If you're lacking vital
get-up-and-go and mental
dexterity, you may be
deficient in vitamin B12.
Better You's Boost B12 Oral
Spray is easily applied with
a daily squirt to the inside of
your cheek, and could
provide an all-round jolt.
betteryou.com

MIND HOW YOU GO
INNER SPACE TALKS
We love everything about
this personal development
centre. It's a haven for
anyone looking to bolster
their mental health, where
you'll find courses on
mediation, positive thinking,
combating stress and more.
It's free, although donations
are obviously welcome.
innerspace.org.uk

May 2018 BA LA N CE

by BERNADETTE RUSSELL

A

s my mindfulness teacher
once said, "don't start
making your parachute
after you've jumped". You should
know yourself well enough to
have tools at your disposal to help
you feel better when needed. My
anxiety often results in sleepless
nights, and usually requires time
off, a long muddy walk and a night
out with people who make me
laugh. It's about working out how
to keep an equilibrium. Be kind to
yourself, think about what works
to relax, comfort and de-stress you,
and create a space in your life for it.
If you notice a friend might
need help, ask if they need to talk:
don't wait until the "right time".
My brother-in-law, a community
psychiatric nurse, suggests: "If
you're willing to listen and be there,
that's great. There's no wrong way
to help someone"
The kindest thing you can do is
give someone time and space to talk.
So lets get started; listen to and help
each other, and create a world where
taboos around mental health are a
thing of the past.
The Little Book of Kindness
by Bernadette Russell (£7.99,
Orion Spring) is out now.

9
http://www.do-it.org http://www.teamtenzing.com http://www.hydeandsleep.com http://www.betteryou.com http://www.ife.com http://innerspace.org.uk
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance May 2018
