With World WellBeing Week in full swing, a great way to improve your wellness is to take a break and have a day completely to yourself. This may sound easier said than done, but these simple ideas can make a big difference.
As a student, a part-time nursery teacher and a journalist myself, you can probably guess by now that I am pretty broke. It takes me a whole year to save for a well-deserved holiday or weekend away, so I don’t find it easy to get away from life and have time to reset.
However, this year a friend advised me to take a day off away from everything going on in my life otherwise I would end up feeling burnt out. At first, I was not convinced or sure I could have a full day to myself. Seeing that my anxiety was here to stay, I decided to listen to the voice of reason and take on the challenge to spend a day out of my little world doing what I love.
Yes, a challenge, because who has the time? Time is money, but how can you make money if you are overworked? This is why you need a day away from the world and these are some tips on how to do that.
Plan one day of the week to spend time with yourself
I love nature, flowers, quaint coffee shops, long walks, random conversations with strangers and simply feeling the summer breeze on my skin. From time to time, I love to walk into a random gallery or just go to a place I have never visited before.
So, I started to plan every of my Thursdays accordingly. My day consisted of a massive and beautifully made breakfast in the morning, followed by a swimming lesson, then a coffee in a cute little coffee shop.
Then, I would find a park or a flower garden that I have never explored before and that would give me a feeling of newness.
At the end of my first Thursday, I came home humming and singing melodies that I did not even know existed just because I felt a new breath of life into my body and mind. A breath that you can simply call "happiness".
Find small things to do that makes you happy
Occasionally I would buy myself flowers, and make the most healthy but yummy dinners to end the day in festivity. Or I would simply watch a very light-hearted or inspirational movie. I rekindled my love of books, and they became my companion during my coffee time and sometimes after a long walk in a new territory.
Explore hidden gems on your own
I have lived in London for 17 years now, after moving from Paris when I was 18. However, I never explored the place I call home now, Croydon, and its surrounding areas thoroughly. I discovered hidden gems - these gems allowed me to break my weekly routine, give air to my overcrowded brain and not dwell on issues of life while uncovering new places.
Evading is not about only going to the other side of the world. Evading from our thoughts, life challenges and responsibilities is simply taking a day out, a day consecrated to yourself to meet with you again.
A day to give your inner child that tender loving care by doing what sparks joy in you before going back to the mundane world, energised and ready for anything coming your way. Only to be able to live better for yourself, for your loved ones and for everyone that you meet.
If you had a day a week to do everything you absolutely love, what would you do? Comment below!
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