A very Happy New Year to you! I hope you enjoyed the festivities over the Christmas period and are inspired about the possibilities of the year ahead. If you’re not quite feeling this way yet, then fear not – this newsletter has been written with a focus on creativity and the transformative power that small changes can have in creating a healthy body and mind. |
|
|
As the winter can be a challenging time for our skin, I have decided that it would be a good time to create a bundle offer for those of you who wish to use our Collagen Boost Face Oil together with our Cleansing Oil with Wild Manuka & Blue Tansy Oil (with a soft muslin cloth included). You can buy the bundle from our online shop and, until the end of January, there will be an offer price of £40 for the bundle (usual price £45), which saves £10 compared to buying the items separately. Enjoy these products every day for beautifully soft and nourished skin that glows. Use the button below to purchase the bundle and give your skin some winter love! |
|
|
The end of a year often prompts us to look back over what has already passed, as well as forwards to what the next 12 months could have in store. In previous years I have created a list of ambitious and often unrealistic resolutions that have usually started to unravel come spring. For this reason I’m choosing to do things differently this January – more holistically, in fact! To focus my mind on the lasting change I’d like to see, I have chosen a guiding word that will stay with me throughout 2024 to help shape my decision making. My word this year is 'potential'. There are so many powerful words to choose from (harmony, patience, ease, intuition, acceptance, balance, to name but a few) but this one came to me towards the end of last year and I just couldn’t let it go. It means prioritising time to do the things I am passionate about It means living more in alignment with my values It means taking on more projects that challenge me It means believing in my abilities more
It’s actually a lovely thing to do as a family at the start of each year. When I sat down to do this with my daughters, they chose ‘helpful’ and ‘curious’ as their guiding words. Whilst I find it enough to just keep the word in the forefront of my mind, you could choose to add it to your phone’s home screen – children may enjoy making a piece of art that features their own word centre-stage. If you are inspired to give it a go, I hope this exercise will help you to stay energetic and focused this year. I’m certainly hoping this remains the case for me…I’ll let you know how I get on! |
|
|
This was a great book to read over the festive period as there are some new habits, such as meditation, that I would really like to build into my daily routine in 2024. Below are the tips that I’ve picked up from reading it. Start small: The author recommends that when you start a new habit, it should be achievable within two minutes. Anyone can meditate for one minute, and once you’ve started doing the right thing it is much easier to continue doing it. A new habit should not feel like a challenge – the actions that follow can be challenging, but the first couple of minutes should be easy. The point is to master the habit of showing up. Keep the habit easy, attractive and satisfying to do: I have done this by subscribing to the Calm app so that it is possible to listen to a guided meditation whenever I wish to. There are also short meditation courses on the app which are very satisfying to follow. Over time, habits are what make up your life: Each day you have the ability to make choices that support the identity you want to embody. Small changes compound over time, so learn to love the process rather than getting too attached to a specific outcome. |
|
|
I’ve seen a lot of content about the transformative power of journalling on social media but, until now, I’ve never taken the time to delve deeper into it. This podcast has helped me to better understand the benefits of journalling regularly to improve sleep, reduce the symptoms of anxiety, and to encourage better decision making. It has also been shown to make it easier to turn new behaviours into long term habits, improve the quality of our relationships and, in time, help us lead more mindful and intentional lives. Dr Chatterjee has been journalling for over 5 years and during this time has identified what he believes to be the 3 most impactful questions to ask yourself every morning and evening. Answering these questions takes me less than 5 minutes and I have to say that I really enjoy the process: Morning: -What is the one thing you deeply appreciate about your life? -What is the most important thing you have to do today? -What quality do you want to show the world today? Evening: -What went well today? -What did you do for someone else today? -What can you do differently tomorrow? Dr Rangan Chatterjee has created a beautiful looking journal – The Three Question Journal – which can be purchased from his website. As I was given a lovely notebook at Christmas, I have chosen to use this instead. |
|
|
I’ve been making: Elderberry tonic. |
|
|
Due to the number of nasty viruses circulating this winter, I have made my own cold and flu-busting tonic using a bag of dried elderberries a friend gifted to me. This immune-boosting elixir has been used for many centuries to promote resilience during times when our body’s systems are particularly stressed. Famous for their ability to shorten the duration of colds and flu, elderberries have been extensively studied, and clinical trials have shown significant evidence of their healing properties. It’s easy to make at home using only a handful of ingredients and it will save you a lot of money compared with the tonics you can buy in the shops. I give the whole family 1 tsp of the tonic each day at this time of year. As my children have the tonic I use an alcohol-free recipe, rather than some of the others that recommend adding brandy or vodka to increase shelf life. Ingredients 75g dried organic elderberries 240g local honey 4 whole cloves 1 medium cinnamon stick 40g sliced fresh ginger 75g raw cider vinegar with Live Mother* 750ml water Method Combine the water, dried elderberries, ginger, cloves and cinnamon stick in a pan Over a medium heat, bring the elderberry mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to allow it to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by half Remove from the heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature Strain the elderberry mixture through a mesh strainer, making sure to squish all the juice out of the berries Add in the honey and apple cider vinegar. Mix well Store in a sterilised glass bottle or jar in the fridge for up to one month
*Live Mother is full of gut-loving probiotics. Willy’s do a great range of organic live apple cider vinegars. When elderberries are in season later in the year I plan on picking some fresh ones. I'll then use them to make my own chewable immune-boosting/gut-soothing gummies. |
|
|
Workshop: If you fancy learning a new skill later this month, I am running a workshop with Watch This Space on Sunday 28th January at Ritual Coffee Roasters on Cheltenham’s Lansdown Industrial Estate. It’s a beautiful and spacious venue, with a lovely atmosphere, free parking and, of course, great coffee and refreshments. You will learn to make your own lip balm and lip gloss using natural ingredients such as beeswax, shea butter, honey, and a range of carrier oils. Building on this knowledge, you will also create a lip and cheek tint, or you can opt for a lovely multi-function balm which can be used on your face and hands. There’s something for everyone. The course costs £45, including all tools, materials, and refreshments. Book your place through the Watch This Space website using the following link: https://wtscollective.co.uk/shop/ols/products/come-and-learn-to-make-your-own-lip-balm-lip-gloss--lipcheek-tint-using-natural-ingredients |
|
|
I hope the rest of your January is enjoyable, productive and virus-free! I'm already underway planning the coming edition of The Blend and look forward to sharing this with you next month. On a final note, if you ever have any questions or feedback relating to the newsletter, or even suggestions for subjects you'd like me to write about in future, then I'd love to hear from you! |
|
|
Cotswold Remedies, 58 Albert Road, Cheltenham GL52 2QX |
|
|
|
|
